Dental care

You've got no toothpaste and not much water, what can you use to keep your teeth and mouth clean? Gum and tooth infections can actually cause an infection that surrounds the heart (bacterial endocarditis) which is life threatening without a long course of strong antibiotics (usually given IV) so what is the best thing to sue to keep your teeth and gums healthy?

 

I guess swilling alcohol every now and again would be good too to kill any bacteria.

 

Surprisingly enough, you can do some very basic dental work on yourself, or at least some britons are reportedly doing this: http://www.theguardian.com/society/...-britons-doing-own-fillings-to-avoid-nhs-bill

I'm sure it's no alternative for a professional dentist, but in case we found ourselves in Mad Max world with no dentists available, it could be better than nothing

Sadly, no. If it was so easy, no one except tee-totalers would need to go to dentist ever, and that's not the case. On a serious note, drinking black tea slows down (doesn't stop!) the growth of bacteria in your mouth, but good luck with buying tea After Apocalypse.

 

Unfortunately, most of us are screwed when it comes to dental care after the apocalypse. Fillings, crowns and caps require maintenance. I always thought that if you take care of your dental work it'll last a lifetime, but that's not true... not even with regular dental cleanings from a professional.

Those of us who have had dental work done are pretty screwed. After some years our fillings will develop decay under them and fall out, crowns and caps will eventually become loose and fall out. Without regular maintenance we will develop periodontal gum disease. Hell, 80% of the population already have it and it will only get worse without deep cleanings.

I brush, string floss and use a waterpik daily and still need my fillings replaced every so often.

 

Be sure to pack your toothbrush and just massage the gums and teeth with it. They will stay pretty clean that way.

 

Salt diluted in water can perform well as antiseptic mouth rinse. The action of brushing your teeth with a twig or anything similar could work as a immediate replacement for regular toothbrush and toothpaste, but take into account these are not as effective as a toothbrush .

 

I think unless you have an endless supply of toothbrushes you'd have to find something else to use because it wouldn't take long for the toothbrush to become full of bacteria and unhygienic to use.

 

Hahaha, you might have to make sure your survival rations are all soft enough to eat if you lose those 8! At the hospital we have boxes and boxes of toothbrushes that come with a toothpaste type powder already on the bristles, they are so useful.

 

My father told me that he had an uncle who was in WWII, and when in the trenches, he had no toothbrush, and used the corner of his army blanket to brush his teeth with every day. My father said the uncle's teeth were very good and white, too. Apples and other veggies/fruits, can help with keeping your teeth clean. Also, eating cheese helps to cut down on bacteria. So that's the brushing covered.

But I personally like to floss. I don't like the feeling of food between my teeth. So I would definitely have to find a substitute for floss. Maybe fishing line? But it's awfully thick. I need something thinner. Any suggestions?

 

Growing up my father would have me brush with a mixture of baking soda and salt to keep my teeth white. Although, I don't think it would prevent cavities.

 

There is a tree known as the toothbrush tree. Sticks from this tree is sold all over the internet, and are called miswak sticks. The benefits of using miswak sticks can be read here. Seeds to grow this tree for yourself can be found here. I've used miswak before and have known about it's dental benefits for years.

 

Drinking liquor would probably be as effective as any mouthwash out there, provided you spit it afterwards, of course. You can also use salt to coat your teeth, which is also a good form of antibacterial. I think those are pretty much it off the top of my head, but if you are stranded outside civilization, there are far more precious things to worry about, like fresh water, food, and a good shelter to protect yourself from the elements. And unless you have an oral injury, or are in the disaster zone for more than a few weeks, I don't think oral hygiene is all that important, compared to the others.

 

What about a Miswak or a Miswak inspired kind of thing?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miswak

Miswak is an Islamic utensil used to brush one's teeth and a Sunnah in Islam. Being Muslim ourselves my family are very used to this method of dental hygiene (for clarity, though, yes we also use toothbrushes and toothpaste.)
This is an issue for me though, I often forget a toothbrush when I'm spending the night at the in-laws so I don't know how I'd go packing a grab-n-go bag. Even if I was to pack one now, I know I'd wind up deciding my daily toothbrush is too manky and using it as it's easier than to go to the store.

Though, as mentioned earlier in the thread the simple act of brushing should definitely do it. I may consult my wife on this one, she works in the dental field so she should know a thing or two.

 

Twigs would be a good recourse. Some of them have antiseptic properties and am aroma vic resembles toothpaste for example, eucalyptus twigs. I bet a number of garlic cloves would also suffice which would kill bacteria in the mouth. I should also add that a pack of fresh mints would also do the trick.

 

I totally agree with you Kya!
I have tried mishwak before as well.
It is really good for your teeth and your overall health.
So I will be definitely taking one of those mishwak sticks with me as a survival tool because I get gum infections and tooth problems really fast.

 

You could scrape your teeth gently or rub them with a cloth to clean them. For killing bacteria, if you have strong alcohol you could swish it around your mouth like you would do with mouthwash. Toothpaste isn't as necessary as you'd think, but it does give you nice minty breath.

 

Rubbing your teeth with leaves would help. You just have to choose the perfect leaves. Be careful with the poisonous ones.

 

So what did people do before the toothbrush?
I suppose everyones teeth rotted and fell out by the time they were thirty!