outdamnspot
Senior Member
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- 924
I have severe OCD, on top of CFS, and am aware this is likely a mix of phobic anxiety with a rational fear. However, once I started to become a lot more intolerant towards foods a few months ago, I also stopped using toothpaste out of fear that any foreign substances could potentially trigger a crash (which becomes traumatizing when it happens enough, and your threshold for experiencing one is so low).
At the time, I was using Earthpaste, a clay-based toothpaste, and don't recall actually having any issues with it, but I was crashing so frequently (due to foods) that I got scared and stopped using it anyway, and I worry about some of the ingredients like the essential oils. I started just dry-brushing, but my teeth never feel *clean* doing that and I've also started to notice some worrying gum recession (honestly, once my CFS became severe 3 years ago, I just never presumed I would live very long and got so depressed I stopped paying much attention to oral hygiene).
I began researching alternatives but my problem is my anxiety will prevent me from trying any. What I came up with was:
1. Calcium Carbonate .. recommended by @Gondwanaland .. I ordered a bottle, except she mentioned it was necessary to mix it with Magnesium Oxide. Since I do so badly with Magnesium supplements in general, I got scared off trying, though I wasn't sure how much MgO would actually be absorbed if it's just being used to brush your teeth?
2. Baking soda .. people in the MCS Facebook group said they use it to make their own toothpaste, but after reading @Wonkmonk 's experience today I'm scared to try too.
Aside from that, every other 'natural' toothpaste has multiple ingredients which makes me hesitant to try any because I wouldn't know what I'm reacting to. I've wondered if I could make my own just using something like Bentonite Clay or Redmond Clay (the basis for Earthpaste) without any additional ingredients?
Anyway, this is causing me a lot of anxiety because I know I really need to do something but I feel stuck.
At the time, I was using Earthpaste, a clay-based toothpaste, and don't recall actually having any issues with it, but I was crashing so frequently (due to foods) that I got scared and stopped using it anyway, and I worry about some of the ingredients like the essential oils. I started just dry-brushing, but my teeth never feel *clean* doing that and I've also started to notice some worrying gum recession (honestly, once my CFS became severe 3 years ago, I just never presumed I would live very long and got so depressed I stopped paying much attention to oral hygiene).
I began researching alternatives but my problem is my anxiety will prevent me from trying any. What I came up with was:
1. Calcium Carbonate .. recommended by @Gondwanaland .. I ordered a bottle, except she mentioned it was necessary to mix it with Magnesium Oxide. Since I do so badly with Magnesium supplements in general, I got scared off trying, though I wasn't sure how much MgO would actually be absorbed if it's just being used to brush your teeth?
2. Baking soda .. people in the MCS Facebook group said they use it to make their own toothpaste, but after reading @Wonkmonk 's experience today I'm scared to try too.
Aside from that, every other 'natural' toothpaste has multiple ingredients which makes me hesitant to try any because I wouldn't know what I'm reacting to. I've wondered if I could make my own just using something like Bentonite Clay or Redmond Clay (the basis for Earthpaste) without any additional ingredients?
Anyway, this is causing me a lot of anxiety because I know I really need to do something but I feel stuck.