We all know that visiting our dentist at least once a year is important to our oral health, but have you ever thought of brushing your teeth with eggshells?…Probably not, and I wouldn’t blame you. The thought of it is kinda weird, and why would we want to use eggshells when there are plenty of commercial toothpastes available that claim to transform our teeth into perfect pearly whites? Well, eggshells contain the perfect amount of the ideal substances for healing cavities (which regular toothpastes do not), and huge amounts of calcium and 27 other minerals. Pretty impressive huh? To think we throw out eggshells, thinking they are useless!
Furthermore, I’m talking about it based on the personal experience of my natural health enthusiast friend Anette. Anette has sensitive teeth and went through a phase of getting a lot of cavities. She tried natural fluoride free toothpaste and commercial brands for sensitive teeth, and even plain baking soda. However, none of that stuff was helping to stop her getting cavities. So then she began researching more information about tooth remineralization and found that through this process, specialized cells in the center of the tooth are able to regenerate dentin, the layer of tooth just under the enamel, and the enamel can then properly remineralize from the outside. She found out that there is even a special diet for that. But with a family of fussy eaters, and a lack of time and money, she felt like that kind of diet wasn’t going to work for her. So, thank goodness she stumbled upon a recipe to make a remineralizing toothpaste at home, using eggshells!
She has been using her homemade eggshell toothpaste for nearly a year, and she has no more cavities developed since! She says her teeth also feel a lot cleaner, with much less plaque build up, and even her dentists was impressed. They are also whiter. Her friends have all noticed and have been asking what toothpaste she used. You can imagine their shock when she said, eggshells! Her gums and mouth, in general, also feels a lot healthier. All in all she feels much happier and more confident, and finds herself smiling and laughing more.
The science behind the eggshells toothpasteHungarian physician, Krompeher, along with a group of medics and biologists, first began studying the healthy properties of eggshells. Over 10 years of research have shown that eggshells are the perfect source of bio-available calcium (dense and easily absorbed).
This whole revelation about eggshells is actually backed up by a dentistry school in the Phillipines, where a study took place, comparing various commercial toothpaste brands along with their own compounded toothpaste from eggshells. They discovered that over time, the teeth cleaned with the eggshell toothpaste had less plaque build up and stronger enamel. This is due to the fact that eggshells have calcium and other trace minerals which are essential for healthy enamel, thus preventing cavities.
Amazing eggshells are not just great for our teeth either, studies also showed accelerated healing when eggshells were used for treating such orthopedic diseases as congenital dislocation of a hip or osteoporosis.
Eggshells are especially beneficial for small children with the formation of their bone tissue, which requires calcium. Some people even add shells to baby food which can help prevent rickets and anemia, which normally occurs along with rickets.
How to consume eggshellsTo get optimum nutrition from eggshells, it is best to use organic, free range eggs. Simply boil eggs until hard and peel the shells off (the boiling will kill any pathogens). Allow the shells to dry naturally. You can grind them down into a fine powder and add them to your food or add them into your daily smoothies.
Homemade Eggshell ToothpasteYou will need:
Optional ingredients to add:
1 tsp. Castile soap (Castile soap is an olive oil based soap and its name is originated from Castile, Spain, a region renowned for its olive oil. It gives the recipe a smoother consistency. Anette uses
Dr Bronners Castile soap).
1 tsp. sea salt (see my other
antiseptic toothpowder with sea salt)
A few drops peppermint essential oil (use food grade only). This essential oil is amazing and so versatile and gives a fresh feeling in the mouth – you can read about the
top 10 uses for peppermint essential oil).
Preparation:
Give the eggshells a rinse and boil them for a few minutes to get rid of the pathogens. Then air dry them. Grind up the shells or tablets in a coffee grinder until they turn into a fine powder. Combine the ingredients in a bowl, adding coconut oil until it reaches a smooth consistency (you can adjust the amount of the coconut oil). Add the optional ingredient if you want. Store in a jar. You can use a spoon to put the mixture on your tooth brush