Using Toothpaste on Other Parts of Your Body

Sure, toothpaste is meant for keeping your teeth clean, but this versatile, minty paste can do a lot more than just that. The slightly gritty texture is perfect to clean a whole variety of surfaces.

While thrifty homemakers have been using toothpaste for decades as a low-cost cleaner and scrubber, you don't have to be keeping a house clean to take advantage of the cleaning power of toothpaste. You can use toothpaste a variety of ways on your own body, besides just on your teeth.

For instance, toothpaste is great for keeping your nails clean. If you're an outdoors person or an avid gardener, you know how hard it can be at times to get your nails clean after some stubborn dirt has embedded itself underneath. However, using an old toothbrush with a bit of toothpaste will get your nails clean in no time. The baking soda and small abrasive bits in the toothpaste will do the heavy duty scrubbing, and the toothbrush will get to all the hard to reach spots under your nails all clean.

Toothpaste can also be used on your skin for bug bites. The mint in the toothpaste provides a cooling effect, stopping the itching and reducing the amount of swelling. You can try applying toothpaste to mosquito, flea, or ant bites.

I haven't personally tried this one, but I've heard that toothpaste can also be used to soothe burns. When you just get the burn, spread a little bit of toothpaste on top. Because of the cooling mint in toothpaste, it seems that this would work.

It can also be used as a facial cleanser or body scrub when you are taking a shower. The mild abrasive quality of the toothpaste-harnessed for years to clean not only teeth, but also silver and floors-can also help slough off old, dead skin, keeping you clean and looking your great.

Some also use toothpaste on acne or cold sores. Toothpaste has a drying property on skin, which can help tame the affliction when applied to acne or cold sores. The toothpaste will also soothe irritable acne or cold sores because of the mint. However, this only applies for the paste type of toothpaste, not the gel form.

The gel toothpaste is also useful, though. You can use it to keep bows in the hair of small girls who don't yet have a lot of hair. It washes right out afterwards.