Do It Yourself: natural toothpaste

Regular, store-bought toothpastes are full of nasty ingredients that aren’t necessary for good dental hygiene. In my opinion, if something we’re putting on our mouths comes with a “WARNING: do not swallow” label on it, then we probably shouldn’t be using it! I like to keep things not only natural, but simple as well.

While fluoride is the most heavily targeted ingredient for health concerns, other ingredients such as titanium dioxide, glycerin, sodium lauryl sulfate and artificial sweeteners (sorbitol and saccharin) have been shown to cause harm and aren’t even needed! Fluoride can be toxic to the body, and if you suffer from acne breakouts around your mouth and chin, fluoride could be the culprit. There are concerns that titanium dioxide (used for it’s color) and glycerin (which gives toothpaste it’s texture) can potentially be carcinogens, and glycerin may also cause teeth sensitivity. Sodium lauryl sulfate (a foaming agent) is a chemical detergent that’s found in shampoos and dish soaps. And artificial, chemical sweeteners have also been suspected of being not only carcinogenic, but can cause digestive disorders. Companies add all of this junk into something we use twice daily just to make it a little prettier and taste better––probably because they don’t want us to know that homemade, natural toothpaste can look and taste great too!

Homemade natural toothpaste is not only simple to make and healthier than regular toothpaste, it’s also much more inexpensive than using a store-bought brand. While a 4.7 ounce tube of Tom’s of Maine natural toothpaste costs $5.99 a pop, making the same amount of homemade toothpaste can cost just about one dollar (more or less depending on ingredients used).

Here’s how you can make your own toothpaste with just a few ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 3 drops of pure tea tree oil
• 2 tablespoons of baking soda (optional)
• Essential oils of choice (peppermint, orange, cinnamon, etc)

In a medium sized bowl, add coconut oil and tea tree oil. Only if your teeth are not sensitive and you want a bit more stain-fighting power, add the baking soda. Using a whisk, whip the ingredients well to keep the coconut oil soft at room temperature. Add desired amount of essential oils to taste (since it’s natural, essential oils are safe to use orally, just try not to swallow it) and whip again. If, like me, you don’t have any essential oils on hand, you can add some ground cinnamon and a few drops of pure vanilla extract instead!

The best part about this toothpaste is that it’s 100 percent safe to consume and yet it’s still a powerful concoction of anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, plaque-fighting ingredients! It’s simple, cheap, and most importantly, is not harmful to your beautiful body.