We’ve all done it—you’ve squeezed that tube of toothpaste down to the very last possible squeeze, and the next morning you go to brush your pearly whites only to find that there’s none left. What do you do? Skipping brushing shouldn’t be your answer. You have alternatives that you can utilize until you can stock up on some more toothpaste! What should you do when you run out of toothpaste?
Keep Teeth Wipes in Stock
Keeping some teeth wipes in stock or with you for on-the-go cleaning can be a great alternative for when you run out of toothpaste. These small wipes are finger gloves that help to clean your teeth and get rid of plaque and food particles with their textured cloth-like feel. Although these are great alternatives to have around, they’re not meant to take the place of a proper brushing—so only use when you need to!
Use Baking Soda
Many conventional toothpastes incorporate baking soda into their formulas. There’s a reason for this! Baking soda is popular to use not just in toothpaste but for other cleaning tasks, too. It’s safe and effective for you to use when you’re missing toothpaste or even a toothbrush. When you run out of toothpaste, everyone usually has some baking soda on hand in the kitchen! Use your toothbrush, a cloth, or your finger and use that baking soda to “brush” your teeth!
Rinse with Mouthwash or Hydrogen Peroxide
If you have regular mouthwash on hand, this is great. Mouthwash can help fight bad bacteria, remove particles in between your teeth, and leave you with fresh breath! However, if you don’t regularly use mouthwash (you should!) or if you happen to be out of that too, you can use hydrogen peroxide to help clean your mouth until you get access to some toothpaste. Don’t use it full strength, and never swallow it. Simply mix equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water and swish around in your mouth to help combat bad bacteria and remove food particles.
Chew Gum or Herbs
Sugar-free gum can help to stimulate your saliva production, therefore helping to balance the good and bad bacteria and even help remove food particles and leave you with a fresh mouth. This definitely isn’t a replacement for brushing and should be used only when necessary—however, it can help in those times when you find that you’re out of toothpaste!
If you happen to be camping or even if you have a garden at your home, you can make use of plants to help “clean” your mouth! Herbs like mint, rosemary, and even sage and thyme can help your mouth to feel fresher and get rid of any bad tastes. These won’t actually clean your teeth, so again, be sure to brush when you can!
Being out of toothpaste isn’t an excuse to skip your normal brushing routine. Enlist the help of some of these alternatives, many of which are easy to have on hand in times of need, such as peroxide and baking soda. Keep teeth wipes, sugar-free gum, or mouthwash on hand for when you don’t have any toothpaste!
