Dear Patient, Oil pulling can have an antibacterial effect for your mouth reducing plaque and gum inflammation, but you have to hold it in your mouth for 20 minutes for it to be effective. Most mouthwashes on the other hand only need 1 minute of rinsing with for it to be effective.

The best toothpastes and mouthwashes are the ones that contain fluoride. Fluoride has been proven to be very effective in helping prevent tooth decay, and fluoride per se is not a bad thing naturally occurring in radishes, tomato, onions, and tea. Any toothpaste or mouthwash that contains whitening agents can be effective, but you may also get some associated tooth sensitivity while using those products.

In regards to your black spot, this may be staining or decay. If it is decay, no amount of mouth wash or oil pulling is going to help, and the decay will slowly get bigger unless treated. Since finances are an issue, the sooner you take care of it the less it is going to cost. Dental school clinics are a good place if you want to get good care for less. Best of Luck.

Great question! It's impossible to tell if the black spot you notice is decay or staining without a clinical examination so my first answer is to go to a dentist for a full examination. I know when funds are low, this can seem impossible but there are dental clinics at major universities and hygiene schools that can sometimes help you to at least have a hygiene visit and a set of digital x-rays to determine if you have decay. That is the first step towards figuring out a plan to prevent decay.... and save money!

The best thing you can do is focus on prevention. I recommend these steps:

- try a soft bristled toothbrush and if you can get a Sonicare, even better

- try a baking soda toothpaste like Arm and Hammer Complete Care that has calcium phosphate (minerals for your enamel)

- avoid sugars and fermentable carbs like breads and crackers. bacteria LOVE these things and when they consume the sugars, they produce the acid that causes decay

- I notice that you have a chronic inflammatory condition and are taking several medications. This can sometimes lead to dry mouth, which is another thing that contribute to tooth decay. Saliva is vital for the protection of your teeth

- Coconut oil pulling is nice addition to your homecare routine, I recommend it to patients first thing upon rising in the morning after using a tongue scraper (Removes that slimy coating on your tongue). Swish and swirl the oil around your mouth but do not gargle. Although 20 min seems to be the standard time given for oil pulling, many patients found this to be too long, so try 5-10 min to start.

When patients have little or no insurance coverage, the best bet is to try to prevent decay in the first place.

If you do not have the means to see a dentist regularly, I would add flossing to your list of home care preventative measures. Flossing along with brushing will ensure both clean teeth and healthy gums. Brush with any fluoride toothpaste is fine. Mouthwashes are only effective if the teeth are clean and the solution can contact enamel. If your small black spot increases in size, I would see a dentist to avoid future expensive treatment should the spot actually be decay.

Preventing tooth decay is important and natural methods like oil pulling can be effective. Xylitol gum and mints will decrease the amount of decay causing bacteria in you mouth and protect and whiten your teeth. Xylitol is a natural sugar that is safe even for diabetics. It is also important to use a Fluoride mouth rinse.

Unfortunately once there is decay it is impossible to treat it with home remedies. It needs to be treated by a dentist. Look for a low cost dental clinic or if you have a dental school near you this may be an option. Your local dental society will help you locate the low fee programs in you area. the longer the decay is present the bigger the cavity will become and the more extensive treatment will be needed. Good luck

I would suggest visiting your dentist and discussing your financial situation. Perhaps they can help you with a payment plan or a discount. Oil pulling will help with bacteria in your mouth but mouth wash is the better choice. As for the black spot - if it is decay it will only get worse and cost more to repair as time goes on.

I am very sorry but no home remedy will fix tooth decay, if that is what is going on. Please find a dental school or community dental clinic that could possibly help your situation. Once decay has started, the dentist needs to remove it, kind of like internal bleeding, where the surgeon has to operate to fix the problem. I teach at University of Michigan School of Dentistry and schools like these have lower fees to accommodate you. IT IS NOT FREE, but cheaper since you will be seeing Dental students. Another avenue would be to look into Federally Qualified dental clinics that serve the community. Good luck!

I am sorry to say, once there is decay present, no home remedy will reverse this, it needs to be treated by a dentist. To prevent future issues a fluoride toothpaste and mouth rinse will help prevent, but do not reverse once decay is present

The black spot between your teeth is decay. Unfortunately a dentist needs to treat this infection. You can just keep it under control with brushing and flossing and fluoride available in rinses at the store. There are also fluoride gels you can buy to apply to it. Call your local dental society to find where there is treatment available that is free or low cost. Good luck.

My suggestion is to visit a dentist for a dental check up. This way you will have peace of mind that you are not going to lose your tooth due to decay. There are times that you can find dentists offering a free consultation to check out what's going on with your tooth if finances are extremely tight. You may also call the nearest dental school where many times you can receive treatment if needed in a very I nexpensive way.

Otherwise, I don't believe that any home remedies can help.

Best of luck,

Dr. Nazarian