Natural Tooth care and hygiene

[Be Well]

Clay Tooth Powder

I promised I would post recipes for tooth powder. I have made several batches, DH loved it, I loved it, and everyone I gave it to loved it. I ran out, and have been using some Ayurvedic clay based tooth powder I bought (too many bottles of) years ago. I also have many other methods for oral hygiene and will post them when I have time.

For clay tooth powder you need three basic ingredients:

1. Powdered clay - French green is the nicest, but hard to find for me, so I also use Betonite, Montmillorite, or any kind except Kaolin, the clay that makes porcelain. It is too slippery to use. In natural food stores sometimes you can buy bulk powdered clay, sometimes marketed as Aztec Secret. You can use red clay - the powder I'm using right now is based on red clay - but it sure makes a mess and is very hard to wash out of anything it gets on.

I buy mine my the pound from Starwest Botanicals but they don't sell Green clay any more, I think Mountain Rose herbs do. I will post a source when I have the time.


2. Fine sea salt. Has to be very fine, and best to have pure salt that doesn't have other ingredients in it, most regular store salt does have non-caking ingredients in it. The kind I usually use is labelled "Canning salt" - comes in a green 2 pound box, salt and salt only, Fine variety.

3. Baking soda.


Those are the very basic ingredients. Now, to make it even more useful, and tasty, I add powdered herbs as well as essential oils. You can mix and match, invent your own combinations, I'll just copy down the way I did it, I invented it as I went along, and you can too. I chose powdered herbs and EOs that have anti-microbial potency to help kill bacteria in the mouth, and they tastes good. Some of them are astringent, which can help tighten loose teeth or receding gums.


Here's how I did it, I got the recipe from a book and you will see how I amended it:

Basic recipe from book, naturally i didn't follow it but kind of changed as I went along:

4 teaspoons powdered Clay
1 teaspoon fine Salt
4 drops essential oils - they say 2 Lemon and 2 Peppermint.

Well, I thought - why make such a teensy amount?!?!? So I made a good sized bowlful, and just used a lot more clay than salt (probably more clay proportionately than the recipe above) and added Baking Soda. Then I added some powdered herbs - since it adds flavor and medicical properties. Some choices are: (all POWDERED!) No more than a few teaspoons of powdered herbs altogether.

So here's my proportions:

4 cups powdered clay
1/2 to 1 cup fine sea salt (people said it was too salty with 1 cup, adjust to suit)
1/2 c. baking soda

To the above mix add some finely powdered herbs, any or all, these are the amounts I used:

4 t. black pepper (must be fine)
4 to 5 t. ginger
3 T. powdered lemon peel
2 T. rosemary
1 T. Neem (an ayurvedic herb that is strongly anti-microbial, could substute powdered tea tree herb or ?)

Then whisk all ingredients together very well and decide what flavors you want to make. I made it into three flavors; so I divided the mixture into three bowls. One was Fennel/Wintergreen, one Peppermint, and one Clove/Cinnamon. I used about 2 T. more of powdered herbs for each batch below, remember it's easier to add than take away after it's mixed in.


1. Fennel - Add powdered fennel, then 60 drops Wintergreen EO and 20 drops Fennel EO. I Anise could be substituted for the Fennel, either the powder or the EO or both. I used about 80 drops of various EO for each batch.

2.Clove/Cinnamon - I actually used 1 T each of Cinnamon and Clove, and 1/2 T. Cardamom, then 80 drops of Clove EO.

3. Peppermint - 2 T. powdered Peppermint, and 60 drops Peppermint EO and 20 drops Lemon EO.


The Ginger and Pepper help tighten the gums, the Cloves, Cinnamon, Lemon peel as well as the Ginger and Pepper are anti bacterial and some are anti-viral. Fennel helps breath as do most of the others.

Here's the mixing method, it's important to mix well so you don't get clumps of EOs or herbs in it.

I mixed each one up with the whisk, put through a stainless steel strainer, and then add drops of various essential oils. I just added and mixed until it seemed strong enough but not too strong. Then whisk and put through the strainer one more time. It may seem like overkill but you really want it mixed.

Here are some other choices that could be used, I might try a Lemon/Orange/Grapefruit tooth powder next time:

Fennel
Anise
Ginger
Lemon (just thought of Orange - didn't use it, might be interesting with Lemon, or even Lime, too)
Peppermint
Wintergreen
Tea Tree
Grapefruit


I liked the Wintergreen the best just cause I like that flavor. But they were all GREAT! I've made several batches now. After using this tooth powder, I cannot stand tooth paste any more...it tastes too harsh and way too sicky-sweet.

I am going to experiment and try to make tooth paste out of the powder. When I do, I will report back.

If anyone has questions about how to make these, just ask. If you want sources for EO, I will put links up.

Funny thing is, clay based tooth powder works very well even without a tooth brush, if you just wet your finger, dip it in the powder, and scrub your teeth and gums, they feel squeaky clean, and if you dental floss first, then a tiny bit of clay sticks in between the teeth a little and continues fighting bacteria. Because of the salt in the recipe, it's better to store in glass jars that have plastic lids rather than metal, as the salt will corrode the metal lids.

 

[mudlogger]

Thank you!

 

[Be Well]

Last night after posting it I was afraid it would sound so complicated that no one will try it. As long as the proportions of clay, salt and baking soda are sort of similar, and some EOs are added, it will be fine. The herb powders are just an added good thing but the toothpowder will work without them. Anyone can experiment - it's not like baking a cake! Even just Peppermint is good, I happen to have powdered peppermint on hand, but even made just with the essential oil, that's enough.

 

[Cmdr Don]

Thanks a lot BW, I appreciate it. I'll be hitting the stores this weekend and I'll see what I can find for the flavoring...everything else I have. I don't think it's too complicated at all.

 

[Be Well]

Here's another tooth care alternative. Tooth brushes may not always be available, what to speak of the cost. I bought a couple dozen a few years ago but even still, you're supposed to change them pretty often as they can harbor bacteria. Here's another alternative, and I used to live with a big eucalyptus tree in the back yard, I was dirt poor, so I used eucalyptus twigs. It took a bit longer to clean my teeth, but I have never felt such squeaky clean teeth. Twigs IMO do a better job than tooth brushes.

Twig Tooth Brush

The best twigs to use are the twigs of Neem, Eucalyptus and Mango trees; other trees can be used, especially fruit trees. Of course Neem and Mango only grow in tropical or subtropical climates, and Eucalyptus doesn't grow where it gets cold. I have read that fruit trees like apple, plum and pear and likely others work just as well. I'm wondering about fir or madrone since that's pretty much all I have around, maybe I'll try and report back. I'm sure birch trees would work very well and taste good too. I used to chew the twigs for the flavor when I was a kid.

Make sure any tree you use for twigs has no irritating or poisonous sap; white sap is not good. I am not sure about banyan trees, they may be good but I don’t know, fig trees may also be okay. The twigs should be slender, no thicker than the little finger and usually thinner, and somewhat flexible. Cut fresh twigs daily, or you can cut several, wash, and place in a glass of water to save for a few days.

To prepare a twig for cleaning the teeth, first peel a couple of inches, then either slice at an angle, or leave it straight. I prefer to cut at an angle. Then it can be used as is to scrape the teeth clean, or chewed into a brush and used like a tooth brush. The sap of many trees such as Neem, Eucalyptus and Mango is naturally anti-septic, and the fibers of the twig clean the teeth well. It may take a little more time than using a regular store bought tooth brush, but there is no need of tooth paste, or you can use tooth powder. Even with no extra dentifrice, your teeth feel cleaner all day.

When finished with your twig toothbrush, you can throw it away (preferably into a compost pile) or you can cut off the used part, rinse, and stick in a glass jar with water for using again.

 

[parsonswife]

BE Well, why the clay? as a kid we brushed with only salt and baking soda. Does the clay add something in particular that is needed?
Thanks

 

[Be Well]

Clay does a number of things. It deoderizes, it is a very good cleaner without being as abrasive as plain salt and/or baking soda, its taste is very neutral, and it also pulls or absorbs toxins like bacteria and plaque. It's very drawing, that's why clay packs are excellent on all manner of infections, boils, splinters, etc. I've used plain salt as well as b.soda when I had nothing else and they are good, but they are a bit too abrasive on the gums, and the tastes is a bit strong. The clay powder above with the herbs and oils tastes really good without being sicky sweet and the ingredients all help with tooth and gum health.

 

[parsonswife]

Thank you!

 

[bluefire]

Thanks for the great recipes / tutorial, Be Well. I've wanted a good recipe for for tooth powder and this sounds really good. Your using quite a bit of essential oils, which leads me to wonder, where do you buy yours? Do you know of an online seller that sells therapeutic grade, that's not horribly expensive? I used to buy Young Living, but they're a bit too pricey for me now. Thanks again for the great info, it's heading for my hard drive.

 

[Mrs Smith]

Sounds terribly expensive with all those special-order herbs and oils plus the shipping involved. Wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy 30-40 tubes of toothpaste at Big Lots and be done?

 

[KMR58]

About a week ago I got really swollen gums on one side of my mouth. It was terrible and very painful. I normally brush with just a regular costco toothpaste. I looked online for natural tooth remedy and the overwhelming response was just plain baking soda. After just one day of using it (twice) my gums didn't hurt anymore. After two days the swelling had gone down 90% and now after a week not only is it back to normal but my teeth are the whitest they have been in years. The taste was pretty weird the first couple of times but after about three days I'm pretty used to it and it's not bad. Just plain baking soda is what I will probably use from now on. My mouth feels clean, fresh, no pain, no bleeding gums and my teeth are white. Best of all it's super cheap. We buy the large bags at Costco so I'll have toothpaste for the rest of my life from just one bag.

 

[Be Well]

Thanks for the great recipes / tutorial, Be Well. I've wanted a good recipe for for tooth powder and this sounds really good. Your using quite a bit of essential oils, which leads me to wonder, where do you buy yours? Do you know of an online seller that sells therapeutic grade, that's not horribly expensive? I used to buy Young Living, but they're a bit too pricey for me now. Thanks again for the great info, it's heading for my hard drive.

I order from www.essentialoiluniversity.org

You need to be a "producer" not a "consumer" which is true for me as I am an herbalist with a small clientele. But they don't require any papers or proof, last I did it, just say that you make personal care products for clients, or at booth sales, or something like that. Make up a professional name - mine is "Be Well" which I've used also for selling at craft markets and the like. The prices are absolutely the best, and the quality is very good, they often have many varieties of for insance Eucalyptus oil, and list the country of origin. Last I checked, you can buy a pound of Euc oil which is a bit more than 16 oz for around $14. Australian.

I buy all my herbs in bulk mostly from Starwest botanicals - I used to get EOs from them, the quality is fairly comparable to EO University but somewhat less of a high grade, but a bit more expensive.

 

[Be Well]

Sounds terribly expensive with all those special-order herbs and oils plus the shipping involved. Wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy 30-40 tubes of toothpaste at Big Lots and be done?

It's actually really cheap. Salt and baking soda are of course cheap, a pound of clay for me is around $7 at present, and I get all EOs and herbs wholesale. But even if you buy them retail, the amounts used are acutally quite small. You can make a years' worth of tooth powder for a few dollars. After using tooth powder, the harsh, sicky sweet and chemical taste of even the "natural" tooth pastes nauseate me, plus with clay based tooth powder your teeth are amazingly much cleaner than with any tooth paste I've ever used.

In fact, last time I went to the DDS (I'm 60) and hadn't been to a DDS for quite a few years (we're poor), I had no new cavities, just a few of the old ones needed work. And very little plaque etc.

 

[lindseyaz]

Thank you for the recipes

 

[summerthyme]

BeWell... your link is bad.

Is THIS the site?:

http://essentialoils.org/

They have a GREAT price on Chamomile oil.. I've been paying (happily, because IT was a good price in comparison to most) $63 per 1/2 ounce for the blue chamomile oil. But then, it's the only thing I've found (in combination with a few other things) that cures a major, potentially fatal herpes infection in cattle, so compared to THEIR value, it was cheap. But if you say their oil quality is good, that's an amazing price...

Summerthyme

 

[Be Well]

I've got a couple more ideas/methods to help with oral health and I"ll try to post them today or tomorrow.

Last resort - vet tooth pliars!

 

[Be Well]

BeWell... your link is bad.

Is THIS the site?:

http://essentialoils.org/


Summerthyme

YES! That's the place. Oh my goodness! Helps cows - great. Have you tried Melissa/Lemon balm? I've read that really helps herpes. I never got any EO because it's so expensive but recently bought 1/2 oz from Monterey Bay herbs - it was super cheap so I figured it would be the worst quality, but figured just for fun I'd get it. Has a very strong sort of Lemon Balmy smell.

And from personal experience, I've found Prunella extract (I make the tincture since a friend has tons of it growing wild) cured my cold sores in 24 hours or so, better than anything else I've ever tried. So last year I made a combo Lemon Balm/Prunella tincture to try. If you want some just PM me - you could have some as a gift just to try. I wonder if that would help the cows.

 

[KerryAnn]

Clay is powerfully drawing. I never want to be without it again.

My husband had a dental abscess recently and it was all internal. He was banging his head on the wall, pacing, unable to put a sentence together, it was so painful. Of course, it was Good Friday night on Easter weekend. I packed it with pascalite clay (like bentonite, but high calcium) mixed with colloidal silver, and that drew it out and allow it to drain within 9 hours, producing significant pain relief. The emergy-care wouldn't look at him because it was dental, and we didn't have the money for the ER, so I was just trying to get him through until we could get to a dentist on Tuesday.

 

[Be Well]

Kerry Ann, could you describe how you did the clay pack and what tooth it was, upper/lower etc?

Here's another clay story (I have lots!) - a few days ago Hub cut his finger badly on a planer while on a floor job. It was a finger that was damaged from an electric accident he had as a small child so that made it worse. It was deeply cut in 3 places in the top phalange. So this is what we did:

1. Put a few drops of tea tree oil

2. Dredge then end of the finger in turmeric powder.

3. Applied a large dollop of clay - happens to be green clay (I NEED A GOOD SOURCE FOR GREEN CLAY IF ANYONE HAS ONE!!)

4. Made a cloth bandange from clean rags (tee shirts work very well) and taped it up.

Changed the bandage every day - I think he went two days once - just renewing turmeric and clay. It would be much better healed by now but he banged it twice and re-opened it. The clay removes pain almost instantly, helps close the wound, protects it from any baddies that could get in, and also makes almost a little "cast" to protect the wound. It also has healing energies of its own.

I save all clean old tee shirts, sheets etc, wash well, cut in pieces and save for all kinds of uses, including bandages. MUCH cheapers (ha ha) than store bought and also more versatile and comfortable.

 

[summerthyme]

Here's where I get green clay:http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/soap/product.asp?product_id=CLAYFRGREEN

Hopefully, we're out of the season for the mammalitis infections (I came up with a "nudge" one night that it probably is connected to vitamin D levels... it only shows up on first calf heifers (presumably, they don't have immunity) and ONLY in late winter/early spring. Most scientific journals/articles conclude it's due to mud and water, etc... IOW, environmental conditions. BUT... our heifers are kept in very similar conditions from late fall until pasture time... and animals which calve during the winter don't ever develop the infection. So, it occurred to me that it's likely happening when their Vitamin D levels (due to being indoors much of the time, and very little sun when they are outside) are low enough to cause poor resistance to infection.

So next year we'll be supplementing (and probably using an injectable high potency D at least once a month right before they're due to calve) and see if it makes a difference.

How do you make your Prunella extract? I have tons of it growing wild in the lawns around here...

I can also vouch for clay. Hubby had what they call a paronychia... it's where the cuticle pulls away from the fingernail and it develops a nasty, very painful, chronic infection in the space. We fiddled with it for months, and what helped the most was a green clay poultice mixed with st johnswort oil and with the essential oil of oregano and lavender added. That knocked the infection right down, but I eventually had to do minor surgery on it and remove 1/3 of the nail so the cuticle could reattach itself- without that, it just had a permanent gap where crap could get trapped and then the infection would start all over again.

As for lemon balm, I've never bought the essential oil, but part of my "mammalitis prevention dip" is a very strong decoction of lemon balm. I make it in late fall and stabilize it with alcohol so it will keep. Also, a chamomile infusion seems to be quite effective on most herpes infections like cold sores...

Summerthyme

 

[Be Well]

That thing your hub had sounds painful. So many nerve endings in the hands. You have tons of prunella - what riches!! I just pinch the flowering tops off, sometimes dried them and then made tincture, other times just let them wilt a little before making tincture. I stuff a bunch into quart jars, cover with a half/half mixture of well water and pure grain alcohol (hi-test!) and keep in a cool dark place, shaking when I remember. I tincture stuff a long time, done it for a month up to six months. Reminds me I have some I need to decant or whatever it's called. It's great for external use for small wounds - I've healed cat scratches overnight by applying it! And the cold sores. It's very effective for flu - I use it along with other things like Lomatium extract and other formulas. In Chinese medicine it's used for cancer, I've given it to two clients - one with cancer (she used surgery too but had markers still) and one with a pre-cancerous condition, both are well now, used many other things besides the prunella.

Lemon balm is supposed to be specific for herpes virus, from what I've read, so I figured it's likely a general anti-viral, and since the place that has a lot of prunella has a fair amount of lemon balm too, I just picked a bunch and used it.

Thanks for the link, I used to get it from Starwest, but they discontinued some time ago. I have a candle supply place but their stuff always smells like artificial perfume (gack).

How much alcohol do you add to the lemon balm infusion to get it to keep?

 

[KerryAnn]

Be Well, I mixed 1 drop of clove oil and enough colloidal silver with the clay to make a modeling-clay like dough. Flattened it into a tin layer and put it on his gum between his gum and his lip. Covered it with a thin bit of cotton, but it wasn't needed, the clay stayed put just fine.

It was top teeth, second from the front. The roof of his mouth, on the inside, on the hard palette was budging severely and it was the most unreal thing I had ever seen. The infection drew out towards his gum, right under his nose where the gum and lip meet and formed a bubble and it gave significant pain relief when it finally drained. After 2 hours, the bubble started and after 4 hours it was red and horribly mad. It drained at about the 9 hour mark and it became just about completely painless at that point.

I got my pascalite from www.pascalite.com and I get my other clays from Frontier wholesale.

 

[Be Well]

Thank you, KerryAnn. I wish I'd thought of clay for my hub's recent bad tooth experience! So you did just the one application of clay. I cannot live without clay, since I first read about it and tried it. "Our Earth Our Cure" - on my third copy (gave one or two away over the years).

 

[KerryAnn]

We changed it every 2 hours just in case, but in retrospect we didn't need to. One application could have gotten him through the entire 9 hours. It only took about 1 Tbs clay total. In the future, I'll only do one application every 24 hours.

 

[summerthyme]

Thanks for the prunella "instructions". Since the highest proof alcohol we can get here is 160 proof vodka, I'll probably wilt it a bit before tincturing.

I add enough vodka to make a 20% solution for aqueous extracts that I want to keep for a long time. That's probably overkill, but I sure don't want any weird infectious molds growing in my solutions! Hubby is extremely allergic/sensitive to molds, thanks to too much exposure over the years on the farm, so I'm very cautious about avoiding any chance of contamination.

Interesting story about chamomile... I had an internet friend who was diagnosed with a very serious, stage 3 oral cancer. He was in agony from the cancer in his mouth... taking oxycodone, unable to keep his false teeth in so he could eat, etc. They scheduled surgery and radiation, and since he was open to trying alternatives as well, I sent him some chamomile blossoms, and suggested he take ginseng, as well as a couple other things (it's been a few years... I'd have to go back and read my notes to remember it all-- oh, licorice root tincture was one...). I was hoping the chamomile would help ameliorate some of the burns the radiation would cause, (and ginseng is known to also help heal radiation damage). But I wasn't prepared for an excited e-mail within 48 hours after he got the package of herbs... He had made up a tea as I suggested and rinsed his mouth with it, holding it on the affected side and then swallowing it. After one day (about 3 cups of tea) it had helped so much he'd gone from taking a pain pill every 4 hours to taking one at midnight. And he said within 48 hours he was able to put his false teeth in for the first time in 2 months!

He tolerated the radiation therapy "miraculously" well according to his docs (although they were skeptical about how chamomile and ginseng could help, they told him to keep using them!) but cut the chemotherapy short (skipped the last three treatments) because the side effects were intolerable. He did have a stomach tube implanted to keep his nutrition up during the intense treatment, and they said that it would likely be permanent... because the scarring from the radiation burns often makes it impossible to swallow, etc.

He got the tube removed 4 months after the last radiation treatment, and he credits the chamomile with how quickly and well he healed. As far as he knows (and it's been 3 years) the cancer is completely gone. He's back to his normal healthy weight, and back working full time.

Given his prognosis in the beginning, I find that to be absolutely miraculous.

And it's a prime example of how I think that we can use a combination of modern Western medicine PLUS the alternatives together to get a much better result in treating cancer and other serious health issues than neither can do alone. I cringe at stories of people insisting that they can "cure" an advanced cancer with diet changes alone, or even with herbs alone. While I firmly believe that you can PREVENT cancers from starting (or more accurately, spreading... I think all of us have tiny, single cell changes that can become cancers in our bodies all the time... 99% of the time, they don't find the "right" conditions and die off) with a good diet and healthy lifestyle, I do NOT believe that you can cure/wipe out an advanced cancer with herbs alone.

But we CAN use the herbs and other gifts from God to help protect our bodies from some of the damaging side effects caused by the various chemo or radiation treatments which CAN kill off the cancer cells- but often weaken the body to the point where it can't recover to a healthy condition.

Then again, I have serious doubts that many doctors actually recognize "health"... they see it so seldom!

Summerthyme

 

[Be Well]

That's a very encouraging story, Summerthyme. People need to be motivated to really seriously try natural remedies and often they only get sersious when the condition becomes serious.

I don't see why you couldn't use the vodka and just dilute it to regular "hard liquor" 90 proof. The Clear Springs grain alochol I get is 190 proof, that's some pretty stout vodka you have there!

 

[summerthyme]

Yeah... I do use the vodka and dilute to whatever strength I need... depending on whether I'm using fresh material or dried. I've got a neat little book by Christopher Hobbs called "Handmade Medicines", and he has a chart which tells the percentage of alcohol/water specific herbs require for maximum strength in the menstruum. Some herbs need a weaker alcohol because some of their constituents are soluble in water, and not alcohol. The darned book is out of print, and used copies bring insane prices... I wish someone would buy the copyright and print it again..

Summerthyme

 

[Emily]

I swear by clove oil for tooth problems. Thank you for all the great info everyone. I have saved it and will get busy gathering together some of the things listed that I don't have currently.

Where do you guys find 160 proof vodka?

 

[Emily]

Yeah... I do use the vodka and dilute to whatever strength I need... depending on whether I'm using fresh material or dried. I've got a neat little book by Christopher Hobbs called "Handmade Medicines", and he has a chart which tells the percentage of alcohol/water specific herbs require for maximum strength in the menstruum. Some herbs need a weaker alcohol because some of their constituents are soluble in water, and not alcohol. The darned book is out of print, and used copies bring insane prices... I wish someone would buy the copyright and print it again..

Summerthyme

I'm not sure if this is the same Christopher Hobbs but this website has a wealth of information and a great database.
http://www.christopherhobbs.com/

And I thought this was fun: I found a link that took me to this page: http://www.lluminari.com/
That had a paragraph that used the same handle as our own BeWell here.

BeWell is an online social network that strives to help consumers, their families and their communities become better advocates for their own health. Founded by LLuminari, Inc., a prestigious network of health experts, BeWell.com is focused on elevating the quality of online health discussions and ensuring that the public has clear and up-to-date information that will help them make healthy decisions. BeWell can be found on the Internet at www.bewell.com

ETA: That site lead me to a copy of Handmade Medicines found at Amazon for $12.00

Summerthyme can you please tell us if it looks like the same book?
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1883010500/christopherho-20

 

[Be Well]

I would love that chart. I'm primitive and wouldn't mind being more precise.

 

[Be Well]

Thanks for the links and info, Emily. I've used the name "Be Well" since the early 90s when I started a craft business making buckhweat hull pillows, and it expanded from there.

 

[Emily]

Thanks for the links and info, Emily. I've used the name "Be Well" since the early 90s when I started a craft business making buckhweat hull pillows, and it expanded from there.

You are most welcome. Isn't that funny though that they use the name for their site about herbs? I just thought it was great since you started this thread, ST mentions that book, then I go searching for it and find a site named Be Well.

 

[summerthyme]

Yes, and the supply must have caught up with the demand!! The last time I checked, they were getting $80 and up for used copies!! Oh... or maybe they printed it again.. there were NO new copies available 6 months ago...

Yeah, I'm not terribly precise about a lot of my herbal preparations, but I liked the idea of knowing which herbs were more soluble in ETOH, and which in water. Wow... maybe I can get my copy of the book back... it's been making the rounds of my Amish neighbors for about 18 months! LOL! If I tell them they can get their own copy for eleven bucks, I'm sure they'll go for it...

Summerthyme

 

[Emily]

Yes, and the supply must have caught up with the demand!! The last time I checked, they were getting $80 and up for used copies!! Oh... or maybe they printed it again.. there were NO new copies available 6 months ago...

Yeah, I'm not terribly precise about a lot of my herbal preparations, but I liked the idea of knowing which herbs were more soluble in ETOH, and which in water. Wow... maybe I can get my copy of the book back... it's been making the rounds of my Amish neighbors for about 18 months! LOL! If I tell them they can get their own copy for eleven bucks, I'm sure they'll go for it...

Summerthyme

I have a book called: Medical Herbalism by David Hoffman that is wonderful. I found it at Amazon for $35. It is sold elsewhere for up to $100.
It has the chemical make up of each type of herb, systemic cure recipes (circulatory, digestive, nerves, reproductive, etc.), and with each recipe, they give the exact type of alcohol level to use (40%, 50%, etc.) based on the extract qualities of the plant material being through which level of alcohol or water.

It is a bit complex for most people but for those who know what they are doing - like all of you in this thread - it is a must have and it is my go-to book for just about everything.

Summerthyme I would be curious if you know of this book and if so, how it compares to the one by Christopher.

TYIA

ETA: Summerthyme you probably have helped push the demand for the book so much that the demand finally pushed for the reprinting. You should get a commission

 

[Be Well]

I reallly don't know what I'm doing with tinctures. More of a "seat of the pants" tincturist but I would love to know more about alcohol/water proportions for various herbs. I mostly use powdered herbs and mix formulas, and do far fewer tinctures. I can't grow herbs yet since DH has not cut enough trees for enough sun - he has to or we will grow no veggies and that has to change!!!

 

[Emily]

You sure sound like you are doing great. I would like to know if you could say why you use powered herbs? When I looked into that, I was told that powdered were for capsules and dried whole or cut leaf was for tinctures. I was told that once they are powdered, they can lose their potency much quicker. Please let me know what you have learned and why you use powered.

This is what else I learned in my studies but would love to learn more so please correct me if you have learned differently or if someone else knows.

Fresh plant matter has water content so that has to be considered when determining the 'proof' level of alcohol and also the amount of plant matter per jar.
Dehydrated has no water so again, adjustments are made accordingly. Dehydrated whole leaf or berry are the best way to store herbs if you don't use them right away. Stored in dark, cool, dry place.

Here is the book I was talking about. http://www.amazon.com/Medical-Herba...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1305134594&sr=8-1

 

[Be Well]

My field is Ayurvedic healing and I use western herbs when I can find information on them that is congruent with Ayurvedic usage; Ayurveda is quite a different healing system although of course there are many similarities and common understandings. Rather than symptoms or illness based treatment only, it is primarily based on balancing individual constitutions and imbalances; so even if two people have the same "condition", I may likely create formulas that are specific for each individual, since their constitutions may be different, and/or manifestation of illness may be different. I use powdered herbs that are processed specifically for use in Ayurvedic treatment; I think the processing is done in a way to keep potency as long as practical; when I open bags I store in glass jars in a dark, cool place, and rotate as I go. I tell my clients to store their herbs in glass jars in a cool dark place and use up in a timely manner.

I can tell when any herbs are losing potency - just like culinary herbs - the smell and taste diminish, then I use for skin scrubs or other external use.

I don't make up capsules, as part of the Ayurvedic system is the specific taste of the herb - it is good for the person to experience the taste on the tongue, it makes for quicker and more subtle action. But for clients who are wimps and can't handle the taste, I will get capping devices for them and let them make their own capsules.

I especially make tinctures out of herbs I collect locally or ones like Lomatium which are chunks of root you'd have to chop with an axe!

 

[Emily]

My field is Ayurvedic healing and I use western herbs when I can find information on them that is congruent with Ayurvedic usage; Ayurveda is quite a different healing system although of course there are many similarities and common understandings. Rather than symptoms or illness based treatment only, it is primarily based on balancing individual constitutions and imbalances; so even if two people have the same "condition", I may likely create formulas that are specific for each individual, since their constitutions may be different, and/or manifestation of illness may be different. I use powdered herbs that are processed specifically for use in Ayurvedic treatment; I think the processing is done in a way to keep potency as long as practical; when I open bags I store in glass jars in a dark, cool place, and rotate as I go. I tell my clients to store their herbs in glass jars in a cool dark place and use up in a timely manner.

I can tell when any herbs are losing potency - just like culinary herbs - the smell and taste diminish, then I use for skin scrubs or other external use.

I don't make up capsules, as part of the Ayurvedic system is the specific taste of the herb - it is good for the person to experience the taste on the tongue, it makes for quicker and more subtle action. But for clients who are wimps and can't handle the taste, I will get capping devices for them and let them make their own capsules.

I especially make tinctures out of herbs I collect locally or ones like Lomatium which are chunks of root you'd have to chop with an axe!

That is interesting. I've never heard of that before. I guess I have a whole new field to research. Oh boy!

 

[Be Well]

Here's another oral hygiene practice that can be done easily and cheaply. It's called "Oil Pulling" - because you use oil - the best is refined sesame oil - like a super mouthwash, and it is said to pull bacteria and junk out of your teeth and gums. I do it fairly regularly - with a few breaks - since a friend told me about it. You can do a search and read more. I will post my friend's testimony in full, and then add in another comment box my own experiences. My hub tried different oils and said refined sesame is definitely the best. Unrefined sesame is slightly gritty and too food-y tasting. To our oil I add Peppermint and Tea Tree essential oils, I may try Lemon and Orange some time. All those oils are germicidal to one degree or another plus taste good and are refreshing.

My friend's testimony:

OIL PULLING


I was just taking a look at the emergency survival suggestions, which I found extremely helpful. [I sent her a long list of ideas and supplies I wrote up a few years ago.] I just wanted to share one thing. Maybe you've already heard of it and are familiar with it. But anyway, for the last 3 months, I've been practicing oil pulling. This is an ayurvedic method of rinsing the mouth with sesame or sunflower oils. Other oils seem to work as well. To make a long story short, I have not been to a dentist for 4 years. My teeth were so bad, every part of my gums were swollen and bleeding. My two bottom teeth were loose and a recent x ray showed bone decay "beyond help". I've always had a problem with bad breath and just had bad teeth in general. My lymph nodes around my chin were swollen from severe abscesses in my gums. They were so bad, if you looked in my mouth, you would see these little mounds of swollen gums under each tooth and dried up blood from the constant bleeding. My teeth were discolored and just awful! Rather than go to a dentist, I did some research online and I started doing OP (oil pulling) just once a day at first. I felt immediate benefits at the very first attempt!!! Seriously! This was supposed to do something for my teeth, but I really had a burst of energy and didn't feel sleepy midday like I used to! I kept on doing it and my teeth were getting really clean, whiter and my breath fresher. The swelling went down considerably, but not completely, although most of the bleeding stopped.

I finally went to a periodontist just for the purpose of documentation (I didn't really intend to have him clean my teeth). I had 7s, 9s and even 12 deep pockets!!!! My gums were still a bit swollen and he said I had to have the scrapping done, one quadrant at a time, each one costing over $600. My lower teeth were so loose, I'm sure I could have pull them out with my fingers. He told the xrayer person not to put too much pressure on them because they were so loose. But as he was examining me, he asked where I had my teeth cleaned last because they looked so clean due to the OP'ing. Anyway, I walked out with a prescription for antibiotics (I did buy and take the prescription which I regret because it throws a bit of doubt to my "experiment"). Anyway, after that, I started doing OP 2 -3 times a day. Since then (in a period of about 3 weeks), ALL of the swelling has gone. My teeth no longer bleed. The loose tooth have tightened up considerably, although they are still a bit loose (a follow-up xray should show if it's just tightening of the gums, or if there is actual bone regeneration - something they say could never happen).

My teeth have NEVER been this clean. And I haven't had a cleaning in 4 years! They always have that "just polished" feel. The cracks on my feet have healed (I've seen similar results from various online testimonies), and I truly feel that my immune system has strengthened! I will eventually go back to the dentist to see if the pockets are any less deep. But I used to be able to taste a "rotting" bad breath kind of taste when I sucked on one of my totally rotted out gums. The gum line around this particular tooth was always red and swollen, now it's cleaned out and very healthy. When I suck on the tooth, I no longer get a "rotten" taste!

I tried to share this with some friends, but then stopped because I decided I would test this first on my own before sharing the benefits. I really really believe I'm on to something really GREAT. When I do the oil rinse, it becomes almost unnecessary to brush your teeth. I still floss, but mouth is always so incredibly clean. I also oil pull with milk once in a while because of some things I've read on line. Anyway, I wanted to share this with you because it appears to be a cheap and easy way for people to maintain their precious teeth now or in an emergency. Before sharing this, would you be interested in giving it a try and see how it works for you? Let me know what you think. You can also research it on Curezone. But if you do do it and have specific mouth problems, do it 3 times a day to begin with. I think you'll get immediate results!



I alternate between sesame and sunflower oils. Sometimes I'll used coconut. One thing I've noticed is, after a while, you don't seem to see much change, but when you switch to another oil, it's starts over again. It's funny that way. I do it about 1-2 times a day now. I also rinse with hydrogen peroxide once in a while to get the oil out. Gd tried it once, but said he didn't really feel anything. He's been doing it lately when he remembers. Just started. We'll see.
Let me know how it goes for you!

Here are a few links you can try. Yes, the gagging reflex seems to be very common. I felt like gagging the first and second times I did it. Specially when I was about to spit! But now, I've completely forgotten the experience and do it while checking emails, reading the paper, etc. It's no big deal.
I was reading some of the testimonials, and one thing I certainly experienced is that my skin has gotten so much smoother and softer! Can't explain it. There's a big herbalist skeptic out there who claims it is all quackery and theres absolutely no way oil can "pull toxins", but people's experiences (including my own) speak for themselves! Keep it up! The first time I did it, I could only do 12 minutes. Now I can do 15-20 mins, no problem. You'll notice it pulls all kinds of crud in between your teeth! Even after brushing and flossing! I do rinse it out real well with either salt water or H2O2 sometimes. Sometimes just plain warm water. But I also use one of those rubber tipped picks to clean any left over plaque around my gum line and in between teeth. Those things are pretty incredible. You can brush and floss like crazy, then you run the tip of one of those things around the base of your teeth and all this white icky plaque is still there!


Sorry for the long "testimony"!

Thanks for reading!!!!


http://curezone.com/forums/f.asp?f=738
http://www.oilpulling.com/
http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/oil_pulling.html
http://www.colonzone.org/oil-pulling.php
http://www.43things.com/things/entries/1223234

 

[Be Well]

MY TESTIMONY

I didn't have such problem teeth as my friend, although my teeth have never been great and I have many memories as a child of sitting in the detist's chair...shudder... have a lot of fillings and lost about 6 teeth so far. But since I have been doing Oil Pulling - not as regularly as my friend - my teeth have definitely felt and looked cleaner. Sometimes I've slacked and gotten out of the practice for a few weeks and then get back in.

I haven't tried any oil except sesame and I don't want to try, although sunflower doesn't sound so bad. Trying to use a thick oil like olive or coconut sounds horrible to me! It does help with some EOs in the mix, I just get an 8 oz plastic bottle with a flip nozzle, add sesame oil, and a few squirts (I use an eye dropper) of Peppermint and Tea tree, shake up well, and just add a bit more EOs if it seems to need it. You can always add more EOs, can't take any out; if you add too much, then you have to pour some of the oil mixture into another bottle and top off with plain oil. BTDT.

I usually do it for about 10 to 15 minutes once a day. Hub loves it, I can't talk to him then. Hahah He does it too as he has more tooth problems than I do and he really likes it.

The first time I tried it I did get a "gag" reflex and almost threw it up. That's because first of all, the mouth is not used to having a tablespoon of pure oil in it! Second, you have to "tell" your throat that it is NOT going to swallow the stuff. Sometimes a little would go down my throat and I'd just hack it back out when I was finished oil pulling. That doesn't happen now, oil pulling is just like second nature now.

THE METHOD

Use approximate one Tablespoon of refined sesame oil (of course you can try other oils, the links tell about using other oils) - I measured one T the first time, after that I just squirted what seemed to be the same amount into my mouth.

Then you just squish that oil in and through and around your teeth for at least ten minutes. Squish squish squirt. Through the teeth, and all around them - back, front, upper and lower. The oil gradually gets less viscous and more liquidy as it mixes with saliva.

When finished, either spit in the toilet and flush it immediately or do what we usually do - go outside and spit it as we have 5 acres! I usually rinse with water - warm if it's winter and I get around to it.

I was amazed how the very first few times I could feel my teeth more squeaky clean just from the oil pulling.

I get my sesame oil at Banyan Botanicals - wholesale price is around $35 a gallon, haven't checked lately, but I usually buy 2 or 3 gallons at a time, for OP-ing, and skin/massage oil for myself and hub and clients.

I figure anything that keeps me from needing dentists, is good.