DIY Toothpaste

Today I ran out of toothpaste.

I've been using conventional toothpaste for what seems like ever (like most people), but I did go through a time when I used baking soda and hydrogen peroxide mix. For health reasons, I preferred the 'cleanliness' of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide mix, in the sense that it was free of toxins that conventional toothpaste has. I sort of had a love/hate relationship with it, because though it was toxin-free, it was also quite messy. And if left long enough in the small container I kept it in (after dipping a wet toothbrush day and and day out) it would eventually, and irreparably dry.

I found myself going back to conventional toothpaste, but the result was never the same. All the brands I found were too sugary, too gummy, too. . .wrong. Nothing felt quite right.

After a quick phone call to my sister, and fellow vegan wannabe, I found a recipe that I could use (and love!) with the convenience of conventional toothpaste (minus the bad ingredients. I'm not going to go into depth about the toxins found in conventional toothpaste, but I love Dr. Mercola and I'll let him explain).

Things I loved about my two ingredient homemade toothpaste:

I loved the way my teeth felt after brushing. I didn't even mind the saltiness that baking soda has.

Super clean teeth that lasted for hours.

Fresh breath (yes, even though I didn't use mint).


Things I didn't love about it:

It dried fast.

It became irreparably hard.

Dipping my toothbrush day in and day out. Germs, you know.


So, my sister told me about a recipe she has been using for a few months and has worked wonders for her. There are many recipes out there, and she tweaked this one to her liking. And the best part? *It's squeezable.

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Baking soda

1/4 cup Hydrogen Peroxide

20-25 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil

1 tbs of Coconut Oil

12 drops of Trace Minerals

2 drop-fulls of liquid Stevia (or 1-2 Raw Stevia powder bags. I used only one)

Squeezable container, medium


Directions:

First, mix coconut oil if it's not in liquid form, then add all the liquids. Add baking soda last (and powder stevia), and mix well. The consistency should be like conventional toothpaste.

Total time: about 2 minutes.

If the mix is too runny, add baking soda. If the mix is too thick, add more coconut oil. Feel free to taste the mix (after all, its going in your mouth!), if too salty, balance it out with more Stevia. And of course, if you want the peppermint punch, add as much essential oil as you like.

It's May and I live in Las Vegas. It has been hot here lately (but strangely not too hot for May). Today as I was making my DIY toothpaste, I found my coconut oil almost completely melted. I had to add more baking soda to get the consistency I wanted, which I encourage you all to do. Toothpaste is a personal matter, and personal preferences are encouraged. I doubled the recipe and filled the container about half way.

*I stored my mix in a squeezable bottle, and I stored it the way you see the container in the first picture, right-side up. When I went to open the bottle. . . I was squirted with my precious toothpaste. I'm sure this has something to do with the warm weather and the coconut oil. CORRECTION: I brushed my teeth the next morning and I had another mini explosion. No big deal, because it was all air. I'm sure it's because of the hydrogen peroxide. It's like opening a can of soda. Make sure you store bottoms-up for best results, at least the first time you try it.

I store it this way now:

I hope you give this toothpaste a try. You will love it! Oh, I forgot to mention, with the addition of peppermint essential oil, your breath will feel super-duper fresh for hours. Also, if you accidentally touch the peppermint, do not, I repeat, DO NOT accidentally (or otherwise) touch your eye. I made that mistake, and do not wish it upon anyone. 

Happy brushing!