What do you do to keep up your oral health? Do you make a point of brush and floss every day? If so, good for you—but what would you do if you found your toothpaste tube empty one day and weren’t able to get more right away? As you can probably guess, you shouldn’t just avoid brushing. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do in a pinch.

Mouthwash is one option you should consider. As you may know, mouthwash can fight off cavities, bad breath, gingivitis, and even wash away food particles. However, please remember that, while using mouthwash is better than nothing, please don’t plan on replacing brushing.

Similarly, if you find yourself out of toothpaste and mouthwash, you can also rinse out your mouth with hydrogen peroxide. However, please remember to mix the hydrogen peroxide with equal parts water. Also, please do not swallow hydrogen peroxide. If you would like to brush, you can also use baking powder—which is a safe alternative that is also included in many toothpastes.

However, if you aren’t interested in any of these options, you could also try chewing on a mint or on chewing gum. You see, chewing gum can help because chewing promotes saliva production. As you may know, saliva is actually vital to the health of your mouth, as it gets rid of bad bacteria. If you don’t have chewing gum handy, you can also chew on herbs such as mint, rosemary, sage, and thyme.

Finally, to enjoy a healthy smile, please remember to visit a dentist once every six months for a routine cleaning and checkup. If you would like to learn more, or are interested in scheduling an appointment with Dr. [doctor_name], please don’t hesitate to contact [practice_name] at [phone]. We will gladly answer any questions you may have. We look forward to hearing from you soon.