Last week, I made a batch of peppermint/tea tree oil toothpaste. I make my own toothpaste to avoid fluoride, artificial flavors and sweeteners, as well as dyes, preservatives and unnecessary additives. Making my own health and beauty products gives me the opportunity to be creative and control the ingredients.
I use a simple base recipe of coconut oil, baking soda and bentonite clay, and then I experiment with different oils to flavor my toothpaste.
Getting started:
Ingredients-
Coconut oil-1/3 cup
Baking soda-1 tablespoon
Bentonite clay-1 tablespoon
Peppermint oil-5 drops
Tea Tree oil-5 drops
Stevia (optional sweetener)
Supplies-
Glass bowl
Wooden spoon
Measuring utensils
Small container to store toothpaste
First step:
In a glass bowl combine coconut oil, baking soda and clay. Mix thoroughly. (use wooden spoon to mix, metal will deactivate clay)
Second step:
Add peppermint and tea tree oils and mix. (if you are used to using store bought toothpaste that contain a lot of sweetener you can add stevia to sweeten toothpaste to preferred taste) Also this is the fun step, get creative!
Other suggestions for flavors- sweet orange oil, cinnamon, lemon oil, clove or spearmint.
Third step:
Put toothpaste in small airtight container for storage.
I make small batches of toothpaste so that it stays fresh. This recipe keeps my teeth bright white, (and I drink a lot of coffee!), and my mouth fresh and healthy without harmful ingredients.
I chose these ingredients because they are known to support dental and oral health.
Coconut oil contains lauric acid that can kill harmful bacteria that causes bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease. Baking soda removes surface stains by polishing teeth, and can remove plaque. Bentonite clay has anti-bacterial properties and trace minerals to support oral health. Peppermint oil has antiseptic properties and helps fight bad breath. Tea tree oil can help prevent plaque, bad breath, gum disease and relieve tooth pain.
I hope you enjoyed my toothpaste 101 tutorial! If you have any questions or good toothpaste ideas please let me know!
Resources:
https://bodyunburdened.com/top-5-essential-oils-healthy-teeth-and-gums/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/04/25/coconut-oil-toothpaste.aspx