Dr. Bronners as Toothpaste?

[Scott Peterson]

I seem to remember quite a few folks using Dr. Bronners to brush with? It does not mention anywhere on the package that it is good for oral applications outside of "dentures", so I wanted to see if there are folks using it successfully to clean out their gullets?!

[Adam Rothermich]

I usually use it as toothpaste. As long as you don't out more than a drop or two its not bad. Anymore than that and it is like a mouthful of soap (funny how that works, huh?).

Adam

[d k]

Perhaps one should say some naughty words first.

[David White]

I've done it on occassion. Use the peppermint flavor. Here's what their website has to say about it: http://www.drbronner.com/drb_faq_6.html

[Philip Mack Furlow]

I've done it. It works in a pinch. But man what an aftertaste. Hoo-Ya! At less than an ounce some environmentally friendly tooth paste or powder might be easier to take.

[Gabriel August]

i use the peppermint as both soap and toothpaste. the trick is to only use a drop or two. otherwise i feel like i can taste peppermint soap in my mouth the entire day. but as long as you just stick to a drop i actually like the taste. i've used it at home a couple times when i ran out of toothpaste.

[Philip Mack Furlow]

I've used it at home in a pinch as well. And on trail. I will try again – but even with just a drop it initially taste goood – but I still experience a little after taste.

[Jason Shaffer]

dr b's eucalyptus is my standard for all hygeine needs, tho i'd add real toothpaste for a long thruhike. the eucalyptus aftertaste is not as strong as p-mint, but yeah, one drop only!

[Heather Pisani-Kristl]

I've tried a drop of Dr. B's peppermint, too, but found that I had to follow it with a nice sugary piece of dried pineapple to get the taste out of my mouth. That pretty much wiped out any benefit I might have received from it.

OTOH, in her book "The Complete Tightwad Gazette," Amy Dacyczyn consults a dentist who explains that as long as you're brushing all tooth surfaces for two minutes and rinsing with H2O, you don't need toothpaste. My trips are short and I don't bother with toothpaste, although if I were on a long trip, I'd ask my dentist if that would be sufficient to maintain dental health.

[Mitchell Keil]

Used to use it and found the "wash your mouth out with soap" memories too vivid, so now I use a small vial of Baking soda to brush my teeth. It deodorizes, cleans and has the added benefit of being a great 1st aid item. Stomach acid — no problem. Food did not agree with you — where's the baking soda? Even cleans wounds.

[Scott Peterson]

I was noticing that the primary ingredient for powder toothpaste is baking soda…so with that, I will use it for my next 5 day trip…but I will have to try "just one drop" of Brommers to see how sudsy it really is. I was just hoping to get all hygiene needs down to one small dropper bottle…but a pinch of baking soda is no problem.

[Russell Swanson]

I can sleep on a 1/4" thick torso pad on rocky ground, just fine, thank you. I can tolerate a midday hike in 100 degree, high humidity conditions. I can even hike every rocky mile of the AT thru PA in last year's trail runners with flat insoles. I cannot stomach brushing my teeth with Bronners!

[Scott Peterson]

Very funny and true. We probably all have our limits with certain things. I cannot go out without some sort of real food (cheese or crackers or something that is not in a bag or processed) and a little bit of decent whisky. But that is another thread. I do like a fresh mouth, but I could go a week without any toothpaste probably as longs as I had something to scrape the stuff off my teeth with!

[David Wills]

i'm a big fan of bronners. I prefer peppermint or almond. the almond has a wonderful scent and taste. the peppermint is very invigorating in those special areas when bathing. more than 2 drops and both types burn my mouth when brushing teeth. with only one or two drops though, it has no aftertaste and doesn't mess the taste of foods or drinks like toothpaste, which is great for brushing before breakfast, what i consider its most valuable attribute.

[Thomas Knighton]

I'm another Dr. Bronner's fan here. One drop on my toothbrush does me just fine with no real noticable aftertaste. Is it tasty? Nope. But I found it perfectly tolerable.

[Greyson Howard]

I used it on the first night of my 15 day TRT thru-hike, and food didn't taste right for the next day, and the burning took longer to go away than that.
I guess I used more than a drop, but I don't plan to use it ever again.
Extra bonus: one of my fellow hikers, a Outward Bound guide, said its good getting a movement… moving.

[David Wills]

hehehe. i think that probably happened to everyone at some point. thats when i learned 1 or 2 drops really means 1 or 2 drops. i like to have a teaspoon or so of water in my mouth before brushing to increase foaminess and reduce the bronner burn.

[Steve .]

Bronners… tried it once to relive childhood memories of having a bar of soap in mouth. I use baking soda instead.

[Iain Perkin]

Only once back in the 80's. Never again!!!

Iain

[Tom Clark]

The first time I tried Dr. Bronners for brushing teeth the soapy taste was noticeable, but not overpowering. Now, it's not a problem for me. Just take an extra sip of water and rinse well.

As Andrew Skurka noted during his winter trip, Dr. Bronner isn't ideal for cold weather since it thickens (as slow as molasses in January).

[David Wills]

On a related note:

http://magicsoapbox.com/doc/?page_id=12

I love the background music.

Save spaceship earth and keep good hygiene at the same time!

[Tim Hollingworth]

I carry a 1oz container of Dr B's peppermint and brush with it all the time both on the trail and on ultralight commando-style business trips. I also carry 2oz of baking soda + salt.

Just rinse well and no whining.

-Tim-

[Craig Burton]

A while back I bought a bottle each of eucalyptus and peppermint Dr. Bs. When packing for a trip I wasn't paying attention and packed my eucalyptus flavor in to my misc. stuffsack when I meant to pack peppermint to test it as a toothpaste. Needless to say, to avoid temptation I didn't pack my normal toothpaste when trying this alternative.

The taste was bad, but bearable; the foamy/soapy mouth was bad, but bearable. I didn't experience an aftertaste after I drank what I believe was a small can of Spicy V-8 (a decent semi-lightweight beverage by the way, about 4 ozs in, 0.75 oz out, and plenty of sodium, vitamins, and nutrients to start a long day).

My major disappoint was that my mouth didn't really feel clean after using it. Sure, it felt better than it did before I brushed, but I don't feel it accomplished anymore than just brushing with a wet toothbrush. This could have, of course, been the effect of being used to the freshness we all feel after brushing with toothpaste.

Ever since then I've just packed my usual travel sized toothpaste bottle; I can spare a couple of ounces.

[Robert Andersen]

Why not keep 1 package of baking powder and 1 package of peppermint leaf powder. Mix them together and you have peppermint tooth powder.

Baking soda can be used in its other practical capacities and the peppermint has several beneficial herbal applications such as a muscle rub.

[Kenneth Pendley]

Tooth powder in travel packs

*Note* I have not ordered from that particular vendor, theirs was simply the first result my search pulled for reference.

[Author]

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