What Causes Tooth Decays?
Tooth decays, also known as cavities and dental caries, are yellow brown or black discolorations on teeth caused by breakdown of the enamel, dentin and cementum of the teeth by bacterial activities.
Symptoms of tooth decays or dental caries include black, yellow or brown stains on the crevices of teeth, toothaches, holes in teeth and swelling and inflammation. What causes tooth decays are bacterial breakdown of the teeth which happens when the bacteria feed on food debris stuck on the teeth. These bacteria produce acid which wears down teeth and cause tooth decays.
High risk factors of tooth decays include: poor oral hygiene, eating a diet high in sugary foods, certain medications such as antihistamines and antidepressants that reduce saliva production, receding gums and certain health conditions such as diabetes mellitus that also cause less saliva production which makes bacteria thrive.
How Do Essential Oils Help Tooth Decays?
Essential Oils
Pure and potent plant extracts derived from aromatic botanicals such as the tree bark, leaves, roots, flowers, fruit rinds and resin of plants, essential oils are highly concentrated and contain a number of natural chemical compounds that give them therapeutic properties. Some of their properties that make them good for treating tooth decays include: antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
Essential oils help treat tooth decays by:
- Fighting off cavity-causing bacteria
- Removing plaque and tartar
- Cleansing the mouth
- Freshening the mouth and neutralizing bad odor
- Relieving toothaches
- Reducing inflammation
- Soothing sore gums
- Promoting digestion which is linked to good oral health
- And more
Research on Essential Oils for Tooth Decays
- Study One: Clove oil and its major compounds: eugenol and β-caryophyllene, make it powerful against oral bacteria which build up causing tooth decay and toothaches (1)
- Study Two: Cinnamon oil and clove oil are potent antibacterial substances that are very effective against some oral microbiota (2)
- Study Three: Essential oils of tea tree, lavender, thyme, eugenol (clove) and peppermint were proved effective against oral pathogens including those that cause tooth decays and candidiasis (3)
Can Essential Oils Reverse Tooth Decays?
There are quite a number of anecdotal evidences that show that it is possible to reverse tooth decays. Can essential oils reverse tooth decays? Yes they can! However, essential oils cannot reverse tooth decays on their own – reversing tooth decays needs a holistic approach of implementing various lifestyle and dietary changes including taking fermented cod liver oil and grass-fed butter as well as eliminating use of fluoride which is said to prevent re-mineralization of teeth.
Coconut Oil Toothpaste
Essential oils can be used as part of a holistic approach to reverse tooth decays because they are powerful antibacterial substances that fight off oral bacteria. They also help in keeping the mouth clean and fresh, which lessens the chances of bacteria build-up and accumulation of plaque and tartar.
Top 7 Essential Oils for Tooth Decays
- Clove
- Myrrh
- Tea Tree
- Peppermint
- Thyme
- Cinnamon
- Lemon
2 Amazing Essential Oil Recipes for Tooth Decays
There are several ways you can naturally fight tooth decays and these include reducing the number of sugary eats you have daily, brushing frequently, eating high calcium foods and more. Using essential oils for oral health helps keep your mouth fresh, clean and free of bacteria that cause tooth decays. Some of the ways to use essential oils is by making your own toothpaste and mouthwash to benefit from their anti-cavity properties every single day!
Coconut Oil Toothpaste with Essential Oils
What you need
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 1 tbsp xylitol
- 2 tbsp baking soda
- 10 drops peppermint
- 5 drops clove
- 5 drops tea tree
- 4 oz amber glass jar
- Natural bamboo toothbrush
Method
- In a small bowl, add the ingredients and whisk up till you get a smooth cream.
- Transfer the creamy toothpaste into a small amber glass jar and store in your bathroom cabinet.
- To use, dip in your clean and dry natural bamboo toothbrush and brush away! Store away from water which will spoil the toothpaste.
Essential Oils Mouthwash Recipe
What you need
- A cup of warm water
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 5 drops tea tree
- 5 drops myrrh
- 5 drops clove
- 2 tsp xylitol *optional for sweet taste
- 8 oz amber glass bottle
Method
- Combine all ingredients in an amber glass bottle and shake well to mix.
- Store in your dry bathroom cabinet and use every after a meal.
References
(1) Moon SE1, Kim HY, Cha JD. Synergistic effect between clove oil and its major compounds and antibiotics against oral bacteria. Arch Oral Biol. 2011 Sep;56(9):907-16. doi: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2011.02.005. Epub 2011 Mar 12.
(2) Gupta C1, Kumari A, Garg AP, Catanzaro R, Marotta F. Comparative study of cinnamon oil and clove oil on some oral microbiota. Acta Biomed. 2011 Dec;82(3):197-9.
(3) Thosar N1, Basak S2, Bahadure RN3, Rajurkar M2.Antimicrobial efficacy of five essential oils against oral pathogens: An in vitro study. Eur J Dent. 2013 Sep;7(Suppl 1):S71-7. doi: 10.4103/1305-7456.119078
