DIY all-natural TOOTHPASTE so good, you can brush aside the store-bought stuff and never miss it!

Still trying to find the perfect homemade toothpaste recipe?

If you're trying to live self-sufficiently, you've probably attempted to make your own toothpaste before (or it's on your list of things to do). Toothpaste is just one of those things we can't seem to live without when we're striving to be self-reliant. But has it been hard to find a good recipe you're willing to stick with? Keep reading, because today you're about to discover something new!  

For me, making my own toothpaste was a necessity, as I kept having allergic reactions to the every-day brands. And no wonder! Commercial toothpastes are loaded with industrial chemicals (such as sodium lauryl sulfate) that should never touch the inside of a person's mouth! Even many "healthy" brands that cost double the price still contain questionable ingredients. 

I set to work. First, I tried recipes with a coconut oil base and baking soda (but they turned watery in my mouth and left a nasty mess in my sink and drain). Then I tried clay based recipes (but they tasted bitter and aggravated sensitive teeth and gums). So I started experimenting. 

My criteria for a good toothpaste recipe...

I wanted my homemade toothpaste to perform the way I'd come to expect of toothpaste. It had to taste good. Not oily, not watery, not bitter, not salty. I wanted my toothpaste to foam, but with something natural, not an industrial detergent. My toothpaste had to contain only truly healthful ingredients. It had to feel like toothpaste in my mouth, and work effectively to clean. Now here's the good news: I believe today's recipe does all that! Even the bubbly foaming thing, thanks to a simple, completely natural "secret" ingredient. Now I'm going to share my recipe with you. 

What you will not find in my recipe:

• No sodium lauryl or laureth sulfates (which have been shown to cause mouth sores and even put you at risk for cancer)
• No preservatives
• No artificial colors or sweeteners 
• No fluoride (which to many is a bad thing)
• No greasy coconut oil (which feels really weird to brush with and is messy)
• No bitter clays (which tastes bad and can make sensitive teeth hurt)

Now read on for what you will find in my toothpaste recipe...

How to make all-natural toothpaste...

Most of these ingredients are available in your local grocery store, but I've provided links in case any of them are hard to find. (If you click a link and make a purchase, we receive a small commission--Thank you for supporting Farm Girl Inspirations :-) 

Also note, once you buy these ingredients, you will have enough to make approximately 4 batches of toothpaste (with several ingredients lasting much longer than that for future use in more toothpaste, or other products). 

INGREDIENTS

Stage 1 

1/4 cup filtered water

1/2 tablespoon arrow root (Find it HERE) (This is the secret to smooth-textured, foaming toothpaste)!

Stage 2 

7 tablespoons calcium carbonate, firmly packed (Find it HERE)

5 1/2 tablespoons xylitol (Find it HERE) *

3 tablespoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (Find it HERE)

1 1/2 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon filtered water

1/2 teaspoon sweet almond oil (Find it HERE)

30 - 50 drops peppermint essential oil ** (amount will vary depending on brand and personal taste)

Makes approximately 7.5 ounces. 

* Xylitol. This is an all-natural sweetener that is also known to have oral health benefits. (The link above leads to a brand that is non-GMO), 

** Essential oils.  If making toothpaste for children, you may want to reduce the amount of peppermint essential oil used. I like my toothpaste to make my mouth feel and taste fresh, but children may be sensitive and need less. (Another aside, if you're wondering why there's three kinds of essential oil pictured above, I had been experimenting with a combo of oils, before settling on simple peppermint :-)

INSTRUCTIONS

STAGE 1: Prepare the "secret ingredient": Arrowroot. Arrowroot is the magic that makes this homemade toothpaste steal the show! It's what gives the paste a smooth texture and consistency, and makes it foam just enough to feel the way we expect toothpaste to feel. 

• In a small sauce pan, heat the arrowroot and water over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until thick and smooth. 

• When done, pour into a small glass dish and place in the freezer to cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients (or for about 10 minutes, but not long enough to freeze). Move to stage 2 while the arrowroot cools.

Heat the arrowroot and water until
thick  then cool in the freezer
for 10 minutes.

STAGE 2: Prepare the paste. 

• Place the first 4 dry ingredients in a medium bowl, and stir to combine.

• Measure the sweet almond oil and essential oils into a dish (in the photo below, I used a measuring cup because it was handy). Add the water to the oils. 

• Now add the water and oil mixture to the dry mix, stirring as you pour. Mix with quick strokes until a stiff paste forms that looks like very thick butter-cream frosting. At first, the mix will appear very dry, and you may wonder how that small bit of moisture will ever make your paste wet enough. Don't worry. Just put some muscle into it, it will work. I use a rubber spatula to press and sort of knead the moisture into the mix, until it forms a stiff paste. When you add the arrowroot (next) your paste will turn out just right.

• Remove the dish of arrowroot from the freezer. Add it to the stiff paste, stirring briskly with whisking motions until smooth, sticky and slightly fluffy. Now it looks like toothpaste doesn't it! Smells good too. Put some on a toothbrush and give it a try! 

1. Combine dry ingredients.
2. Stir to mix.
3. Add the water and oils.
4. Stir to a stiff paste.
5. Add the arrowroot mixture.
6. Stir until a smooth and sticky paste forms.

How to store your toothpaste...

I've tried several storage methods for my homemade toothpaste, from little glass jelly jars to cosmetic squeeze tubes that I purchased. Here are just a few storage ideas you can try:

• Plastic cosmetic tubes (as shown: I found some BPA-free tubes at a local Glory Bee store)

• Plastic food-grade, BPA-free condiment squeeze bottles, such as for katsup and mustard

• Glass jelly jars (if you do this, consider giving each family member his or her own jar, or use a small spoon or wooden paddle for dipping, to prevent the spread of germs)

Any of these containers will work. It's up to you, based on your preferences. I'll offer a word of caution about using any kind of plastic storage, however. Having a squeezable container is nice and very convenient with toothpaste, but storing something made with essential oil in plastic could be risky. Over time, essential oils can leach chemicals from plastic into your product. I don't know how quickly this can happen, or if you would use your toothpaste up before this became a problem. For me, once I learned of this potential risk, I've since gone back to using glass jelly jars. Squeezing my toothpaste wasn't as important to me as keeping it toxin-free.

What's been the best and the worst of your experiences making homemade toothpaste?  I'd love to hear your story...

Until next time...

Joy--Fearless Farm Girl,

"Farm girl: it's a verb, because it's what you do."

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Disclaimer: The information shared in this post is for educational purposes only, and is not meant to take the place of your dentist's professional care and advice. If you use this toothpaste recipe, it is with the understanding that you do so at your own risk. 

Disclosure: The links within this post are affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, we receive a small percentage in commissions from the company you buy from. We value you as a reader and want you to know that the products we link to are only products we use ourselves or that we feel will add value to your life. Thank you for supporting Farm Girl Inspirations! To read our full disclosure statement click here.

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