Homemade Toothpaste: Recipe

Make my own toothpaste? Why would I do that?

The average American uses three toothpaste tubes each year. That means hundreds of millions of tubes to sit in overcrowded landfills. Commercial toothpaste contains unnatural chemicals and fillers, such as hydrogen peroxide, fluoride, sodium lauryl sulfate and triclosan.

Many consumers have started to switch over to natural toothpastes to avoid synthetic and artificial flavors that are commonly found in regular toothpastes. Due to the increased demand of natural products, most toothpaste manufacturers now produce herbal toothpastes. This type of toothpaste does not contain dyes or artificial flavors.

Many herbal toothpastes do not contain fluoride or sodium lauryl sulfate. The ingredients found in natural toothpastes vary widely but often include baking soda, aloe, eucalyptus oil, myrrh, plant extract, and essential oils. In addition to the commercially available products, it is possible to make your own toothpaste using similar ingredients.

You can reduce your costs, your exposure to harmful ingredients, and the amount of waste you create by making your own toothpaste. To do so, follow this simple recipe:

Ingredients:
1 Tsp coarse mineral salt
1/4 C. baking soda
1/2 Tsp Vitamin C powder
5-10 drops essential oil (cinnamon, peppermint & spearmint are favorites)
Water
1/4 Tsp Hydrogen peroxide (optional)
Vegetable glycerin (optional)

Directions:

• Mix salt with baking soda and Vitamin C powder
• Add essential oils
• Mix well so the oils are well distributed. The mixture will be crumbly and powdery.
• For extra whitening, add and mix hydrogen peroxide
• Stir in small amounts of water until the mixture becomes a paste
• Vegetable glycerin will turn the paste into a gel (decrease water)
• Transfer your toothpaste to a tube or squirt bottle

For more toothpaste recipes, check out Passionate Homemaking.