The time has come when whitening toothpaste and fluoride mouthwash are too mainstream, you are seeking for dental care that is more alternative, less mainstream. You are looking for something more hipster, more you.
Baking Soda
Baking soda in geek language is sodium bicarbonate, which is a form of weak alkali powder. Some have advocated using it to remove stain and whiten teeth due to its mildly abrasive properties. It may be able to remove the stain due to its abrasive properties but wouldnt be able to break down the internal stain that whitening gel removes.
The hispter will use it for another purpose. They will use it to help prevent decay! Hipster or not, all of us want to prevent decay and to some of us a visit to the dentist maybe dreadful. Baking soda with its alkali properties can help to buffer our mouth from the decay causing acid.
Mixing a teaspoon of baking soda with tap water and using it to rinse can help to prevent decay.
Do note, it does not replace good brushing and flossing and should only be used as a supplement to them and not a replacement to good brushing and flossing. Old school brushing and flossing are still essential to prevent decay.
2. Coconut oil
The hipster oil, coconut oil has gained much traction to the hispter community. As a result, its price has also increased many folds.
Coconut oil is used as a mouthwash and and a teaspoon of it is placed is mouth and using the swishing motion, the coconut oil is pulled through the teeth and the mechanical action is claimed to be able to “pull” the bacteria out from the gum and teeth surface. The process is continued for 20minutes before spitting out the coconut oil.
The concept is similar to using a commercial mouthwash, but substituting with a hipster mineral oil. Mouthwash and coconut oil pulling can again be a supplement but good old brushing and flossing are still essential to prevent decay and gum disease.
3. Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is the “bad boy” of dentistry. Its bad name is from the fact that it is used as the active ingredient in teeth whitening. Some articles have claimed that hydrogen peroxide damaging the enamel and causing sensitivity. It is true that high concentration and misappropriate handling can cause teeth sensitivity and may damage the gum and lip. Hence, most health authourity rule by law that only registered dentists are allowed to handle hydrogen peroxide gel of more than 0.1% concentration on patients.
Apart from using for teeth whitening, hydrogen peroxide is used as a mild antiseptic. Technically hydrogen peroxide can be used to disinfect the mouth but it needs to be used with great cautious as it can cause injury to the mouth if it is too concentrated. Remember most health authourity ban non dentists from using hydrogen peroxide of more than 0.1% for use in the mouth.
Many techniques can be found online where hydrogen peroxide is used to kill bacteria in the mouth. Hydrogen peroxide is like Mr Hyde and Dr Jekyll, good at killing bacteria but can cause damage if used inappropriately.
