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Making homemade toothpaste We made our own toothpaste!!! It was fun, easy, frugal, and tasty! I'm totally hooked. I have been wanting to make some more natural toothpaste, but all of the recipes I had seen online called for glycerin or other ingredients that I didn't have on hand. When I came across Julie's post about making toothpaste, I was excited! Here is how I made my homemade toothpaste: 2 tablespoons coconut oil 1. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl, using a fork. *Add about half of the amount of peppermint oil to start, and test the toothpaste to see how much you want/like. I used NOW brand peppermint oil, and ended up stopping at 25 drops which is still not as strong as I am used to, though it does taste nice and minty! Julie noted in her instructions that using part spearmint oil will make the toothpaste not as "hot" as using all peppermint oil.  I also made a cinnamon variation. Instead of using peppermint oil, I added a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a few drops of clove oil. This did turn out a little bit hot for the children, and I'm not sure if I like the ground cinnamon the paste -- cinnamon oil might be a better choice, but I don't own any. :) This toothpaste recipe is very easy to experiment with as far as flavoring, and I'm thinking of making up some with cayenne pepper in it, which is supposed to be good for the gums! This is what the finished toothpaste looks like:  The peppermint one is snowy-white! It looks and feels (to the fingers) just like store-bought toothpaste. The coconut oil is really a fabulous base for the toothpaste. It tastes good, too. The stevia gives a sweet taste (which most toothpastes have). The baking soda taste isn't over-powering, but it is there -- and the toothpaste definitely works well! It doesn't foam, of course, but I actually like it that way. Since coconut oil melts at 76 degrees, the toothpaste becomes liquid when you brush, and coats the teeth well. The oil is very runny, though, and doesn't leave the mouth feeling greasy in the least. It will, however, stick to your bathroom sink if you use cold water to rinse. I definitely recommend using warm water with this toothpaste! (It was only when I used the cinnamon one that I saw where the toothpaste actually ended up/stayed!)  Our bathroom toothpastes: Containers of homemade, and a half-tube of fluoride-free Nature's Gate. The Nature's Gate is rather hot-tasting, so I may finish that one for the children. ;) And, I won't be buying more! :) Since the homemade toothpaste was so inexpensive to make, I won't have to watch quite so closely when they brush, to make sure they only use a small amount. (I usually brush their teeth at night, and they brush themselves during the day.)  And what's even better? This homemade toothpaste made me decide to just toss the rest my free-after-rebate tube from Rite-Aid which I had been using for myself. I never had been comfortable with the ingredients, but it was free and it was what I had... I welcome comments on the toothpaste topic, but I won't publish comments seeking to debate fluoride use. Thanks. :) Disclaimer: I have not used this toothpaste extensively. (I will update here when I have!) I am fairly certain that this toothpaste is safe and will not harm your teeth. There are no studies or statistics comparing it to commercial toothpaste, so I am not out to "prove" its effectiveness in any way. This recipe and information is provided for those who want it and I make no claims about its long-term use. I'm still studying and learning about dental care! :)  It's kept in the bathroom, not in the fridge -- I'm guessing that if the coconut oil were refrigerated it would make the toothpaste rock-hard! :) I'm not sure about shelf-life. My guess is "a long time" (maybe several months?). I guess I can update if mine goes bad or something! It is very simple to make (takes about 5 minutes, seriously!) so I will probably not keep more than a few months' supply on hand, though I am curious as to just how long it will last! :) Hey, that is cool! I might try that only I might see if I can use xylitol since that is supposed to be good for teeth. I guess Ill stick with what I always use, but that peppermint variety you made actually sound good enough to eat. now, if you figured out a recipie for homeade cocnut toothpaste Id give it a go!(I love coconut) cayenne pepper in toothpaste YOWEEEE!! I dont even cook with that. Hi there, I am a regular reader of your blog and find it very inspiring, God bless you Tammy! ~Emily. I have done some reading on the use of baking soda in tooth paste/powder and couldn't find substantial evidence that it is too abrasive to be used. I always thought the Sodium Laural Sulfate, which makes things foam, was there just because people "expect" foam... although SLS isn't supposedly very good for you, either... However, I happen to be going to the dentist in 2 days and I can ask him about baking soda on teeth! :D  Let me know what you find out about the baking soda. Mom said she's read the same thing. I thought the important thing was to make sure the baking soda was completely rinsed out of your mouth. Whatever the case, I think the homemade toothpaste would be better. :)  Thanks for posting that, Tammy! I'd followed the link you posted the other day and told all my family about the homemade toothpaste recipe. :) Now I just need to pick up some essential oils so that I can make my own as well! I will be searching garage sales or the dollar store for some small containers to put it in, too. Thanks!! :) Vicky, I especially like peppermint oil as it is SO versatile and is my most-used oil -- so if you buy some, there are many more uses than just this tooth paste! :D That looks really good. I don't use any toothpaste at all, but I may make this for my husband, who buys whatever is on sale and I really don't like what he is putting in his mouth. Do you dip the toothbrush in or put it on the toothbrush with your finger? I would think that the toothpaste would get contaminated after a while of dipping the toothbrush in it. Or maybe it could be put in very, very small containers, so that you have to use a new one every week or something... hmmm... Well, thanks a lot for the link and recipe. For the lady, above, who wanted coconut toothpaste: if you use virgin coconut oil, it will taste like coconut. If you use refined coconut oil, it will not. Also, virgin coconut oil is VERY good for you. Refined coconut oil is good for you, too, but virgin is better and it has that coconut smell and flavor. Now to get my husband off head and shoulders shampoo. YUCK! ;-) I have read that coconut oil is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, so dipping a toothbrush in it shouldn't be a problem. I did put my toothpaste in small containers, though -- about 2 ounces. P.S. What does half a packet of stevia equal in sugar. I have liquid stevia and if I know what the equivalent is to sugar, I can figure out how much liquid to use. Thanks! Oh, I don't know... I used Sweet Leaf stevia which has inulin added (since that was all I had on hand right now) and the box doesn't tell the equivalents... you may have to do some taste-testing with your liquid stevia... Alright Tammy, I make my own detergent, shampoo, and now I so need to do this! But now the question is where in the world can I get coconut oil? I've been looking everywhere in most basic stores, but I can't find it. Where did you get yours? You live kinda near me, so maybe I can get it at the same place. Spill the beans! ;) Wal-mart, in the oil section, top shelf. I'm still on my first tub, so I haven't looked for other sources... :) Tammy, I enjoy reading your blog for ideas. . . making hm toothpaste-how much did it cost to make and how much did each batch make? (example: $1 to make 6 oz). I buy toothpaste at the discount grocer, and use $1 off cpns, often it is free or close to it for me, certainly less than $1/tube. With 6 people here, we go thru a considerable amount. I was surprised that you chose to toss the remainder of the Rite Aid (?) toothpaste; your blog shows that you are a resourceful, thrifty person-waste not want not, no? While I understand your preferences surrounding toothpaste, I would have used the remainder of the RZ toothpaste up first. JMO My batch of toothpaste made about 2 ounces and cost... pennies. I'm guessing maybe 10 cents or so? :) We are usually able to get toothpaste for free (after rebate, so we just pay tax) from Rite Aid here, but often the toothpastes contain ingredients that I really don't like putting in my mouth -- like Triclosan, for example! If I hadn't already used from that tube, I would have given it away rather than throwing it away. :) Maybe that's my problem...I didn't look UP at Walmart. hehe...well, next trip, I will see! Thanks Tammy! Stevia has also been shown to be an anticavity agent. Just in case someone wasn't aware I haven't studied up on this, but to the commenter who wanted to use xylitol instead of stevia, I will caution you too research it more because I've heard that it's poisonous to dogs. Makes you wonder if you really want to be putting that in your mouth! ;-) I have no intention of brushing any dog's teeth, thank goodness.:-P (FYI, I have read about it. The danger for dog's, if I remember correctly, is that it causes a fast release of insulin. Whereas for humans xylitol is an insulin stabilizer. So pretty much the opposite effect.) Tammy, I saw this recipe last week at Old Paths and vowed then and there to make it. Now seeing your try at it makes me want to make it more! I love the idea of adding different "flavors"! I want to try the mint one and the cinnamon, but wouldn't it be fun to do some sort of berry flavor or something for the kids! I'm going to make it this weekend...you've made up my mind! LOL! This is an interesting idea- stevia as a sweetner in Toothpaste... So as the dental hygienist I had to look into it... That is what I found... Xylitol ( another sweetner) is actually anti-cariogenic and can prevent cavities. It can be easily found in gum these days, they advertise it largely if it is an ingredient. I doubt it can be purchased alone though. Heather, RDH  Thanks for your input Heather! I didn't know that Stevia had flouride in it. I'm going to do a little more research on that. Xylitol can be purchased by the pound in granules (like regular sugar) in a health food store. They also sell single serving packets. -Gwen If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands? –Milton Berle Okay, I was able to ask both a dentist (in OH) and a dental hygienist (in WI) about the use of baking soda on teeth. The same answer I got from both: Baking soda is NOT too abrasive to be used on teeth. However, brushing too vigorously, particularly brushing horizontally is too harsh on the teeth and gums. So whether you're brushing with baking soda or regular toothpaste, the important thing is to brush in little circles and not just horizontally. I was surfing for a different recipe for toothpaste and this one looks great. I am wondering how your toothpaste has worked out thus far :D ~~~~ Let's see... it's been over a month now... my first batch is almost gone and I'm going to make more peppermint toothpaste this week. :) I really like the toothpaste, and use it for the children too (that way it's not dangerous if they swallow a little bit... as toddlers do!). I'm still doing some study about dental care, and may in the future add some beneficial ingredients to the homemade toothpaste. :) I'm enjoying your blog. I've been wanting to try my hand at making homemade toothpaste. We do not have a Super Walmart in our area. Do you think it would be cost effective to purchase coconut oil from the health food store? Also, I'm needing to find an inexpensive resource for essential oils. I have a bottle of eucalyptus I use in my floor cleaner and one bottle of lavendar that I use in my skin lotion. I'll be needing to replace them soon. I made a skin lotion last year and my husband loves it. I have a great book called The Complete book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy. I hope to make a face lotion someday. Blessings, I've enjoyed your blog. I was wondering if you knew of an inexpensive essential oil resource? We do not have a Super Walmart nearby so I wondered if it would be cost effective if I purchased my coconut oil from a local health food store? I made a skin lotion last year and my husband loves it. I have a great book called The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy. I hope to make a face lotion someday. Toothpaste is next on my list. :-) Blessings, http://awomanthatfearsthelord.com Thanks, Georgene! :) I think a gallon of coconut oil (128 oz, cold pressed virgin oil) runs about $36-40 or so. The toothpaste goes pretty far... I haven't really figured the costs to the penny, since I was just using small amounts of ingredients I already had on hand! I have in the past bought NOW brand essential oils at a health food store. Some natural food co-ops offer them, as well. And perhaps bulk food stores? :) I haven't looked online for good prices... The best price for coconut oil that I've been able to find is www.mountainroseherbs.com Shelley R. I am SO sorry for the multiple posts! It didn't look like they were showing up so I'd try again AND again! I was shocked to see all my posts when I came back to visit today! Again, I apologize! :( Thanks for the info. I'm hoping to try this recipe soon! Blessings, http://awomanthatfearsthelord.com Hi, I have made homemade toothpaste and love it though I found for children getting it out of the container more difficult. To solve the problem, I put the toothpaste in a zip lock baggie and pricked a small hole in one corner and zipped up the bag. Now the children can squeeze the toothpaste on their brushes just like frosting. It works great and no mess! Ruhamah I like your idea, but what do you do with the pricked end to close that back up? Do you also make sure your toothpaste isn't too runny to come out too quickly? I have 4 & 6 year olds so I'm trying to come up with an easy way to apply it. Thanks, Cindy For all those wondering about getting the toothpaste onto the brush, how about these: http://store.everestgear.com/159204.html You can get them from any camping store! Post new comment |
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This looks awesome! I am using Tom's natural toothpaste now, with an electric Oral-B toothbrush, but it's rather expensive and the metal tube drives me crazy. How long is your homemade toothpaste safe to last? Also, do you keep it in the bathroom or the fridge?