Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Mercredi: The Art of Beauty

All of us know that taking care of our teeth and gums will lead to a long and happy relationship with both. Some studies suggest that good oral care can also help in preventing heart and liver problems. Some studies tend to be contradicted later but regardless, having a nice smile and pleasant breath makes life a whole lot easier. So why not get a bonus from something you do daily anyway? Like prosperity for instance?

When my eldest daughter became completely averse to anything minty – no gum, candy canes, mouthwash or toothpaste will cross her lips if it smacks of mint – I started hunting around for alternatives. Crest currently makes a nicely flavored whitening toothpaste called “Citrus Splash” that she has somewhat embraced. But here is a homemade tooth powder that harks back to our ancestors and adds the extra kick of prosperity-attracting cinnamon and clove. Both have antiseptic properties as well so there’s good science behind this recipe which may be over 300 years old.

2 tbsps baking soda
1 tsp fine sea salt
½ tsp powdered cinnamon
7 drops clove essential oil

Sift the soda, salt and cinnamon together and discard any lumps. Add the essential oil, mix and sift again. Store the resulting powder in a tightly sealing jar. To use, moisten your toothbrush and dip it in the powder, proceeding as you would with any commercial powder or paste. Think about prosperity coming into your life as you brush, tasting the cinnamon and clove to remind you of all the potential that is out there for you. Rinse thoroughly and enjoy your clean teeth. If you want that kick of mint, reduce the clove essential oil to four drops and add four drops of peppermint essential oil. A votre santé ~

Header: Mae West by Henri Sabin

2 comments:

Timmy! said...

I'm not a big mint fan either, Pauline, but not as bad about it as Brigit. There is a reason for the expression "minty fresh" after all...

Nothing wrong with a hint of mint as far as I'm concerned, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do when it comes to the kids...

Pauline said...

Well, I tried to go the straight baking powder route, which is a pretty old method, but no dice. Sometimes you have to be creative...