Using soap to brush teeth

gayleygoo

I read about this on a soapmaking forum I use - using ordinary soap to brush your teeth! Some people are concerned with the use of flouride, even with regards to teeth. Apparently when flouride is not used the teeth can re-mineralise and even heal small cavities themselves. I do intend to ask my dentist about this next time I see her!

I've been using plain soap for the last week and I quite like it You just need to rub the brush gently on the bar so you don't need much. There is a slightly soapy taste but not that much really, a few rinses with water after and there's barely any aftertaste, but my teeth do feel very clean. I'd probably find the strong mint taste of ordinary toothpaste more offensive now!

Does anyone else do this? Toothpaste isn't overly expensive so it might not save loads of money, but it certainly feels "Old-Style"! I do realise that dental treatment is very expensive so I do hope this works and I won't end up with a mouth-full of cavities in 6 months time

Any

No.
And having been coerced by my brother to bite on soap when I was little (he promised me his pocket money:-)) and remember the taste and what followed I don't think I ever want soap in my mouth again..

I have to say that idea of brushing my teeth with a soap have never crossed my mind and it is not something I would ever consider.

krlyr

I know coconut oil is often used for homemade fluoride-free toothpaste - might taste a bit better than soap!
http://familysponge.com/health/coconut-oil/homemade-toothpaste-coconut-oil/

System

Is soap food grade though?

gayleygoo

Thank you krylr, I've considered trying different recipes and seeing what works best for me! I saw a recipe that mixes coconut oil with liquid castille soap and peppermint oil, which I might try.

Any, I completely understand your reluctance, I ate soap as a child too (curious), and it was awful. Oddly, brushing your teeth with just a little doesn't taste bad as long as you don't get too much on your tongue, Apparently some soaps taste better then others!

gayleygoo

Judi wrote: »

Is soap food grade though?

I have no idea. Currently I'm using some from a batch I made, so I know that it is just olive oil, coconut oil and lye (which is saponified out, it's perfectly safe to use), and essential oils. Perhaps a bar with various other chemicals and preservatives and synthetic fragrance oils would be best avoided, I'd probably try to buy an organic/natural soap if I had to.

Just_a_Girl_2

I buy fluoride free toothpaste but when I run out, I use a mixture of coconut oil & bicarbonate of soda.

System

Just_a_Girl wrote: »

I buy fluoride free toothpaste but when I run out, I use a mixture of coconut oil & bicarbonate of soda.

I can see the benefits of the bicarbonate of of soda JAG (blimey its been years since I last called you that) but what benefit is the coconut oil?

Apollonia

gayleygoo wrote: »

Apparently when flouride is not used the teeth can re-mineralise and even heal small cavities themselves.

Where did you get this information from? It's the opposite of the truth.*

Fluoride is required for remineralisation of early carious lesions. (Along with calcium and phosphate.) The application of fluoride, calcium and phosphate is generally easiest by means of a toothpaste.

Try googling 'white spot lesion therapy' or even just 'remineralisation of teeth'. There are lots of academic articles out there.


*I agree with Stephen Fry who once said on QI that any fact that begins with the word 'apparently' is likely to be nonsense.

System

just looked at my soap and its got Glycerin in which is supposed to be bad for teeth... Otherwise I might have been tempted to try it out (i'll try almost anything once).

LameWolf

The dentist advised me to use soap to clean my dentures (I don't have any natural teeth left) on the basis it's gentler on the synthetic teeth than toothpaste; but I found, even with extensive rinsing, that the aftertaste was still there when I put them back in, and was just too unpleasant to cope with.:(