So what’s the problem with toothpaste exactly? You buy it conveniently in a tube or dispenser, then you squeeze it on your toothbrush, usually nowadays you press a button to brush, and two minutes later your teeth are white and are better protected against decay.
But more and more people are still making natural toothpaste at home using a range of everyday organic ingredients.
There must be a reason for it, so why are so many people doing this? The answer might actually surprise you.
You’ll also be surprised how easy it is to make homemade toothpaste, and experience a range of benefits you didn’t even consider.
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Why Bother Making Homemade Natural Toothpaste?
Well, the problem is that toothpaste is now made on a massive scale with questionable ingredients. So even though it is basically good for your teeth, there are a lot of potential longer term issues with using it.
Production toothpaste contains fluoride, which is already in a lot of other products, it contains titanium dioxide which is carcinogenic, and most contain glycerin, which can coat the teeth and soften the enamel.[Source]
Not only that, but all natural toothpaste made from organic ingredients at home is far cheaper to make. In fact, it’s up to 10 times cheaper. So the combination of it being safer and cheaper means it’s really worthwhile to experiment with some simple homemade toothpaste substitute recipes.
10 Easy Homemade Toothpaste Recipes
Making your own natural toothpaste at home is far easier than you think. Most of the recipes presented here take less than two minutes each to prepare and use. So let’s give you 10 of the best natural toothpaste alternatives to make at home right here.
1. Baking soda
Baking soda is possibly the most popular natural toothpaste out there. All you have to do is dip dampened the bristles of your brush in baking soda and then brush as you normally would.
It’s consistency means that it is slightly abrasive which helps to clean the teeth, and it helps to protect them. You can mix it with water to make a paste if you want it easier to use.
2. Sea salt
Now this might be difficult for some people who don’t like the strong taste of salt. However, if you’re looking for a natural toothpaste then there’s not much less natural than salt.
All you have to do is wet your toothbrush and then dab the bristles in salt and brush as normal. If you find it too abrasive or concentrated, you can dissolve the salt slightly in a little water.
3. Hydrogen peroxide
Loads of people out there use hydrogen peroxide to clean the teeth, surprisingly. You can buy hydrogen peroxide cheaply on Amazon, then you simply dip your toothbrush in it and brush away.
You can combine it with baking soda to make an even more powerful natural toothpaste if you want to start experimenting more. Just make sure you don’t swallow it as hydrogen peroxide can be damaging at higher concentrations.
4. Water
Amazingly lots of people use nothing but their toothbrush and water. In fact some people don’t even use water, they just use the dry brush.
The benefits are no aftertaste, no chemicals and no cost. However, water and dry brushing do limit the benefits of protection, and don’t freshen your breath.
5. Soap
If you are an older person you may associate putting soap in your mouth with people being punished when they were children for foul language. But lots of people do use natural soap to clean the teeth with.
All you do is wet the toothbrush and then dab the bristles on the soap to coat them, and then brush as normal. The problem is it obviously leaves a soapy taste in your mouth and for some people that isn’t pleasant.
6. Coconut oil
Many people use coconut oil to brush their teeth with. Coconut oil is a natural anti-inflammatory which means it can help with inflamed gums and bleeding. It also has recognized antifungal properties.
Again, put a little on your toothbrush and brush as normal. Try not to spit it out, and don’t use water afterwards so that it works to best effect.
7. Essential oil
Yes, some people use essential oils to brush their teeth with. Just like coconut oil, most essential oils have anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties.
You have to look for high quality essential oils from specialist retail outlets however. A good one to use is peppermint oil – just like in my mouthwash recipe. The combination of mint, the properties of essential oils, and brushing work almost as well as even the most expensive manufactured toothpaste.
8. Oil pulling
Now you probably never heard of this, but oil pulling is simply swilling a small amount of a natural oil like coconut oil around in the mouth for several moments, and then brushing your teeth with a good quality brush and water.
It may sound silly, but many people find that they have never felt so clean in a mouth after trying oil pulling. It’s widely recognized in many parts of the world and some scientific study points to a lessening of decay.
9. Charcoal
Charcoal is actually an ingredient in several modern manufactured toothpastes. Charcoal is good at whitening the teeth. Simply buy some powdered charcoal, dip a dampened brush in it and away you go.
10. Strawberry toothpaste
This homemade natural toothpaste recipe is great for kids. Not only is it natural but it’s also organic toothpaste and tastes good.
Simply pulp a strawberry with baking soda to create a creamy consistency. You then get the benefits of baking soda along with the taste of strawberry. Because it’s natural sugar and as long as you swill your mouth out with water afterwards, there’s no problem with sugar being left on the teeth.
Bonus SQUEEZABLE Organic Toothpaste Recipe!
One of the big problems with diy toothpaste recipes is that most of them are liquids or solids and people are just used to having a nice tube to squeeze toothpaste out of.
It’s also more convenient and easier to travel with.
So as a bonus, let’s give you an organic, squeezable toothpaste substitute recipe:
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil warmed to a liquid state
- 2 tablespoons buy some powdered charcoal
- 1 teaspoon of all natural unprocessed salt
- Up to half a teaspoon of Stevia
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- A few drops of peppermint oil
- A few drops of water
Simply mix the ingredients into the base of warm coconut oil. Once mixed taste and then add Stevia to sweeten it. Add a bit at a time until the desired sweetness is achieved. Leave it out entirely if you don’t like sweetness.
Add a few drops of peppermint oil one drop at a time until the required mintiness is achieved.
Then finally, add a few drops of water until the consistency of toothpaste you want is reached. You can then add it to a squeezable tube, which you can buy cheaply online.