Homemade toothpaste
There are many types of toothpaste available off the shelf, so why make your own you may ask. Most common brands of toothpaste contain many chemicals, one of the most prevalent is fluoride. It is believed that fluoride helps to strengthen enamel and keep teeth strong and healthy, however research suggests that fluoride has no benefits to oral care and is actually harmful to our bodies and many people are avoiding fluoride all together now in their oral hygiene routine. While there are some brands of fluoride free toothpaste available, I prefer to make my own homemade toothpaste using coconut oil.
Coconut oil has many benefits for oral hygiene, it can clean your teeth and prevent decay better than any regular toothpaste or mouthwash available on the market. In studies it has been proven to kill common strains of bacteria in the mouth, including a particularly harmful bacteria called Candida albicans.
There are many recipes for making homemade toothpaste, here I will share a few starting off with the most simple recipe.
This recipe is so simple and contains only 2 ingredients, takes minutes to prepare and will last 2-3 weeks. Using a double boiler, gently melt 60g of organic coconut oil, add 30 drops of organic peppermint essential oil, allow to cool and set, store in a cool, dry and dark place. If you prefer something a little more abrasive, add 2-3 teaspoons of baking soda to the mixture and stir in before setting.

Some people may prefer a whitening toothpaste and there are natural ingredients that you can use to achieve this. This recipe for homemade toothpaste uses turmeric as a whitening agent. Gently melt 60g of organic coconut oil in a double boiler, add 2-3 teaspoons of organic turmeric, if you prefer something more abrasive add 2-3 teaspoons of baking soda and you can also add 30 drops of organic peppermint essential oil to give this toothpaste a minty freshness.

Another recipe for homemade toothpaste uses activated charcoal as a whitening agent. Gently melt 60g of organic coconut oil in a double boiler, add 2-3 teaspoons of activated charcoal, if you prefer something more abrasive add 2-3 teaspoons of baking soda and add 30 drops of organic peppermint essential oil if you prefer a minty freshness.
This final recipe uses arrowroot as a thickening agent. Soften some organic coconut oil on a gentle double boiler, add 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt, 2-3 teaspoons of baking soda, combine with a fork. To thicken add 1-2 teaspoons of organic arrowroot powder, start with a little and add more until the desired consistency is achieved. You can also add 30 drops of baking soda if you wish.
You can experiment with a combination of these recipes, another ingredient that can be added is bentonite clay and also xylitol, the bentonite clay helps to remineralise your teeth and the xylitol helps to balance the ph and prevents cavities. Care should be taken when mixing bentonite clay as it reacts with metals and should only be mixed with a wooden spoon in a glass bowl.
I hope you enjoy these recipes, please share any of your thoughts and ideas in the comments.
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Great recipes, thank you
I know this would make the toothpaste non vegan but I’ve added powdered eggshells before (Calcium Carbonate) to help with the remineralisation of teeth too.
I get through lots of eggs, I usually bake the shells and crush them to keep the slugs off my veggies in the garden. Thanks for this tip.