Dr. Bronners as Toothpaste?

[Randy Cain]

I use the scentless Bronners both on the trail AND at home for brushing my teeth. I'm not bothered at all by the slightly soapy taste.

[Colin Krusor]

I don't understand. Why are people using Dr. Bronners, or tooth powder, salt, or baking soda, instead of dried toothpaste dots? Dried kernels of toothpaste taste good, don't require you to buy anything, and are lighter than any other option. I am willing to learn. Can anyone explain their motives to me?

[Mary D]

Toothpaste leaves a white residue all over the foliage when you spit it out. Baking soda doesn't and is certainly by far the most non-polluting option, especially comparet to soap. It also has multiple uses!

[Colin Krusor]

Mary, thanks, those do seem like good reasons to consider baking soda. Can anyone explain their reasons for using (or having an interest in trying) Dr. Bronner's? I realize that you may carry some anyway, so it is simpler than including another item in your kit (but not lighter). Is an ideological interest in material simplicity the major reason that so many in this thread are interested in using Dr. Bronners as toothpaste?

[Shewie]

I bought a bottle of the peppermint stuff recently, tried it out a couple of days ago and had to rebrush my teeth with regular paste to get rid of the aftertaste.

Not for me

[Jake D]

i think sacrificing a few grams for a travel size tube is worth it.

[David Thomas]

I loved reading the LARGE bottle with all the scripture references, and 101 uses for Dr Bonner's. Including that douching with it would change the pH enough to prevent conception.

Whenever I meet someone born in the early 70's named Sunshine or Starlight or Meadow, I wonder how well that worked to actually prevent conception.

[Paul Wozniak]

Why bother with toothpaste at all?

I brush 2x day and use a toothpick in place of floss followed by a good swishing around with water. I feel fresh enough and nobody's complained. Mayber they're being polite.

Toothpaste is too messy and one more thing to keep track of when packing. If you want "fresh" how about some breath papers?

I don't think going pasteless has any health ramification. Any dentists or hygienist that can weigh in with some authority?

[Gary Dunckel]

Being a dentist, I suppose I should chime in here. No, toothpaste isn't actually required for proper oral hygiene. Aside from cancer, and viral lesions such as herpes and cold sores, dental disease requires three factors–bacteria, a food source for them, and a location (tooth surface or gingival, or "gum," pocket). The bacteria first create a sort of spider web on the tooth surface, which we call plaque. This gives them a place to live and it collects more and more food for the little guys. They eat the food, and their waste products include acid. The pH of the area drops, and the result is tooth decay and/or gingivitis. Now, the key to good oral health is to break up the plaque formations regularly to keep the bacteria at bay (and reduce their numbers). These little guys are part of the mouth's oral flora, but they don't really do much damage unless they can form the plaque. After a thorough brush/floss, it takes the bugs about 24 hours to reform their plaque homes and return to causing trouble. Theoretically, once a day should cover it. But since we are all human, we aren't really that good at being perfect. So it is best if we brush and floss 2-3 times a day. The mechanical removal of plaque is the critical element here. Toothpaste does provide a topical fluoride application, which is perhaps more important for children than adults. Aside from that, toothpaste is unnecessary unless you like the taste.

[carl becker]

My grandmother used baking soda to brush her teeth. Worked well for her. I don't see the need for tooth paste myself. Either Dr Bonner or baking soda for healthly gums and plack reduction. I chew gum when worried about bad breath, helps keep me from drying out just like a small stone as a multi use item.

[Stephen Barber]

Thanks, Gary – that's good to hear from someone who knows!

I intuited as much some time ago, and stopped carrying toothpaste on hikes. I still brush and all, and I do use toothpaste daily cuz it tastes good, but it's one less thing to carry on a hike!

I feel vindicated! ;-)

[Anonymous]

"Being a dentist, I suppose I should chime in here. No, toothpaste isn't actually required for proper oral hygiene."

Thanks, Gary, for validating a choice I made many years ago. Initially, it was made out of concern about attracting bears in the era before Aloksaks and canisters; later, weight also entered into it in a minor way. I wasn't sure how important toothpaste was, or was not, but assumed that a thorough brushing and flossing, followed by an equally thorough rinsing would take care of most of the problem and , in any case I wasn't going to be out for an extended period most opf the time.

I have also been using Listerine Pocketpak oral care strips afterward as a substitute for liquid mouthwash. Could you tell me if they actually kill any significant amount of bacteria, or am I just wasting my money?

Thanks,

Tom

[W I S N E R !]

I've got no interest in brushing my teeth with soap or drying toothpaste dots in my studio. It's water and a chopped down toothbrush for me.
Being BPL, I've been surprised at how many people carry something for their teeth when nothing but a brush will do.

[Gregory Petliski]

Sodium Bicarbonate aka baking soda and some table salt works well as a toothpaste. YMMV of course but I not only hate the dirty tooth feeling I have when I forgo paste of some kind but also my family's dental history is quite frightening. Anything I can do to prolong the loss of my teeth (inevitable when you don't have dental insurance) is a plus. Could be worse, I'm only down a single molar while at my age, my dad was ten root canals in and minus three or four teeth.

[Gary Dunckel]

No need, Tom. But like toothpaste, if you like the taste…

[Anonymous]

"No need, Tom. But like toothpaste, if you like the taste…"

Thanks, Gary. You just saved me from wasting any more of my hard earned money.

The fringe benefit comes from not having to put up with the taste, which I don't much care for.

[Curry]

"Whenever I meet someone born in the early 70's named Sunshine or Starlight or Meadow, I wonder how well that worked to actually prevent conception."

now that is funny!

[Franco Darioli]

Warning :
DR Bronners causes premature aging.
( see if you can spot that on the label)
Since using it I look at least 10 years older.
It works but keep this in mind.
Franco

[Kristofer McKenna]

After reading all this, I picked up a little 3oz bottle of peppermint flavor, and brushed with two drops last night.

It definitely tasted like soap, but it was easily bearable (for me) and it only lingered for 15 minutes or less. The peppermint freshness lasted much longer, which I'm a fan of.

I'd do it again.

[Steven Clark]

Baking soda. Don't forget it neutralizes stings and rashes.

[Kyle Motley]

I'm going to try brushing with Dr. Bronner's right now….in the name of science, of course.

[Kyle Motley]

Wow, that is almost as bad as my girlfriends homemade mouthwash….which i used after brushing with Bronners

[Randy Cain]

I use the unscented Bronners for brushing my teeth, and there's hardly any taste at all. Some of the others are pretty nasty. It takes all of about 3-4 drops, which is nothing in the backcountry. I have a small dropper bottle in my pack and use it for body and oral hygiene.

AND after reading a post online about a guy solving his sensitive teeth problem by brushing with soap and STOPPING his use of toothpaste, I gave it a shot using Bronners. I've had sensitive teeth for years and even the toothpaste for sensitive teeth doesn't seem to help much, if any. Once I stopped using toothpaste, the issue was TOTALLY gone within a couple weeks and hasn't returned. An online explanation I read had to do with the glycerine in the toothpaste that is deposited on the teeth every time you brush and prevents the calcium in your saliva from being deposited over the sensitive areas. Beats me. All I know is that nothing I've ever tried worked until I totally got rid of the toothpaste. I haven't had a single incidence of sensitive tooth pain since. All the sweets that would get stuck on the sensitive part and cause pain don't give me any problems at all now. Freakin' awesome!!!!

[Tony Ronco]

I've been using a drop or two of Bronner's Peppermint for years now
… as this thread goes over, this approach has its pluses and minuses. For me, the lightweight convenience overrides the inconvenience of its taste (= which I find tolerable).
Never realized that Bronner's Baby Mild is unscented without any fragrance. I got to try that out! It holds the promise of reducing the big minus of this approach. Thanks for the tip Randy!

[Randy Cain]

During this NOLS lecture, the bear researcher mentions that they had discovered that the Grizzlies really loved the peppermint Bronners! Interesting.

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