I went to the dentist the other week. #Adulting!
I was really nervous about it because it was my first dental visit since I started making my own oral health products and I had no idea if I was doing irreparable damage to my teeth. I was very pleasantly surprised when I told my dentist about my toothpaste recipe and not only did she not laugh at me, but she also has friends who use activated charcoal on their teeth! This woman is a winner in my book. And I forgive her for jabbing me so hard with that metal poker thing that it made my gums swell (thank goodness for clove essential oil!). Also, since you’re so clearly dying to know, no cavities, ma!
I make my own toothpaste because I shop at a large warehouse store. I’m not kidding. When you buy your coconut oil a gallon at a time, you gotta come up with creative ways to use it. I originally bought the gallon of coconut oil for oil pulling which involves swishing oil in your mouth for 15-20 minutes in order to draw out toxins in your body, whiten your teeth, remove plaque build-up, and generally improve your health. Now, this all may be true, but I so little enjoyed holding a glob of coconut oil in my mouth for 20 minutes that even the sweet, sweet allure of a plaque-free existence was not encouragement enough for me to do this for more than two days. So, since oil pulling clearly wasn’t happening, I started searching for toothpaste recipes that include coconut oil and, lucky for me, there were exactly 5 trizillion recipes. I now use a combination of oils and random other ingredients that I have found work for me:
- Coconut Oil – Can reduce decay-causing bacteria and plaque
- Baking Soda – Discourages plaque, helps to prevent gum disease, and whitens teeth
- Activated Charcoal – Attracts and removes tannins to whiten teeth and makes your mouth a really fun/terrifying black color until you rinse
- Xylitol or Stevia – Helps to even out the salty taste of the baking soda and increases saliva production which fights germs in your mouth, prevents bad breath, and has proteins and minerals that protect tooth enamel and prevent tooth decay. I actually don’t use sweetener because I’m hardcore, but most of my sissy friends need the added sweetness so I always include it in my recipe.
- Clove EO – Analgesic, local anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and great to combat gingivitis
- Cinnamon EO – Antibacterial, helps to combat gingivitis
- Wild Orange EO – Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, helps to brighten teeth, and tastes delicious
I mix this all up in a little glass container and keep it in my bathroom. Since I’m the only person using it, I just shove my toothbrush in the pot every morning, but you could also keep a little spoon in there to scoop it out like a civilized person. I’ve also heard tell of people pouring their homemade toothpaste into empty toothpaste containers but that seems like a messy job to me, especially since coconut oil turns to liquid when it gets hot and I can only imagine liquid toothpaste oozing all over me at 6:00AM.
Here’s my exact recipe but I encourage you to play around with this.
- ½ Cup Coconut Oil
- 3 Tbsp Baking Soda
- 1 Capsule Activated Charcoal
- 1 Tbsp Sweetener (optional)
- 10 Drops of Essential Oils (I use an essential oil blend that includes Clove, Cinnamon, and Wild Orange – email me for more info. You could also try Melaleuca, Myrrh and/or Peppermint)
Have you tried oil pulling before? What about making your own toothpaste?
Give it a shot and let me know what you think!
Want to learn more about how to incorporate essential oils into your life? Contact Blair now!