If you care about your health and that of your family, then you are really careful about what you put on the table and what they put in their mouths. That includes toothpaste.
Commercial toothpastes are loaded with ingredients you wouldn’t feed to your worst enemy, and they don’t belong in toothpaste either. Luckily, it’s cheap and easy to make a good, basic homemade baking soda toothpaste.
Commercial Toothpaste Ingredients to Avoid
First, let’s look at some of the questionable ingredients that are often found in commercial toothpastes (some are probably dangerous; others are just unnecessary), which you can avoid by making your own homemade baking soda toothpaste:
Artificial colorings. Food dyes have been linked to cancer, skin rashes and behavioral problems. Who cares what color your toothpaste is, anyway?
Artificial flavorings. We’d rather stick with natural flavor, thank you.
Fluoride. The ADA swears this stuff prevents cavities. But recent studies suggest the opposite may be true. Plus it has a lot of nasty side effects.
Glycerin. This is a natural food byproduct used to give a smooth mouthfeel. It is probably reasonably safe to consume, but it may interfere with tooth mineralization. So it may be a good idea to leave out of toothpaste.
Propylene glycol. Used to give a smooth mouthfeel, this fossil fuel processing byproduct is also used to make antifreeze. It doesn’t belong in your mouth.
Saccharin and other artificial sweeteners.
Sodium lauryl sulfate. A foaming agent, which has been linked to an increased risk of developing canker sores. It’s not what we want in our mouths.
Titanium dioxide. This white powder is used to make toothpaste bright white. Recent studies have linked it to poor gut health. Off-white toothpaste is just fine with us, thanks.
Triclosan. An antimicrobial chemical linked to numerous health and environmental problems. Don’t even think about using a toothpaste (or anything else) with triclosan in it.
Non toxic Ingredients you can use to make your own toothpaste
3 Ingredient Homemade Toothpaste
This simple homemade toothpaste is made with just 3 ingredients you'll already have on hand.
This simple homemade toothpaste is easy to make, totally affordable, and best of all works like a dream! The recipe below will work at least as well as a standard commercial toothpaste. You may already have all the ingredients in your pantry. Plus whipping up a batch will cost you a lot less than buying a tube of natural toothpaste at your local health food store.
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Baking soda has many uses. In toothpaste, it acts as an ideal mild abrasive, which dissolves, leaving no grit behind. It is alkaline, so it has the added benefit of helping to neutralize excess acid in the mouth. This one is fine, non toxic as long as it's aluminum free BS.
Coconut oil. This amazing substance may be the most versatile food and health aid on the planet. In toothpaste, it gives a smooth mouthfeel, holds other stuff together, and helps kill nasty microorganisms — including candida and tooth decay bacteria — while supporting beneficial ones. Organic, cold-pressed and unrefined is the best kind to use, if possible.
Coconut oil has one odd characteristic: it melts at about 76 degrees Fahrenheit, which means your toothpaste will be very stiff in cool conditions and runny and prone to separating if it gets warmer than 75 F. This changeability doesn’t affect how well your toothpaste works. But it does mean that it’s better to keep homemade toothpastes containing coconut oil in a jar than a tube. This way you can scoop it out when very firm or dip your brush in it if it liquefies (and re-mix it if it separates). Take advantage of coconut oil’s low melting temperature when mixing up a batch by warming the jar in a container of hot water for 10 or 15 minutes before measuring out the now-liquified oil and mixing it with other ingredients.
Essential oils. Essential oils are a good way to mask flavors while adding nicer ones. Plus some offer additional benefits. Clove oil is antibacterial; peppermint boosts energy and is a familiar flavor for toothpaste; and cinnamon oil fights inflammation and viruses.
Stevia. If you want tooth-friendly sweetness, stevia is a good choice. Choose powdered extract, powdered stevia leaf, or a plain or flavored liquid stevia extract. For sensitives use organic stevia to ensure its not contaminated with artificial sweeteners.
Instructions
Begin by leaving the coconut oil in a warm spot to soften. You may let on stove on low heat or slowly in the microwave.
Mix coconut oil with the baking soda until smooth. Get all soda lumps out
Add the essential oil of your choosing and stir to combine.
Divide up the paste into small jars. Keep in a warm spot or use a small spoon to scoop onto your toothbrush
Note: Some essential oils that make yummy toothpaste:
Cassia or cinnamon
clove
Anise
Peppermint
Orange
Eucalyptus
This is an extremely cost effective recipe. You can make a large batch of this that will last your family many months for under $20 including price of essential oils. Best of all, this is non toxic and not carcinogenic!
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