- John Hance, Herbalist
Are you brushing your teeth with poison? Are you drinking it?
I haven't used toothpaste in over a year. Well, that's not entirely true. To be more accurate, I've made my own toothpaste for over a year. I haven't used over the counter (OTC) toothpaste in all this time. You see, I've known for over 20 years now that we all consume hidden poisons without ever giving it a thought, and that really bugs me! We mindlessly drink water from the tap (well, most people do) or from water fountains in public places, or with dinner when dining out. Even if you order the house-made sweet tea, guess what? That's almost always made with tap water.
The problem is fluoride. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral which many municipalities all over the country add to the public's water supply. There's a movement in America to end this practice, and it's growing in popularity, but there are still tons of cities and counties that do this.
The problem with fluoride is that it's a neurotoxin. That means it's a substance that is toxic to your nerves and nervous system (think brain damage, spinal cord damage, etc). The Lancet (a highly regarded medical journal), in a recent study, recommended that fluoride be classified as a developmental neurotoxin along with lead, mercury, arsenic, PCB, and toluene. The fact that they called it a developmental neurotoxin is significant; they're pointing to the fact that this substance is especially toxic to the developing brains of infants and small children. Anyone notice the upstroke in instances of ADD/ADHD? Neurotoxins are responsible for things like dyslexia and lower IQ, too!
Fluoride is a carrier for aluminum in the blood, too. We've known since the 1970's that Alzheimer's Disease is linked to aluminum deposits in the brain, and a push to end the use of antiperspirants that contain aluminum has enjoyed frequent resurgence over the decades (with good reason). It's only been more recently that we've learned how the aluminum is able to pass the blood-brain barrier. That becomes possible only when aluminum combines with fluoride in the blood to create aluminum fluoride. Aluminum itself would be stopped by the blood-brain barrier if not for the presence of fluoride in the blood.
Fluoride combines with iodine in the blood, which causes a deficiency of iodine in the body. The thyroid requires iodine to create its hormones, so when it can't get any from the blood...voila! You get hyperthyroidism! Patients experience forgetfulness, mental fogginess, lack of focus, emotional issues like depression/anxiety, and a host of other complications.
Then there's the direct action of fluoride on the brain. It gets into the brain and acts directly on the cerebellum, the neocortex, and the hippocampus. The cerebellum is where balance and coordination are controlled. The neocortex is responsible for sensory perception (sight, smell, taste, touch, sound). It also is where language is processed. The hippocampus is where we learn new things. It's also where our emotions get regulated.
Fluoride also impairs the production of melatonin by calcifying the pineal gland. This causes sleep deprivation, of course, but it also causes even more damage to the brain, since melatonin is a protective antioxidant specifically designed to protect the brain. Alzheimer's patients and dementia patients always have significantly higher levels of calcification of the pineal gland.
After this neurotoxin is finished ravaging the brain and causing memory loss, lack of focus, emotional instability, depression, screwed up taste buds, ringing in the ears, making you lose sleep, and giving you Alzheimer's Disease, it then travels to the spinal column and sciatic nerve. The damage it does there ranges from nerve deterioration to intense, chronic pain, to numbness and aching in the extremities, and on and on.
So why do I not use OTC toothpaste? Most of the commercially available toothpastes on the market contain fluoride. For that matter, so do most mouth washes...and I make my own mouthwash too! The fluoride in those products are just as dangerous as the stuff folks are constantly drinking. While it's true that you do spit toothpaste and mouthwash out and you don't swallow it, you're still holding them in your mouth for at least a couple of minutes. Absorption of substances in the mouth happens at a very high rate, so you're definitely exposing your bloodstream to this pernicious neurotoxin when you use OTC oral care products. I make my own oral care products to avoid absorbing ANY of it - except the occasional times it occurs naturally in my food, but that's very, very tiny amounts over the course of years, not concentrated into a half ounce. For those of you who want to start making your own toothpaste and mouthwash, here are the recipes I use. I encourage you to at least try it out. Getting off the fluoride might be the one health decision that changes your life!!!
Homemade Toothpaste
3/4 C Coconut Oil
3 Tbsp. Baking Soda
3/4 tsp. Pure Stevia Extract (powder)
15 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
1. Melt oil in a small mason jar, half submerged in simmering water, until oil is liquid. 2. Remove from heat and add baking soda, stirring to dissolve. 3. Add stevia powder and stir to dissolve. 4. Add Essential Oil and stir. 5. Allow to come to room temp (solidify), and give the whole batch a good stir to mix settled solid ingredients. TO USE: Put a small amount into mouth and brush with it like normal.
I use a baby spoon to dip it, then I move the paste between my front teeth and lips, allowing it to melt, then brush normally). The baking soda is the active cleaning agent, the coconut oil is antibacterial, and the peppermint oil is antimicrobial. The stevia is just for taste, so use it if you want or omit it. It won't make any difference in how the toothpaste works. I just like the taste better if it's a little bit sweet.
Homemade Mouthwash
4 Cups Filtered Water
2 Tbsp. Baking Soda
30 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
1 tsp. Stevia Powder
1 shot (1.5 oz) Vodka
Combine all ingredients into a 32 oz. bottle and shake vigorously to dissolve powders. Use 1/2 oz at a time after brushing (with homemade toothpaste above), rinsing for 1 minute.
Let me know if you've ever made your own, and if so, what recipes did you use? I'd love to hear from you if you've tried my suggestions and they've worked for you (or not). Here's to your Health!