Kissing With Confidence

Thought ya'll might enjoy a collage of the last bit of fall color around here; it's fading fast now but what's left seems very intense.

On a completely unrelated subject, I promised Molly a while back that I would post my recipe for tooth powder, since she has been looking for one that is palatable. I like the one I use but can't guarantee anyone else would. Now, I know some of you might be thinking, what in the world is a tooth powder? Well, it is basically what a lot of people use in place of toothpaste. Now, don't go all 'eeeewwww' on me here. Tooth powders actually clean better, in my opinion, than synthetic, chemical-laden commercial toothpaste. The main ingredient is baking soda, which, being a base, neutralizes any acids in the mouth which cause tooth decay. One of the main things you will notice after using a powder, is that your teeth will stay cleaner much longer than with paste. You know, that filmy stuff that forms on your teeth after a while, will not be there. Everybody that I have made powders for claim they like them very much because of how clean your teeth feel for so long. Plus, they are cheap to make and all natural.
Powders might take a little getting used to but now I can hardly stand the taste of commercial toothpaste. What about fluoride though, you ask? Well, I've been using powders for years and my dentists says I'm a 'good tooth person'; my teeth are in good shape, in other words. No bleeding gums and good strong enamel. It is estimated that most adults get 4 times too much fluoride through toothpaste and drinking water and excess fluoride has been directly associated with brittle bones and breakage.
Most recipes for powders call for salt in addition to baking soda but I omit the salt as I don't think it's necessary and try to limit my intake. And since baking soda itself contains sodium, the taste can be overwhelmingly salty if more is added.

So, my recipe is something like this:
1 cup of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon myrrh powder (antiseptic)
1/2 teaspoon ground sage (whitener)
15 drops or so peppermint (or spearmint) oil
2 or 3 drops of cinnamon oil (use with caution!)

You can also use these powders in any combination: clove, oregano, citrus peel, horsetail or prickly ash. Any of these can usually be found at any decent health food store if you don't grow your own and are inexpensive. One half teaspoon of any of these in a cup of soda is enough that you won't taste the herbs and of course, you can add more according to your own tastes. Go easy on the oils until you experiment a little to get the flavor you want. The cinnamon oil can blister the crap out of your mouth if you go overboard. Some recipes also call for tea tree oil, as it is such a good antiseptic, but the taste is horrible to me, even in tiny amounts.
I mix all this up well in a bowl and pass through a sifter and then store in a small glass jar on my vanity counter. Since it is just me using the mixture, I just wet a clean toothbrush and dip into the jar but, if you will be sharing, many people will put the powder in a shaker or just use a small spoon to dip out a little. I know store bought toothpaste doesn't cost a fortune (although it isn't really cheap either) but this is really easy to do, costs very little and is very healthy and natural.
Now, I know some of you might still be skeptical as far as 'real life usage' but I've used a powder for years now and have often been told I have very sweet kisses by, uhhhh, several men. I mean, if their reactions are any indication to tooth health, then you should definitely give the powders a try.


*Will Powers