Brie Robb

I think you might have to make your own.
But yes, it can be done.

Anne Miller wrote:Thanks for starting this thread. Great question and thought provoking.

I know that the tread is using activated charcoal to brush teeth and other uses.

How does this differ from wood ash?  Does it not make the potassium hydroxide?  I am assuming that wetting the wood ash forms lye which is what is burning the skin?

Yes, charcoal activated or otherwise.. are the chunks of black, partially combusted/not fully burned wood, mostly the gases have been driven out and burned (aka smoke)..  ash is the whitish/ gray  powder that does not typically burn up in home wood stoves and camp fires .

Yes, the ash portion makes potassium hydroxide = lye
I have seen small burns from this as my grandmother made soap,  I have had minor burns from ash getting on sweaty skin, and settling into the wrinkles, like on the inside of my elbow. .. it's a lot like getting poison ivy

Knowing this would you use wood ash to clean your teeth?

I  just want to encourage you to try and learn.  
We get enough dew  and fog at various times to have water dripping into the rain barrels from the roof of our greenhouse.

r ranson wrote:neat question.

I'm very sensitive to alkali on my skin, so I do get a reaction from wet woodash (but not dry for some reason).  

I  know the answer to that, the water activates the formation of  the potassium hydroxide ... the same kind of reaction happens between dry Portland cement,  and wet

I haven not been over for awhile, I pirate my brothers fb quite a bit.. and a resent "conversation " has us wondering how common the use of wood ash for personal hygiene is among people who ... are experienced with real life wood ash. Pertaining to wet wood ash... have you ever had a burn, from wet ash?

Our household has had to deal with minor wet ash burns, mostly from ash resting in the inside folds of the elbow, and sweat activated the potassium hydroxide reaction. Thankfully it has never been worse than mild poison lvy.
We where raised around wood fires, and grandmother's who made their own, lye and soap, so we grew up with the education that wood ash, makes lye, lye burns skin..

Now there is a trend (? ).. to brush ones teeth with wood ash, or to make face mask for cosmetic use..

Would you brush your teeth with wood ash?
Would you put wet wood ash on your skin?

It is so ... less common in most people's modern life to understand that wood ash can cause burns. It makes us wonder is this new... "use wood ash on your body trend" ..  just happening among those who have limited experience... we are dumbfounded,  and curious.. is it like the tide pods thing???

Lol.. Even his muffled crow on the video started my roo's crowing in response.. video stopped my boys are quiet again
I think it's brilliant!