WELLBEING
How to use neem for teeth: 7 ways to include neem in your oral care
Nikshep Myle │Updated: 13 March 2023
Introduction
Neem is a popular natural remedy that’s been used for centuries for its powerful and versatile medicinal properties. It has a bitter taste and a pungent smell, but despite its unappetizing characteristics, it’s an effective herb that provides numerous health benefits, especially for oral hygiene. The benefits of neem for your teeth are impressive, but that brings us to the question — how to use neem for teeth?
In this article, we’ll explore seven ways to incorporate neem into your oral care routine. For those who are seeking synthetic-free products, we’ve also included recipes to create all-natural DIY oral products with neem at home. Let’s begin!
7 Ways to Use Neem for Your Teeth
Neem’s versatility is renowned — from its roots and flowers to its leaves, bark, seeds, and twigs, every part of the neem tree is beneficial for our skin, hair, teeth, and overall health.
You can use different forms of neem for oral care: twigs, bark, leaves, oil, and powder. We’ll cover these below, along with simple DIY recipes to prepare neem toothpaste and mouthwash.
1. How to use neem stick for teeth
To use a neem stick for your teeth effectively, you want to start chewing on one end of the stick (up to 1 or 2 inches) for a few minutes. Chewing is essential because it releases medicinal compounds that are in the twig and removes the bark to reveal the frayed fibers inside. Make sure to spit once you’re done with the chewing process.
Then, you use the frayed fibers on your teeth and gums in a circular or vertical motion, similar to a toothbrush, but don’t swallow the stem’s bristles.
The neem stick’s fibers will remove plaque and debris and coat your teeth in bitter, astringent juice that’ll help with whitening and protection from cariogenic bacteria. Once you’re done using the frayed end, cut it off with scissors.
You could also use the neem stick’s blunt end to scrape and gently cleanse your tongue from back to front. If you have a longer neem stick, you could bend it into a slight U-shape and use it like a regular scraper.
Since the fiber can be hard, be careful when using chewing sticks to avoid injury.
2. How to use neem bark for teeth
To use neem bark for teeth cleansing, you could chew small, dried pieces of the bark. You’ll want to chew and keep the bitter juice in your mouth for 30 to 60 seconds before spitting it out.
You could order dried neem bark online or gather it from a neem tree using a tiny bark spud (debarking tool).
Alternatively, you could use neem bark in a powdered form. You could add the powder to your toothpaste and brush with it, or mix the powder with some water to make a paste and apply it to your teeth and gums. Leave the paste on for a few minutes before rinsing your mouth with water.
Neem bark is used as an active ingredient in a number of toothpastes and toothpowders. Neem bark is a coolant with anti-bacterial properties and is effective for treating gingival problems and maintaining oral health. Using neem bark prevents plaque buildup, reduces bad breath, and whitens teeth.
3. How to use neem leaves for teeth
After a meal or snack, you can chew 5 to 6 fresh neem leaves for a minute or two and then spit them out.
Neem leaves have immense anticariogenic potential, making them perfect for protection against cariogenic foods like chocolates, cookies, chips, white bread, ice cream, or sugary beverages. These leaves are rich in antioxidants and can improve oral immunity, along with getting rid of bad breath and harmful bacteria.
4. How to use neem oil for gums and teeth
A simple way to use neem oil for your teeth is to add a drop to regular toothpaste and brush with it. Another option’s to add 3 to 4 drops to a cup of warm water and rinse your mouth for 30 seconds before spitting the mixture out. But make sure the neem oil you select is diluted or blended with other oils, and is safe for internal consumption.
Neem oil poisoning is dangerous and happens when you consume it, so you’ll want to dilute it with other oils or in water before rinsing your mouth.
Caution: Do not use pure neem oil to rinse your mouth because the high concentration can irritate your gums.
5. How to use neem powder for teeth
You could use either neem leaf powder or neem bark powder to clean your teeth. The powder could be mixed with water and turned into a paste for application on teeth and gums. Leave the paste on for 2 to 5 minutes before washing it out.
Alternatively, you could mix a teaspoon of neem powder with a cup of warm water and swish the mixture in your mouth for 30 seconds before spitting it.
An even simpler way to use neem powder would be to add a little bit to your toothpaste and brush with it.
6. How to prepare and use DIY neem toothpaste
Creating an all-natural neem toothpaste at home isn’t too complicated. You’ll need the following ingredients:
- Neem leaf powder or neem bark powder: 1 teaspoon
- Coconut oil: 2 teaspoons
- Himalayan pink salt: ½ teaspoon
- Peppermint oil extract (for internal use): 1 drop
- Clove powder: 1 teaspoon
You want to start by heating the coconut oil and then mixing neem powder and Himalayan pink salt with it once it’s fully liquified.
Himalayan pink salt has minerals that are helpful for the enamel and gums. Adding peppermint oil or clove powder isn’t compulsory, but they help mask neem’s bitterness and make the mixture more potent for oral care.
Once you’ve mixed all the ingredients, let the mixture solidify. Your all-natural, synthetic-free, DIY neem toothpaste is now ready for use!
You can slather a generous quantity on your toothbrush for brushing, but remember that this paste won’t foam because it’s SLS-free. Although getting used to brushing with this can take some time, it’s an excellent option if you’re conscious about avoiding synthetic dental care products.
7. How to prepare and use DIY neem mouthwash
You need the following ingredients to prepare a simple neem mouthwash at home:
- Neem leaves: 10 to 12 (a handful)
- Water: 200ml (or 1 cup)
You want to add neem leaves to the cup of water and boil it on low flame till only one-fourth of the water remains. Use a strainer to separate the neem leaves from the concoction, and once it cools, rinse your mouth with the liquid for 1 to 2 minutes before spitting it.
This preparation process ensures the concoction absorbs valuable nutrients from the leaves to keep your mouth healthy.
Brush Your Way to Cleaner Teeth With the All-natural Neem
Neem is a versatile and powerful natural remedy for improving oral hygiene and switching to sustainable, synthetic-free oral care.
You can incorporate this incredible superfood into your dental care routine in many ways, like using neem sticks, neem bark, neem leaves, neem oil, and neem powder. It’s also simple to prepare neem toothpaste and mouthwash at home with DIY recipes that don’t need many ingredients.
When used appropriately, neem can do wonders for your mouth. But as is the case with most healthcare products, consult a health professional before experimenting with neem.
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