Tip Tuesday: I FORGOT TO BUY TOOTHPASTE

Have no fear. These substitutes/alternatives will hold you off!

ARM & HAMMER©

1.) Baking Soda. Duh. This is the obvious go-to if you don't have toothpaste on you, don't like toothpaste, or just want a better alternative to toothpaste.

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internationalcoconut.com

2.) Coconut Oil. An oil? Yep. Coconut oil is usually a solid at room temperature so don't try and picture yourself brushing with something like olive oil. You can brush with this alone but it works better with a bit of baking soda mixed in (mercola.com ).

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wikipedia.com

3.) Charcoal. That stuff I BBQ with?? Yes, kinda'. I take it back; no not really. That would be too easy. What you want is activated charcoal. It's one of those substances that's great for cleaning and absorbing everything. At the same time, though, it's one of those substances that absorbs EVERYTHING. This includes any medicines you plan to take, so be a little cautious about this one (xovain.com | mayoclinic.org).

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fitsugar.com

4.) Dry Brushing. Or, you could just skip a substance altogether (livingthenourishedlife.com).

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naturalhealthadvisory.com

5.) Sea Salt. Does that mean I don't have to brush during a beach vacation? No. Like you'd do with baking soda, just pour some on your toothbrush and brush away (livingthenourishedlife.com).

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wikipedia.com

6.) Xylitol. I thought sugar gave you cavities! Not this guy. If you're diabetic, you may have this lying around the pantry (xylitol.org).

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therabreath.com

7.) Mouthwash. If you're that lazy.

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howstuffworks.com

8.) Oil Mouthwash. Remember that picture of yourself brushing with olive oil? Yeah, bring that back for a moment. Swishing on oils like grapeseed, olive, or almond oil can help clean the mouth just like any mouthwash and also helps in the gingivitis area (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

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Aura Cacia©

9.) Natural Mouthwash. This one requires some essential oils. Grab some water or one of the said oils above and drop in some cleansing essential oils like tea tree, rosemary, or other refreshing oils like peppermint (breathmd.com).

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10.) Make some toothpaste. You could add everything I just wrote into a jar. Ha. Not really. Just take some coconut oil, baking soda/sea salt, and some fresh/cleansing essential oils. You can also add some of the xylitol to take a bit of the edge off the baking soda.

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More notes:

All these are a great way to brush your teeth lest you forget your toothpaste or don't like toothpaste. Frankly, though, I like my toothpaste. Fluoride and all.