How to Make Healthy Toothpaste at Home

Take good care of your pearly whites with healthy homemade toothpaste.

Store-bought toothpaste can contain abrasive and potentially toxic chemicals like sodium lauryl suphate and tricolosan, which when combined with water has been shown to form chloroform gas, according to The Guardian. Even fluoride -- long used to prevent cavities and dental decay -- can lead to a condition called fluorosis, which can cause bone and joint problems as well as permanent discoloration of teeth. It's simple to skip the chemicals and strong abrasives by making your own toothpaste at home.

Things You'll Need

• Baking soda
• Sea Salt
• Blender/ food processor
• Dried lemon or orange peel
• Peppermint Oil
• Tea tree Oil
• Glycerine
• Vitamin E powder
• Peroxide
• Cloves
• Coconut Oil
• Stevia/Sugar-free sweeteners

Instructions

Simple Toothpaste Powder

1. Combine 6 parts baking soda with 1 part sea salt and 1 part dried lemon or orange peel. Add Vitamin E powder and a few cloves if desired. Cloves have natural antibacterial properties and will change the taste of the powder.

2. Blend ingredients until they are an equally fine powder in a blender.

3. Sterilize an airtight container by running it through your dishwasher, or submerging a glass container in boiling water for 10 minutes.

4. Store your tooth powder in a sterilized airtight container.

5. Take the powder out with a clean, dry spoon, and sprinkle over a damp toothbrush to use.

6. For extra whitening, dip your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide before applying the powder.

7. Make this simple toothpaste powder a paste by combining with water until you get a paste like consistency.

Simple Coconut Oil Toothpaste

1. Combine equal parts coconut oil and baking soda in a food processor.

2. Add stevia or your artificial sweetner of choice for sugar-free sweetness and essential oils for taste and health properties.

3. Store in an airtight, sterilized container.

4. Rinse toothbrush with warm water to avoid clogging your sink, because coconut oil is solid below 76 degrees F.

Simple Flavored Toothpaste

1. Mix thoroughly by hand with a whisk or in a blender 6 tsp. baking soda, 1/3 tsp. sea salt, 4 tsp. glycerin and 15 drops of your essential oil of choice. For example, peppermint and spearmint essential oils will make a minty flavored toothpaste.

2. Add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. Vitamin E as a preservative. It also has healing properties.

3. Store toothpaste in a sterilized, airtight jar labeled with the date.

4. Discard toothpaste after a year, or sooner if it begins to smell, taste or look different.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment with different quantities of baking soda, salt, flavorings and essential oils until you find a mixture you prefer. The fun part of making homemade toothpaste is making your own personal variety of toothpaste.

• Different essential oils have different properties and benefits for your teeth. For example, tea tree oil has strong antibiotic, antifungal and antiviral properties.

• Substitute water, honey or natural cold-press oils, or even a two to one mixture of natural non-toxic liquid soap and a natural oil like coconut oil for glycerin if you prefer glycerin-free recipes.

• Don't stick toothbrushes in your toothpaste and toothpaste powder containers; the extra moisture and bacteria spreads germs and can cause your paste or powder to spoil faster.

• If your homemade toothpaste causes any reactions or inflammations in your mouth, discontinue use and see a dentist.

References

• Guardian.co.uk: The Homemade Homemaker: Ethical Toothpaste
• FoodNetwork.co.uk: All Natural Toothpaste: Courtesy of Abby Girl Recipes: Amy Childers
• Wellsphere.com: Green Dentistry Week: Homemade Toothpaste
• Lusa Organics: Homemade Toothpaste Recipe
• New York Times: Natural Organic Beauty: Natasha Singer
• Eco-Dentistry Association: Inform Yourself

Resources

• U.S. CDC: Recommendations for Using Flouride to Prevent and Control Dental Caries
• The Wall Street Journal: So Many Toothpastes: Ellen Bryon
• Green Eco Services:Top 10 Toothpaste Recipes
• Care2 Healthy & Greem Living: Homemade Toothpaste
• Sierraclub.com: The Green Life: Green Dentistry Week: Homemade Toothpaste
• NaturalNews.com: Make Your Own Natural Flouride-Free Toothpaste