DIY: Homemade Toothpaste Recipe

Toothpaste. For a long time it remained one of the stubborn hold-on products that I was buying for our bathroom routine. I thought homemade toothpaste was intimidating, and I always had a reason not to make the switch: I got “free” samples at the dentist, I was sure I’d miss the squeeze tubes, I didn’t have activated charcoal, etc.

Then I started hearing all sorts of stuff about triclosan. The toothpaste I was using at the time actually had it. Yes, I was putting a low-level antibiotic in my mouth every day. Triclosan aside, I was becoming more concerned about the sodium lauryl sulfate, which is a skin irritant—and that was only two ingredients in a conventional toothpaste.

Shortly after that I started to develop a homemade toothpaste recipe that would work for me. At my very next dentist appointment the hygienist gave me a chart on toothpaste abrasiveness. Apparently it’s an important issue for anyone with receding gums (hands up here). My homemade toothpaste is very low on the relative dentin abrasion value chart—lower than any listed commercial toothpaste.

The moral of the story is that I regret not just figuring out homemade toothpaste sooner. But today is better than tomorrow. I really don’t miss the squeeze tubes or the foaming. I sourced my “hard to find” ingredients from Bulk Barn and Amazon. Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you make a purchase I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

DIY Homemade Toothpaste

This toothpaste is orange flavour. You could easily change the flavour by substituting the extract/essential oil* for whichever one you would prefer.

Tip: I use the back of my toothbrush to scoop out a small amount of homemade toothpaste, which I put directly in my mouth before brushing.

Ingredients:

-5 Tbsp Coconut Oil
-1 Calcium Tablet (The ones in capsules work better)
-1 Tbsp Xylitol Powder
-1/8 Tsp Sea Salt
-1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
-1 Tbsp Food Grade Bentonite Clay (or Activated Charcoal)
-12 Drops Orange Extract or Sweet Orange Essential Oil*

Instructions:

Measure out the coconut oil and put it into a quarter pint mason jar, or other metal/glass container of similar size. If the oil is too firm to easily mix then I pop it in the toaster oven for a few minutes until it’s melted.

Crush the calcium tablet. If you have on in capsule form then simply break it into the coconut oil. Continue to add the remaining ingredients. I only use xylitol for homemade toothpaste. Mine is from Bulk Barn, although it can easily be ordered from Amazon. I use bentonite clay—specifically, I use this brand, which I ordered online.

Activated charcoal is an alternative option. I have used it, but I find it stains every service. I don’t like having a messy sink immediately after brushing, so I now stick with the bentonite clay.

Once the ingredients are all added then simply mix them up with a butter knife or small spoon. If you melted the coconut oil you will have to stir it periodically as the toothpaste solidifies. Because this recipe doesn’t include any liquids it has a long shelf life. Mine has lasted eight months without any problem.

Happy smiling!

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*I always advise caution and research when using essential oils. Read: Why I Don’t Use Essential Oils (Yet). I use sweet orange essential oil in my own homemade toothpaste, but please make sure that you are making an informed choice in regards to the health of yourself and your family. You can see more at my disclaimer. As expected, I also suggest taking a deeper look into fluoride use before choosing to use tooth-care products that don’t include it.