But what if you couldn’t get toothpaste? What other alternatives could you use?
What if you don’t want to load your mouth up with tons of chemicals? You don’t have to think Fluoride is terrible and prevents the absorption of minerals by your teeth, to want a simple homemade toothpaste recipe.
I have used this for many years, and my teeth are just as clean as with commercial toothpaste.
Recipe
2 parts baking soda
3-5 parts coconut oil
5 parts of calcium powder (optional bone builder)
essential oils for flavor (optional flavor)
xylitol (optional sweetener)
Directions
- Mix all powders in a bowl.
- Add coconut oil until the toothpaste is to your desired consistency.
- Optional: Mix in essential oils for flavor.
Homemade Toothpaste: Ingredients Revealed
Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)
This is the cleaning agent. It is either naturally mined or created from sodium carbonate. It is a mild alkali, which causes dirt and other particles to dis-attach from their surface and enters the water. The dirt, food particles, etc can then be removed easily with water. Baking soda is only mildly abrasive, so it can remove stuck-on particles without damage to your teeth.
Coconut Oil
Consistency and anti-bacterial. Coconut oil is often used by itself (calling oil pulling), without anything else as tooth cleaners. Coconut oil is amazingly versatile but here we are using it for its anti-bacterial properties. It also creates a good consistency to hold the powders together into a paste-like substance.
Calcium
Bone builder. Your teeth can absorb the calcium to make itself stronger right from your saliva. You don’t need to wait for the calcium to hit your stomach, then be absorbed in your digestive tract and passed to your teeth. I listed this powdered calcium as optional because it doesn’t clean your teeth, and it can be a little more difficult to find. You, of course, can order it on Amazon (Powdered Calcium), or you can ground up natural sources of calcium like eggshells.
Related: Baking Soda Substitutes and How to Use Them
Essential Oils
Flavour. I don’t use essential oils in my toothpaste, but one could add mint. I don’t mind the subtle coconut flavor, so I choose not to add any additional flavorings. Some essential oils have other properties that should be considered before using orally.
Xylitol
Sweetener. You may find other homemade toothpaste recipes that include Xylitol as a sweetener to counteract the potentially bitter taste of the baking soda. I don’t find this to be an issue, as it only tastes mildly of coconut. So I leave the sweetener out, but that is personal preference. Some may take beef at using xylitol at all, but I just mean to list it as an option.
Conclusion
We hope we have equipped you to consider other alternatives to commercial toothpaste. Or just know what other options may be available if standard toothpaste is now. Mix and change ingredients to fit your preferences; it may take a few times to completely switch from “real” toothpaste.
