Oral Care Alternatives: Pantry Products You Can Use to Maintain a Healthy Mouth
Planning a grocery run isn’t as easy as it used to be. Since COVID-19’s global outbreak (and the many quarantines and guidelines released by governments to help contain the virus), getting one’s hands on supplies have become significantly more time-consuming. Where before one can easily walk into a supermarket, now you need to fall in line for about two hours just to get in. Add to that the time you need to allot for check out, and you’re looking at spending half a day for every trip to the grocery.
This is one of the reasons why most of us try to lessen our grocery runs (the other is of course fear of getting the virus).
Understandably, this may cause some to find themselves lacking oral care products in the coming days. It is for this reason that we came up with a list of acceptable alternatives one can easily find in their kitchen. They may not be as efficacious as the ones you normally get, but they should get you through until your next visit to the supermarket.
1. Table salt and water as mouthwash. A saltwater rinse has many benefits, including soothing mouth sores and as a breath freshener. In a study conducted in 2010 among 45 children, those who gargled with a saltwater rinse twice a day for 21 days had significantly reduced levels of mouth bacteria. To create the mixture, simply mix ½ teaspoon of salt to a cup of warm water. Swish around your mouth for 10-12 seconds.
2. Baking soda as toothpaste. Although far from the real thing, baking soda is a mild abrasive as well as a mild bleach and can neutralize cavity-causing acids. These properties along with its antibacterial effects make it a good temporary replacement for toothpaste should you run out of it. Just place a bit of baking soda on your wet toothbrush and brush the same way you do with a toothpaste. A word of precaution—don’t use baking soda for long periods of time as it can erode your teeth’s enamel surface, causing damage to them.
3. Floss as floss. Removing food that’s stuck between your teeth is a very important part in maintaining your oral health. And while others say you can use a piece of string for when you run out of floss, this is just something we can’t get behind. What one needs to remember is that a dental floss is designed to do this job in a hygienic manner, so there is no close substitute for it aside from more advanced options like an interdental brush or a water pick (both options being more expensive).
Keep in mind that the items listed above are only meant to be temporary alternatives for the real thing. We always recommend using products that are formulated to do specific jobs so as to maintain your oral health. If you have questions or want to schedule an online consultation, you may do so by contacting 0932-927-6311 or by sending a message to @beduyadental on Facebook or Instagram.
