My post about how to remineralize teeth naturally has gotten hundreds of questions and comments over the years, especially about my personal oral health routine. Most commonly, questions are about the specifics I used to help my teeth remineralize or products I used.
Check out the original post for the specifics on how cavities can remineralize and why I chose the products I did, and this post answers the specifics of what I used. If you are new to the idea of remineralization, this interview with a dentist about the body’s ability to remineralize teeth may be helpful too.
I had two small cavities that my holistic dentist was willing to wait on filling, and after using this protocol they had remineralized and no longer needed to be filled. Of course, I am not a dentist and you should check with yours about your own personal oral health, but I’m sharing my experience and routine for informational purposes only.
My Daily Oral Health Routine
This is the oral health routine that I personally follow daily (or most days) that helped remineralize my teeth and that I now use to help avoid any new cavities.
Morning: As soon as I wake up, I do Oil Pulling with Coconut oil. Spit, Rinse Well and Swish with clean water. Important notes- I don’t even swallow this oil and I make sure not to spit into a drain. I usually spit into a container and keep tightly closed until I throw away.
After that, I brush with homemade toothpaste or homemade tooth powder and a Bass Toothbrush.
Then I usually take some Marine Phytoplankton (for energy and cellular health).
Breakfast: Take 1/2 of Fermented Cod Liver Oil/Butter Blend or Regular Cod Liver Oil. Eat breakfast high in healthy fats and proteins.
Lunch and Dinner: I include Homemade Bone Broth, at least two sources of healthy fats, protein and vegetables. (See my recipes for Ideas) or Bone Broth Tutorial for instructions on bone broth. (Or, if you’re short on time, try this storebought organic, grass-fed broth that I love.)
Evening: I use my Wellnesse peppermint silk floss, then brush again with homemade toothpaste or homemade tooth powder and a Bass Toothbrush. If I’m trying to whiten my teeth, I also brush with Activated Charcoal powder, which works wonders!
Bedtime: I don’t eat after 7 pm and try to be in bed between 10-10:30 to allow maximum restorative sleep and optimal hormone production. I sleep on an earthing mat to help reduce inflammation and spray myself with magnesium spray before bed to improve sleep and make sure I’m getting enough of this important mineral. Have trouble sleeping? Check out these four helpful hacks for falling asleep.
Throughout Day:
- Drink adequate water
- Get 20-30 minutes of mid-day sun exposure for Vitamin D
- Get enough healthy fats from coconut oil, tallow, grass-fed butter and healthy meats
- Consume at least 2 cups of homemade bone broth for the gelatin and minerals
- Daily magnesium intake to intensively boost magnesium levels (this post explains what I used)
Sample Diet:
- 3-4 eggs with vegetables and meat for breakfast or a gelatin-based protein shake and sometimes healthy coffee with a boost of good fats
- Some form of healthy protein at every meal
- 2 cups (average) of homemade bone broth daily
- 2-4 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil
- 2+ Tablespoons grass-fed butter
- Coconut based snacks like coconut cream
- Various other forms of protein and fat like tallow used in cooking, bison for snack, etc
- 4-6 cups+ of vegetables each day, usually in soups or with meats, including a lot of leafy greens and brightly colored vegetables.
Natural Oral Care Recipes
I also only use natural products on my teeth and gums. This made a big difference for me personally, as I realized after switching to natural oral care products that something in conventional toothpaste was causing the gum irritation I’d had since I’d had braces as a child.
These are the natural oral health products I use:
- My Wellnesse brand remineralizing toothpaste
- My Wellnesse brand charcoal toothpaste
- Remineralizing Toothpaste or Toothpowder
- Simple Whitening Toothpaste Recipe
- Basic Oil Pulling or Coconut Oil Chews
Recommended Oral Health Books
Cure Tooth Decay by Ramiel Nagel
Oil Pulling Therapy by Dr. Bruce Fife
Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Dr. Weston A. Price
Deep Nutrition by Dr. Catherine Shanahan
Other Helpful Posts
How to Remineralize Teeth Naturally
Oral Affects the Health of the Whole Body (Part 2)
How to Remineralize Teeth Naturally
How to Whiten Teeth Naturally (and Prevent Poisoning)
Should I Take Supplements?
Are You Low on Magnesium? (Probably so!)
Why I Drink Green Jello (Well.. kinda)
Supplements for Children
Supplements for Pregnancy and Nursing
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Steven Lin, who is a Board accredited dentist trained at the University of Sydney. With a background in biomedical science, he is a passionate whole-health advocate, focusing on the link between nutrition and dental health. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor or dentist.
References and Citations
The Affect of Saliva on Dental Caries, JADA vol. 139. May 2008. (PDF)
Role of Saliva in Oral Health, Epstein JB, Scully C, J Can Dent Assoc. 1992 Mar;58(3):217-21.
The Role of Saliva in Maintaining Oral Homeostasis, Mandel ID, J Am Dent Assoc. 1989 Aug;119(2):298-304.
Dental Caries: a pH Mediated Disease, Hurlburt M, Novy B, Young D, CDHA Journal, Winter 2010. 9-15 (PDF)
Antimicrobial Agents in Saliva: Protection for the Whole Body, Tenovu J, Journal of Dental Research.
Mandel ID (1990). The diagnostic uses of saliva. J Oral Pathol Med 19:119–125.
Nieuw Amerongen AV, Veerman ECI (2002). Saliva—the defender of the oral cavity. Oral Dis 8:12–22.
Hormones and Health, Dr. Warren C. Edwards. (PDF)
Smoking and Sleep Top The List of Lifestyle Factors Affecting Oral Health
Longitudinal Study on the Association between Smoking as a Periodontitis Risk and Salivary Biomarkers related to Periodontitis. (Journal of Periodontology)
The Sleep Connection: Sleep and Disordered Breathing. Gale Skousen, MD
Associations Among Sleep Disturbance, Vitality, Fatigue and Oral Health
Do you have an oral health routine? What steps do you take to keep your smile looking healthy?
Thank you for this! this post makes it a lot better and easier to figure out how I can start treating my teeth better!
I was alway very strict with brushing 2 times a day and since I been having some issues with my teeth (inherited periodontal disease beginning stages) I am hoping this will help me to keep this at bay! Also I need to remineralized my teeth (my hubby also needs to keep his teeth in check… hes an ex-smoker).
I really hope that this can help me with my oral health journey!
I can´t find calcium powder in my country. I have read that one can make a calcium supplement with dried powdered egg shells. Do you think egg shell powder could be used instead of calcium powder for this recipe?
My son makes his own, boiled the organic egg shells, dry, then process into a powder (though still gritty to me:).
Thank you. It sounds like the oils to avoid while pregnant are OK in small amounts 🙂
Thanks for another great post! Like some of your other readers, I am amazed by your daily routine. In fact, this doesn’t even cover it all…it would be neat if sometime you did an official “breakdown” of ALL the supplements you take (you’ve mentioned Astaxanthin, Vitamin D for Hashimotos, which I also have, Ubiquinol…none of which are listed here) and ALL the daily health-promoting activities you engage in (rebounding, dry brushing, etc.) in one comprehensive post. I trust and am trying to incorporate as much of your advice as possible and that would be so helpful!
I second this! I would love to have a post about how you fit all of this into your day!
This is an older post where I cover it a bit: https://wellnessmama.com/55187/morning-routine/
Thank you for directing me there, I enjoyed that post very much!
Incidentally, in addition to correcting dental decay and remineralizing teeth, TMJ can be resolved too! Through some cranial-facial exercises I was able to abandon my night guard about a year ago and my teeth look and feel great, not to mention my jaw 🙂
Ana do you have a link to those exercises? I’d love to get rid of my nightmare guard.
Laura, I wish I could direct you to a link, but I actually developed the exercises myself. I recently skyped with a guy from Australia to teach him how to rehabilitate his jaw, but I’m realizing this one-on-one approach isn’t going to reach many folks. I am thinking about creating a simple website dedicated to this issue (as well as a slew of other health issues I’ve resolved, including SIBO, scoliosis, and hearing impairment) due to what I call “postural therapy” techniques. It’s been miraculous and liberating to keep these discoveries to myself! 🙂
Nightmare guard – LOL!!!
Don’t forget that there’s also apparently time for
a glass of water with sole in addition to the glass with lemon
body brushing before showers
a workout with kettlebells
veggie smoothie with spirulina
oil cleansing for the face
kombucha
water kefir
elderberry syrup
tart cherry juice for sleep
gelatin gummies
beet kvass
rumble roller for back
and probably a whole bunch more I can’t remember. Not just taking/doing the things, but making them. Plus the kids and the house. It’s almost like no human being could do it all.
You discovered my secret! I’m a robot Muhahahaha! Just kidding… I know it sounds daunting when you write it all out (which is why I hesitated to do so, even after years of people asking), but really, once all those snacks are made (and they spend the majority of their “cook time” in the over or fridge, because who has the time indeed?) they are just that: snacks. They take no more or less time than it would take someone to grab a bag of chips or a soda. Body brushing takes as log as my shower takes to heat up. And the workouts are intentionally quick. Again, so half of this stuff, it truly takes longer to write it out (or read it all) than it does to actually do.
And.. she took a baby step at a time. She is super intentional which is the #1 secret for any mom! Thanks Katie!
Thanks for the post! I wondered what a day in the life of Wellness Mama looked liked. I am an attorney and the mother of four month old twin boys. I watch several hours of TV a day. I am thinking if I cancel my cable subscription, I should find the time for this routine. I am pretty sure I can also include some yoga and meditation.
Love your idea to cancel your cable! I did and love all the time I have learning new things.
I have been seriously thinking about canceling my cable bill. And it feels good to see other moms out there which feel the same way.
Wow! Plus all the research and time you take to create a daily post for your blog and take care of 5 children! Maybe you are able to do this because you’re health gives you the energy! I hope I get there one day. I’ve been applying many of your recipes etc. and I must say my health IS getting better, so I am on my way.
Thanks, Katy!
Hi Katie!
Can we use the Otawellness blend if pregnant? There are some oils in the blend that are to be avoided during pregnancy…myrhh, cinnamon, etc. Maybe it’s okay since it isn’t ingested?
Is oil pulling safe while pregnant too?
Thank you!!
I’ve done both while pregnant, but check with your OB or midwife if you’re concerned…
I’ve had my cavities filled. Can reminders losing still be done with cavities that have already been filled?
I’m sorry I had a typo in my last comment. My question was: can you remineralize your teeth that have cavities, but have already been filled?
Thanks!
I used it while prego and did oil pulling
Thanks for this post ! I’ve been wondering lately what you do to fit everything into your routine! Sincerely, Alexandra Sarka
That is quite a regimen. Do you have time for anything else? If so, how do you do it? I am 65, disabled. I could not even get all that done.
Katie, your advice on tooth care (and really everything) has been so helpful to me and my family. I’ve got two questions – do you floss? And have you heard that homemade tooth powders can be abrasive? My dental hygienist was concerned it could be. Thanks!