This recipe is an adapted recipe from Wellness Mama. After struggling with finding a cheap, accessible, and healthy toothpaste I finally came across her recipe. There are so many additives that you don't want in toothpaste that it became harder and harder to find something with minimal ingredients and is still beneficial. I tried reading ingredients in so many different brands that claimed to be healthy but still found questionable ingredients. It became an exhausting task. Plus I needed to find something that was safe for my toddler as well. Enter DIY. The art of doing-it-yourself where you save money and know exactly what's in it.
The base ingredient for this is coconut oil which has great health benefits for your teeth. Next is baking soda which is a natural and gentle abrasive and doubles as a deodorizer, and Bentonite Clay which has been used by Native Americans to help pull toxins out of your body.
This recipe is oh-so-minimal and yet so effective. I control the taste, texture, and of course the ingredients. Best of all I use it on my two-year-old and he likes it! Don't get me wrong, I still have to hold him down every time I brush his teeth but in between brushings he will pause, taste, and say "mint". Also he doesn't have to spit since the ingredients are totally safe. So, we have a winner!
Finally, I love this toothpaste because I have extremely sensitive teeth. The only commercial toothpaste that I can stand is Sensodyne and I wanted to avoid those ingredients as well. I also am prone to cavities. Before using this toothpaste I would usually have a cavity with every checkup. Since making my own, in the past two years I have only had a very tiny one.
This recipe is pretty accessible. The only ingredient that is hard to find- Bentonite Clay- can be found on Amazon. I highly suggest investing in it because I bought a jar for around $12 and am still using it after two years. Also, Bentonite Clay is highly useful to have around in your natural medicine cabinet anyway. We put it on our little boy's bee sting last summer and it immediately gave him relief.
Homemade Toothpaste
3 Tablespoons coconut oil
2 Tablespoons baking soda
1.5 Tablespoons Bentonite Clay
6 drops Spearmint essential oil
Wash and prepare a 1/4 pint mason jar or a glass jar that is short, shallow, and easy for scraping.
Measure the coconut oil and place in small double boiler or place a glass bowl over a small saucepan withe an inch of water. Slightly heat the coconut oil over medium-low heat. Add the baking soda and Bentonite clay and stir until mixed through. Take off of heat and add in the Spearmint oil then stir.
Pour into jar and let cool back to room temperature.
When ready simply use a knife or your thumb to scrape some onto your toothbrush. Just use the same amount that you would use for commercial toothpaste. I don't normally wet my brush with homemade toothpaste as it doesn't seem necessary.
*Tip- for a simple and effective mouthwash, gargle and rinse with one part water and one part hydrogen peroxide.