Why I Don't Use Toothpaste

2013 was the year I stopped using all the hygiene products I had been raised on. My parents taught me at an early age to use deodorant, shampoo, body soap, and toothpaste, but down the road I gave them up one by one. I wasn't raised by wolves, I grew up to become one.

My natural outlook on life is the prime reason for this. I met people over the years who lived without using these products on their bodies and it piqued my curiosity. I remembered during my teen years when I would get flaky skin from body soap, a dry scalp from shampoo, and itchy rashes from deodorant. Back then I thought my skin was the problem, but eventually I realized the problem was actually the chemicals I was using on my body.

It's been 11 years since I've used deodorant, shampoo, body soap, or toothpaste. I've been washing my hands with antibacterial soap several times daily this entire time and I rinse my body with water in the shower every other day because I'm still hygienic. My skin has been the healthiest it's ever been and I haven't had to deal with dry scalp, tooth pain, or itchy underarms. Sure, I have my own natural smell that I and other people notice, but I own it with pride. 

In regards to dental health, I haven't had any cavities or toothaches in this 11 year period of not using toothpaste or mouthwash. I've always been very good about brushing my teeth 3 times every day (once after each meal) by just wetting the brush with water, and I also floss twice daily without ever missing a day. I also don't eat candy and will rarely have anything with added sugar to it.

It's been surreal to be able to adhere to that schedule and not have to visit a dentist a single time in over 10 years. It proves that keeping your teeth clear of lodged food and destructive sugars is the true solution for healthy teeth and gums, and that toothpaste and mouthwash only exist as band-aids or backup for people that don't regularly brush or floss. Bad breath and tooth decay is caused by particles left in your teeth to rot that you didn't remove because you skipped out on basic hygiene habits.

This is why people who use fluoride-free toothpaste as a more natural choice of product may have bad teeth. If you don't regularly brush or floss, you don't have that fluoride protection to make up for it. Fluoride has been scientifically proven to be beneficial for teeth and bones in small doses, but too much of it can cause adverse health effects. This is why there's also concerns about drinking city water that has fluoride added to it.

I will always be an advocate for a more natural way of living. Having unnaturally bleached teeth does not appeal to me. As we age, it's perfectly normal for your teeth to take on a slight yellow tint, and this is still considered normal and healthy. Society's artificial beauty standards are what convince people that pure white teeth are a must and that they need to use harmful chemicals to whiten them. I haven't been one of those people in 10 years and I don't plan on ever being one.