[Herbalist] tooth powder recipe

[Sue Rogers]

Sure.

About a cup of baking soda.  Herbs as needed - I use myrrh, licorice
root, prickly ash bark, comfrey (my gums bleed a bit), peppermint,
cloves.  Can also add sea salt if desired.  Can also add a bit of
essential oil (peppermint, clove), as long as it is not a lot - I have
not tried it, but has been told it will work.

Put all in the blender - TIGHTLY closed - and run on high until
everything seems well mixed.  Run through a fine mesh strainer into
bottle or jar (lumps are not good for the gums!).  The herbs that are
left in the strainer can be put into some vodka and tinctured.  Dilute
vodka with water to make a fine mouthwash.

Baking soda tastes salty, and is wierd at first if you are used to
commercial toothpaste, but you get used to it quickly.  I put a little
powder in a small dish, wet my toothbrush, and pick up the powder on the
brush.  Then brush teeth as usual.

Have not gotten around to trying to document this as period.  "The
Elixers of Nostradamus" has a recipe for tooth powder for whitening the
teeth and freshening the breath.  But almost everything would need to be
substituted, between abrasives like sand and powdered gemstones and
ingredients that are toxic, like lead.  So while the concept is somewhat
period, the execution may not be.  I don't know when baking soda, as
such, became available.  If anyone has ideas, I would be interested in
hearing them.

Suzanna, herbalist, Barony of the Steppes, Kingdom of Ansteorra (Dallas,
TX)

On Wed, 25 Jul 2001 18:06:51 -0500 "sunshinegirl"
<sunshinegirl at steward-net.com> writes:
>
>From: "Sue Rogers" <wjwakefield at juno.com>
>I use ground myrrh in the tooth powder I
>> make for brushing my teeth, to help prevent gum disease.
>>
>would you be willing to share the recipie???
>
>Melandra
>
>

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