DIY Oral Care – Homemade Toothpaste

Jan 26, 2017

The days when we were limited to plain white Colgate toothpaste are long gone. Today’s toothpaste market is inundated by alternatives to traditional products. Plain Colgate sits on shelves next to natural toothpaste, sparkly and glittery options for kids, and everything in between.

Homemade toothpaste, a lesser known alternative, is growing in popularity because of its all-natural ingredients, inexpensiveness, and America’s love affair with ‘doing-it-yourself’. Most homemade toothpaste ingredients can be purchased at any health food store or at online retailers. But, using the wrong homemade toothpaste recipe could lead to enamel damage or cause an imbalance in your mouth’s microbiology. To make sure you and your family are using safe and effective homemade toothpaste, here are some Falmouth Dental Arts approved recipes for you to try.

 

The following recipes should all be stored in a clean container of your choosing.

 

Coconut Oil Toothpaste – Recipe 1

Ingredients

  • 2 TBS calcium powder (you can grind up calcium tabs in place of powder)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ tsp xylitol (about 1 packet)
  • 2 TBS coconut oil (preferably extra virgin unrefined)
  • 3 to 4 drops cinnamon essential oil (for flavor)*
  • 2 to 3 drops nutmeg essential oil (for flavor)*

Mix all dry ingredients first, then add the coconut oil and stir until the mixture is blended. Add the essential oils and mix until smooth.

 

Coconut Oil Toothpaste – Recipe 2 

Ingredients

  • ½ cup coconut oil
  • 2 to 3 TBS baking soda
  • 2 small packets of stevia powder
  • 15 to 20 drops of peppermint or cinnamon essential oil (for flavor)*
  • 10 drops myrrh extract (optional for flavor)*

Melt or slightly soften the coconut oil then mix in all other ingredients and stir well. Mix using a fork if you are using semi-hard coconut oil and use a spoon for liquid coconut oil. If you melted the coconut oil using a heat source, stir the mixture as it cools to prevent the baking soda from separating.

 

Remineralizing Toothpaste

Ingredients

  • 5 parts calcium powder
  • 1 part diatomaceous earth (optional)
  • 2 parts baking soda
  • 3 parts xylitol powder
  • 3 to 5 parts coconut oil
  • Mint, cinnamon, orange, or myrrh essential oils (for flavor)*

Mix all of the dry ingredients together. Add the coconut oil slowly until the mixture has a smooth texture. Mix in the essential oils to taste.

 

Tooth Powder 

Despite the different name, tooth powder is very similar to toothpaste and should be used in the same way.

Ingredients

  • 4 TBS bentonite clay
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 ½ tsp finely ground unrefined sea salt
  • ½ tsp clove powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ tsp ground peppermint leaves**, spearmint leaves, or 5 to 10 drops of peppermint essential oil (for flavor)*
  • 1 ½ tsp unrefined stevia powder
  • ¾ tsp activated charcoal

Mix all ingredients together.

 

If you have questions about which homemade toothpaste is best for you, give us a call and we’ll help you make a decision based on your oral health needs.

 

*Essential oils can be potent, so start with a few drops then add more to taste. Make sure to use therapeutic-grade essential oils that are safe to ingest. Feel free to substitute other essential oils if you prefer.

**Ground peppermint tea can be used in place of ground peppermint leaves.