Homemade Toothpaste

Toothpaste! It's something you grew up using and it's always worked, so why change something that isn't broken? To me, there were a couple reasons. 1) I haven't used a toothpaste I actually like. I don't like the flavors or the aftertastes. 2) I hate buying things. 3) It's a waste of plastic. 4) There are toxic ingredients in it.

I honestly can't say it's one thing or the other when it comes to why I decided to make my own toothpaste, rather a combination of the reasons I listed. Regardless of why I did it, I knew it was something right for Vince and I so we did it. Many people will think we are crazy because of it, but we'll just smile our pearly whites at you and say, 'Ok!' We've been using it for a couple months now and really like it. Our teeth haven't starting rotting away, and one of my teeth that used to hurt (but doesn't have a cavity, according to my dentist) has stopped hurting! Read here about ways to actually counteract light decay.

Vince and I don't agree on flavors (or so I thought, he usually sneaks mine), so I have two little jars for each of us.

Mine is orange flavored and his is plain. I also used two different ratios for each of ours to get different flavors. Vince doesn't mind if his is salty and doesn't notice the taste, but I didn't like the original recipe because it was too salty. So if you don't mind saltiness, use his, and if you want it less salty, use mine, or a variation of either. At first I was worried about messing around with the ratios, but after reading about how many people only use water and a toothbrush and still have good teeth, I wasn't too worried.

Steffani's Toothpaste

5 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil

3 Tablespoons baking soda

7 drops tea tree oil

10 drops orange

20 drops trace minerals

Vince's Toothpaste

4 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil

3 Tablespoons baking soda

7 drops tea tree oil

20 drops trace minerals

Directions: Mix in a bowl with a fork until throughly mixed and smooth. Apply to toothbrush with a little spoon. Store in a dry place.

I mixed both of ours together in a bowl, minus the orange oil. Then I spooned out half into Vince's container, added orange oil to mine, then spooned mine into the container. I really like the orange flavor (as does Vince because he usually ends up using mine) and I keep meaning to buy mint or peppermint oil for Vince. He tells me he doesn't care if he has it, though, so I don't think about it very often! 

The tea tree is added because it's an antibacterial. A lot of people don't like the flavor (Vince and I don't mind it) so if it's too overpowering you can leave it out. Coconut oil is antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral enough without the added tea tree oil. I buy my virgin coconut oil from Tropical Traditions. If you don't like the taste of coconut, you can use expeller pressed.

The trace minerals are not completely neccasary, but I think it's important for healing teeth and I already had some in my medicine cabinet. I use Liqumins ConcenTrace Trace Minerals.

Lastly, I painted different colors on ours to know whose is whose.

Do you think it's crazy to use homemade toothpaste? Would you ever do it, or do you already?