Dental care

Regenerative Culture Health, Healing & Movement
#1

ok, im not sure this belongs in this board but here goes anyways. I wanted to know alternatives to a toothbrush. Back when I was in india, this wasn’t very hard, it was common knowledge that the twigs from a ‘neem’ tree made excellent toothbrushes. But now that I am in a compeletely new bioregion, I am mostly lost. I am just trying to find my way around, finding all the plants and what they do, how to recognise them etc. Something I have to learn all over again, on account of coming to canada. Anywho; any suggestions? There is probably some plants that natives here used for “twig chewing” as some call it (alternative to brushing). Kinda like neem in india. Which are the trees thhat do that? Is there anything i should be carefull about? or do i just pluck a twig or a small branch, and start chewing? I’d appreciate and answer, and any related experiances, thanks.

-Tj

#2
ok, im not sure this belongs in this board but here goes anyways.

I moved this over to the health and healing board.

Anywho; any suggestions? There is probably some plants that natives here used for "twig chewing" as some call it (alternative to brushing). Kinda like neem in india. Which are the trees thhat do that?

I don’t know how far north its range stretches (I did see some growing wild in the Bronx, at least) but dogwood works as a toothbrush. I usually strip the bark with my teeth and then chew the end until it flattens out into a brush-like fan and then brush (more like paint brush type brushing than toothbrush brushing) my teeth with that.

hmm, wikipedia indicates that C. florida’s range stretches into southern Ontario.

#3

Yeah willow, red osier dogwood, aspen or any poplar, should all be available to you in Ontario.

A really great twig tooth brush for you west coasters is the laurel. I think it actually neutarlizes the ph in your mouth and doesn’t taste too bad either.

#4

As far as other dental care goes…

You know tooth decay always shows up in archeological records when people start eating grains as a staple, which also generally means they have lots of other health problems.

Paleo diet is a good way to avoid having to brush your teeth as all!

Also, you can make mouth washes with tea. Peppermint works well.

#5

out of pure curiousity, urban scout, do you not brush yer teeth? You see I have horrible teeth and I never could figure out why, because I was a good little boy always brushing twice daily. I have an intense interest in making the teeth that I have left last, any tips? diet? Just wondering…