Get a mouthful of this
How we make our own easy, 4 ingredient (baking soda free) toothpaste.
If your diet & lifestyle choices are as healthy as possible, why skimp out on your oral hygiene routine with conventional toothpaste - filled with stabilizers, thickeners, sweeteners, etc. - when you can make your own at home?
I must say, I was shocked when I first made this toothpaste for us. We have no interest in using the store bought stuff anymore because this homemade version leaves a squeaky clean feeling that goes unmatched.
No need to worry about accidentally swallowing this toothpaste, because all the ingredients are edible. In my opinion, anything that goes in your mouth should be edible.
If you wouldn’t eat it, then don’t put it in your mouth
The thin mucous membrane of the mouth is an ideal place for quick absorption into the bloodstream to take place, so it makes sense to watch what you brush with.
The cosmetic industry is much less regulated than the food industry and you would be hard pressed to find a toothpaste on the market that doesn’t have questionable ingredients such as artificial flavors, colors, stabilizers, PEGs and polypropylene glycol, foaming agents, detergents, triclosan, peroxides, sweeteners and of course fluoride.
Artificial colors that are deemed by the FDA to be too toxic for food can be found in toothpaste such as Red #30, Red #33, Blue #1. These petroleum based poisons are especially used to target children. Artificial colors are linked to behavior disorders, ADHD and hyperactivity in children.
Europe and Canada have tighter restrictions on formaldehyde, but in the US there is no regulation as to how much formaldehyde-releasing preservative is put in toothpaste and companies are not required to disclose it on the label.
A common foaming agent found in hand soaps and toothpaste, Sodium Laryl Sulfate, weakens oral health by breaking down the protective lining of the mouth. It can cause canker sores and peeling of mouth tissue.
All the more reason to make your own.
Before I share with you our new favorite toothpaste recipe, here’s a breakdown of the 4 magical ingredients it takes to make it…
Bentonite clay
Used since ancient times to protect the body from disease and to purify the body, this clay is made from aged volcanic ash. It has impressive abilities to detoxify the body due to its high negative charge - the molecules of negative charge bond to the positively charged molecules (toxins, heavy metals, impurities, chemicals) in the body and pull them safely out of the body.
When used as a toothpaste, bentonite clay remineralizes and strengthens teeth since it is rich in minerals such as silica, calcium, zinc, potassium, and magnesium. It absorbs toxins out of the mouth without disrupting its natural microbiome.
Sea salt
Using a nice quality finely ground salt also helps remineralize the body since the mouth has incredibly thin mucous membranes and offers an ideal place to absorb things into the bloodstream. Sea salt also has a disinfecting and anti-inflammatory effect.
Coconut oil
Oil pulling with coconut oil has lots of health benefits such as strengthening gums, reducing plaque buildup, and lowering risk of gingivitis, making it a great option for a healthy toothpaste. Coconut oil can help prevent tooth decay and support the oral microbiome. Ayurvedic medicine has recognized the healing properties of coconut oil for oral health for centuries.
Tea tree oil
Melaleuca alternifolia, or tea tree oil, is an essential oil with broad-spectrum antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.
In dentistry, tea tree oil is helpful in the treatment of aphthous ulcers, herpes simplex virus, dental pain, periodontitis, and refractory oral candida infections. It can also help whiten teeth, and strengthen gums.
Toothpaste recipe
1/2 cup coconut oil
4 Tbs bentonite clay
4 Tbs finely ground sea salt
large handful mint leaves (optional)
A few drops Tea Tree oil
Step 1 is completely optional, but it’s fun when you have a lot of mint growing outside.
Pour the coconut oil into a saucepan with the handful of mint leaves and bring to an almost boil. Let simmer for 15 minutes and remove from heat to cool. When completely cool, remove the mint leaves.
Grind your sea salt in a high speed blender or grinder until it is a very fine powder almost like the consistency of powdered sugar.
Combine equal parts sea salt and bentonite clay in a small bowl and stir with a wooden spoon.
Slowly add coconut oil, one Tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add oil until you reach the consitency of a thick paste. You may not need to use the entire amount of oil (save the extra mint infused oil in a container in the fridge for your next batch of toothpaste).
Add a few drops of tea tree oil and mix well.
Spoon the mixture into a plastic bag, spreading it into a thin, even layer. Refridgerate it until solid.
When the toothpaste has solidified, remove from the plastic and break or cut it into bite size pieces. Put the pieces back in the plastic bag, store in the refrigerator.
To use it, just put a piece in your mouth and let it melt slightly, then brush as you normally would. Once you try this toothpaste, you’ll never go back!
Enjoy!
~Julia Cloud