Smile with Confidence: A Comprehensive Guide to Dental Health and Care

How to Clean Teeth Between Brushing

We all know that dentists suggest brushing as one of the most important daily health tips. But who hasn’t found themselves in a situation where you become separated from your toothbrush? Maybe you forgot to pack it for a trip or ended up staying the night somewhere and you weren’t planning to. Here are a few ways to clean your teeth without a toothbrush or toothpaste. It’s important to note that this doesn’t replace regular brushing, but is a temporary fix for those times you find yourself without proper dental equipment once in a while.

Use a Cloth to Clean Your Teeth

If you have a cloth or even a thick paper towel, you can clean your teeth. Simply wrap the cloth or towel around the end of your finger and use your finger to rub the surface of your teeth. Don’t use anything too course like a rough fabric as it can damage the enamel. A soft cloth or paper towel can help get your teeth clean until you can get back to your toothbrush. Actually, if you don’t have a paper towel or a soft cloth, you can also use your finger. Once it is wet, just wipe your teeth down thoroughly to clean the surface. This can be just as effective.

Chew Some Sugar free Gum

Gum of any type is sticky enough to help clean your teeth, but sugar can lead to tooth decay so choose sugar free gum. Chewing gum helps stimulate your glands to make more saliva and this helps get rid of bad types of bacteria that are found in the mouth. The gum can help get some food particles loose so they are removed and the saliva helps rinse away bacteria. This can be a great way to freshen your breath and clean your teeth in between meals or until you can get back home.

Eat Firm Foods

There are a few foods that are firm and crisp. This means that they clean the teeth while you are eating them. Foods like apples, carrots, and celery all work to clean the surface of your teeth. Finishing off a meal with one of these healthy foods can clean teeth. It’s best to use one of these foods after you’ve eaten a meal when you know it will be awhile before you get to where you can brush your teeth.

Water or Mouthwash

Even though it sounds very simple, water can be useful when it comes to oral hygiene. If you think about it, dental hygienist use high pressured water to remove plaque from teeth. You can swish some water around in your mouth after you eat or anytime between meals to help clean your mouth and teeth. Rinsing your mouth with water helps to get rid of bacteria and can help remove some food particles. It will keep your teeth as clean as possible until you get back home where you can brush them again.

You can accomplish the same thing only using mouthwash. Mouthwash usually has added fluoride can help clean the teeth and most brands have antiseptic properties. Swishing mouthwash around in your mouth can help get rid of food and debris and help whiten and brighten your teeth.

Natural Substitutes for Toothbrushes

There are a few natural substances that can be useful for cleaning your teeth when you do not have a toothbrush. Sage leaf can be rubbed on your teeth to get them clean. Some twigs are also good for using to clean teeth. Birch or elm are good, but licorice root is very beneficial. If you are looking for a natural tooth pick try a pine needle or a cactus.

A Surprising Solution

Many will be surprised to hear that cheese might be used to clean your teeth.  The basic act of chewing can help prevent tooth decay because of the production of saliva. There have been several studies that showed eating string cheese can help reduce the pH in bacterial plaque. This is primarily due to the proteins in the saliva which helps to create a barrier to the harmful acids in the mouth. Eating some cheese with wine can help counter the acidity found in most wines.