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Recently, I stumbled across an article that talked about toothpaste ingredients and the issues they can actually cause rather than prevent— and it startled me. I know there are TONS of natural toothpaste companies out there nowadays… yet they’re a bit pricey. If I can make something simple + effective at home for a fraction of the price, why not? Here’s my very own homemade toothpaste recipe… full of only the good stuff.
I can honestly say this is the best natural toothpaste I’ve tried, and that’s saying something since I’ve been on the hunt for a great option for a while!
Note: There is no fluoride in this recipe. Depending on your stance with this, feel free to add in a fluoride product or use a fluoride mouthwash afterwards.
Common toothpaste ingredients
Two ingredients that have a pretty bad wrap are:
1. Glycerin: It gives toothpaste a nice creamy texture and coats the teeth for “protection”, yet at the same time it also stops re-enamalization (so cavities can’t self-heal.)
2. Sodium fluoride: A by-product of aluminum manufacturing that is found in rat poisons and industrial pesticides).
Scary stuff, huh? Well, rather than freak out about it every time I brush my teeth, I decided to make some homemade toothpaste sans weird stuff. And yes— I threw in some wonderful coconut oil that I’m beyond obsessed with and it’s millions of effective uses.
Natural toothpaste recipe
Once I started experimenting with a homemade toothpaste recipe, I was pleasantly surprised to find out how few ingredients I actually needed. My recipe has 4 ingredients, with an optional 5th if you add in activated charcoal. Not only is this recipe simple, it contains only plant based ingredients that are common. No weird chemical compounds or additives here!
When whipping up a batch of this homemade toothpaste, I typically triple the batch. That way each bathroom has its own container, so there’s no family fights over the jar. To keep the ingredients light and airy, I use an immersion blender rather than mixing with a blender or food processor.
Antibacterial essential oils
If you choose the right essential oils, then you can create a strong antibacterial toothpaste. I suggest these essential oils, which I typically purchase from Plant Therapy:
- Grapefruit Oil
- Peppermint Oil
- Tea Tree Oil
- Orange Oil
- Lemongrass Oil
I am thrilled to have found a homemade toothpaste replacement that I actually enjoy using as well as have fun making. I like that I can tweak the recipe depending on my personal preference at the time (sweeter, minty, fruity, etc— it’s all about what essential oils I put in it). This summer I made a batch with grapefruit oil and it has a citrus-tang to it, which was refreshing. Now I am using eucalyptus oil and I love the minty taste.
How to store DIY toothpaste
I like to store homemade toothpaste in a wide-mouth mason jar or leak-proof metal tin. Use a popsicle stick to dip into the toothpaste and and then spread your toothbrush. You can also use a squirt bottle and cut a wide tip on it to help it come out.
Homemade Dog Toothpaste
YES… I made this recipe for me and my family… yet it also works with dogs! Since my sweet dog (Barrett the Huskador), cannot resist licking and swallowing everything in his face, I made this for him too. Since they are completely natural ingredients, there’s no harm if he licks it while I brush.
Other DIY recipes
If this natural recipe has piqued your interest in more natural products you can use in your home, then I’ve got some more great recipes for you. These recipes are plant based versions that seriously work, just like this homemade toothpaste recipe:
- Homemade chest rub
- Fire cider
- Ginger lemon honey tea
- Homemade deodorant
- Elderberry syrup
- Anti-inflammatory smoothie cubes
- Bloat-fighting smoothie
- DIY lip scrub
Homemade Toothpaste Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoon coconut oil, unrefined
- 6 tablespoon baking soda
- 25 drop essential oil eucalyptus, grapefruit, peppermint
- 1 teaspoon stevia or more if you like it sweeter
- activated charcoal optional
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. I used my to whip it really well and give it a light creamy texture.
- Pour into a mason jar and seal it up until ready to use.
Notes
- Getting it out of the mason jar can be an adjustment. Use a popsicle stick to dip into the toothpaste and spread nicely onto the toothbrush. You can also use a squirt bottle (you will need to cut the pointed tip wider).
- Adding activated charcoal can be a gentle way to whiten your teeth.
I am sorry but I made this and it was disgusting. And that was putting it nicely. It does not look like yours and tastes horrible. What have I done wrong?
Which Essential Oils did you put in it, Michelle? 🙂
Grapefruit and Euc. The ones listed. It didn’t puff up either. It looked like oil and baking soda not like the picture. I could post a video of us trying it but my mom would kill me 😉
Hey Michelle! You will want to use either Grapefruit EO or Eucalyptus EO, not both in the same toothpaste. And when mixing the ingredients together, we like to use a hand-held blender to whip it really well and give it a light + creamy texture.
One other thing…why not use Xylitol instead of Stevia? It is made from tree bark, all natural, low on the glycemic index and PROMOTES HEALTHY TEETH! Just asking.
From what I have researched Xylitol is tooth friendly, try it let us know how it goes. 🙂
I am definitely trying this. I have a problem with toothpaste. First it seemed it was tarter control, but now it seems to be all toothpaste. It causes this disgusting white phlem like film in my mouth. Ive even tried adding baking soda to the paste. Dentists look at me like I have 2 heads, but I know 2 other people with the same problem.
How did it go?
Hi,
Why did you use coconut oil? I’ve noticed other recipes add it but what’s the purpose of the oil?
Thanks! 🙂
Does this article help, Sammie?
Just wondering if the stevia(or any sugar) is essential for this, because I would prefer not to use it.
It is not essential, Sarah 🙂
Wow, after hearing the rant from the “dentist” the only conspiracy I see is the brainwashing that putting poison in your mouth is better than going the natural way. What a turn off.
If the “dentist” was trying to prove a point, it just proved how obnoxious and limited in thinking they really are. Anyone can vomit out their education but that doesn’t mean they know anything other than what they’re spoon fed in school.
Thank you for weighing in, Andrea. This is truly a more polarizing topic than we anticipated it being. 😉
I have learned in my microbiology class that technically you do not need to use toothpaste to remove plaque at all. The minimal amounts of fluoride in toothpaste do absolutely nothing for your teeth. When you have your teeth professionally cleaned the fluoride is much more concentrated which will help your teeth. The act of movement (brushing) is the only thing that effectively removes your plaque outside of the dentist.
Thanks for your input, Whitney!
I don’t understand about using stevia, for sweetness? How is this differrent from using sugar? It wouldn’t behave like sugar? I’ve not used stevia much, so sorry if this is a dumb question.
It is less harmful to your teeth 🙂
Umm don’t all toothpaste companies make toothpaste with baking soda in it. There are risks in all meds and ingredients ur curing one thing and getting sick with another. If someone wants to make their own toothpaste it’s up to them to do the research and decide if it’s for them. Some people are just plain rude and must not have any patients because they are horrible at dentistry anyway and tryin to blame u two young ladies!! Keep coming with ur info I love it!
Thanks, Tamicka! 🙂
Thanks Sophia. I appreciate the support and can’t wait to spend some time on the Facebook page as well as the links they share. Wow— lots of great stuff. I’m thrilled to have you on here and hope you stick around for our next 30 Day Green Smoothie Challenge that starts April 1. Think you will enjoy it. Thanks again…
Just a testimonial….
I have 4 kids ages 19-10. We eat a healthy diet with very little sugar, no soft drinks….. They have never used flouride toothpaste and all floss regularly. They rarely go to the dentist for a cleaning (about once every 3 years), and 2 of them have had braces. In almost 20 years of parenting, our kids (and my husband and I) have had only 1 cavity between the 6 of us.
If a child eats a sugary foods, goes to sleep with a bottle in his mouth, doesn’t brush or floss regularly… it stands to reason that he will have cavities. The success is in the healthy diet and good home care, NOT in the flouride. I personally know numerous children who brush daily with flouride and still have a mouthful of cavities.
Thank you so much for your testimonial, Lisa! 🙂
Thank you for sharing your experience Lisa. Have you used any toothpaste at all or are you dry brushing?
I just wanted to say hoo-rah to “Dentist”. I used to work in the medical field and still know many people that do, and it’s extremely maddening when patients (or parents of patients in my experience) ignore advice that has been given thanks to REAL research by professionals, and then end up in the ER or worse because of their poor choices.
My husband and I took custody of his 4 children in September of last year – at the time, they each had a minimum of 6 cavities, and the 9 yr old & 11 yr old had to have root canals, and his 8 year old daughter had an abscessed tooth. (they also all had Pertussis, but that’s for a different discussion). They had been using homemade baking soda toothpaste for 2 years. After being with us for 6 months and using REAL toothpaste, they are all cavity free. That speaks volumes to me right there.
Baking soda & oil? Doesn’t sound like it would clean ANYTHING to me. The only thing I use Coconut oil for is moisturizing of hair and dry skin. I know it supposedly has great “healing properties”, etc, but I would NOT trust it to clean teeth.
Well said, “Dentist”. Well said. And thank you for all you do for all those people that are in such pain and distress, especially the children you treat. You are an angel.
I’m happy that my toothpaste recipe has stirred such a discussion! Thanks BarbsieJean for sharing your story. This is a choice that every has the right to make— and I’m glad we are all educating ourselves about it. I shared my personal recipe with you because it works and my family has great teeth (no cavities, root canals etc). It could be because we brush our teeth twice a day and it might also correlate with the fact that we consume real foods and drink green smoothies daily. There are many factors that play into healthy gums and teeth— more than just the toothpaste you use.
Yes, big name toothpaste works and fluoride is proven to prevent cavities— but at what expense? It’s something for you to personally think about and decide once you have all the information. Thanks for being open and sharing your story here.