DIY Toothpaste
It's been a long time since I've posted on my blog, but I finally get to share a homemade toothpaste recipe inspired by Trash is for Tossers! I love this recipe because it is so easy to make and only uses 3 ingredients: baking soda, coconut oil, and peppermint essential oil. I also throw in a dash of Himalayan pink salt, because I don't think this recipe is hippie enough...but let's talk toothpaste ingredients!
Along with hard-to-recycle packaging, a lot of commercial toothpastes contain ingredients that just aren't necessary. But I'm not a dentist, so if you ever have any doubts, you can always check with yours.
1) Fluoride - this is used for cavity prevention, but it's already available in tap water in most locations. Also, if you brush/floss your teeth regularly (2x a day) and avoid excessive sugar (basically don't have the fantasy diet of a 5-year-old), you should be OK on cavity prevention.
2) Glycerol - just makes the toothpaste smooth so it can slide out of the tube easily. Basically lube...
3) Calcium Carbonate - an abrasive to help remove plaque/stains from your teeth. It has a wide range of uses and is considered harmless unless consumed in excessive quantities (which is probably why you're told to always spit out your toothpaste rather than swallow it).
4) Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - this is a detergent that makes the toothpaste foam up (again, another unnecessary ingredient); SLS can also cause canker sores in your mouth, so if you get frequent canker sores, consider switching to a non-SLS containing toothpaste (or try the DIY recipe)!
5) Triclosan - some toothpastes use this (IMO) nasty little ingredient as an antibacterial to fight gingivitis. However, some studies have shown that triclosan alters hormone regulation. TOTALLY not necessary in toothpaste.
Ok, so now that I've given you the rundown on commercial toothpaste, here's the TIFT-inspired recipe for homemade toothpaste, compared to the ingredients in commercial toothpaste:
Along with hard-to-recycle packaging, a lot of commercial toothpastes contain ingredients that just aren't necessary. But I'm not a dentist, so if you ever have any doubts, you can always check with yours.
1) Fluoride - this is used for cavity prevention, but it's already available in tap water in most locations. Also, if you brush/floss your teeth regularly (2x a day) and avoid excessive sugar (basically don't have the fantasy diet of a 5-year-old), you should be OK on cavity prevention.
2) Glycerol - just makes the toothpaste smooth so it can slide out of the tube easily. Basically lube...
3) Calcium Carbonate - an abrasive to help remove plaque/stains from your teeth. It has a wide range of uses and is considered harmless unless consumed in excessive quantities (which is probably why you're told to always spit out your toothpaste rather than swallow it).
4) Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - this is a detergent that makes the toothpaste foam up (again, another unnecessary ingredient); SLS can also cause canker sores in your mouth, so if you get frequent canker sores, consider switching to a non-SLS containing toothpaste (or try the DIY recipe)!
5) Triclosan - some toothpastes use this (IMO) nasty little ingredient as an antibacterial to fight gingivitis. However, some studies have shown that triclosan alters hormone regulation. TOTALLY not necessary in toothpaste.
Ok, so now that I've given you the rundown on commercial toothpaste, here's the TIFT-inspired recipe for homemade toothpaste, compared to the ingredients in commercial toothpaste:
- 1.5 tbsp coconut oil (coconut oil could be considered a natural alternative to triclosan since it's considered by many as a natural antibacterial)
- 3 tbsp baking soda (baking soda is already used as an abrasive in many commercial toothpastes)
- 10-15 drops peppermint essential oil (not a necessary ingredient, but a nice add-on to give the toothpaste a nice odor - it doesn't really do anything for the taste or your breath)
- Dash of Himalayan pink salt (this isn't part of the original recipe, but I had some in my pantry and thought "well why not?"
Mix all of the ingredients together in a jar and spoon some onto your toothbrush whenever you need it. Voila!
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