Why make your own toothpaste?
It saves money, gives you a feeling of accomplishment, and allows you to leave out all the harmful ingredients commercial toothpaste is made of. Oh yeah, and it takes less than 5 minutes to prepare.
Simple Ingredients
- 2/3 cup baking soda
- 1 tsp fine sea salt (optional – direct application of the minerals in sea salt is great for teeth, but can be left out if the taste is too salty)
- 1 – 2 tsp peppermint extract or 10-15 drops peppermint essential oil (or add your favorite flavor – spearmint, orange, etc.)
- filtered water (add to desired consistency)
Cost Breakdown & Savings
Here is the breakdown in cost analysis for 5.33 oz of homemade toothpaste (same amount as one tube of our old toothpaste):
- baking soda @ 16 oz = $1.00 | 2/3 cup is 5.33 oz which = $0.33
- fine sea salt @ 22 oz = $2.00 | 1 tsp is .17 oz which = $0.02
- peppermint extract @ 1 oz = $3.00 | 2 tsp is .33 oz which = $1.04 | Better yet, use peppermint essential oil @ 1 oz = $13.00 | 15 drops = $0.28!
(**Note** you can use as much or as little peppermint or other flavor as you wish. Add the flavoring little by little until you reach an amount you enjoy.)
Prior to making our own, we were using Tom’s of Maine Spearmint Gel® costing an average of $5.00 for a 5.2 oz tube. Based on the calculations above the same amount of this homemade toothpaste will cost between $0.63 and $1.39 for 5.33 oz, depending on how much flavoring is used.
The cost savings will be between $4.37 – $3.61 per tube!
Aside from cost, there are many other benefits of homemade products. By making this toothpaste not only are we cutting costs by upwards of 300%, we also know the exact ingredients and count time spent as fun, educational, and useful for all involved!
Make your own
Remember, each batch yields the equivalent of one 5.3oz tube of toothpaste which you can store in a small storage container somewhere close to your toothbrush. When you are ready to brush, simply wet your toothbrush, scoop or spread as much paste as you like, and begin brushing.
1. Start with these ingredients:
2. Mix together baking soda, optional salt, and peppermint. Add a little water at a time, stirring after each addition, until paste reaches desired consistency.
That’s it! You’re done. Now go get rid of that bad breath!
A few FAQ’s and answers:
- Isn’t baking soda abrasive? No, on the Relative Dentin Abrasively (RDA) scale baking soda is much less abrasive than commercial toothpaste.
- Where should we store the paste? In a container of your choosing close to your tooth brush. We prefer to use essential oils in our toothpaste, which should be stored in glass. We use a small glass jar, and store out of heat and light so oils don’t degrade.
- Should we each have our own container, or can we share with others in our family/roommates? If cooties bother you then get your own container… if not then don’t worry about it. My wife and I share one.
- How do we get it onto our toothbrush? Simply wet your brush, scoop or spread on some paste, and brush away.
- Does this really work? Yes. I actually like it better than store bought and find it gets rid of onion and garlic breath better than any toothpaste I have ever used.
- Where do I get the ingredients? At pretty much any store, or you can buy them online through the links above.
- Is this toothpaste bad for me? No. But that is just my opinion since I am not a dentist, and because these claims have not been evaluated by the FDA. That said… all ingredients are commonly used products and otherwise regarded as utterly safe.
- What about fluoride, don’t we need it? Not in my opinion. Research I have done reveals fluoride as a toxic poison. Dentists typically say it is beneficial when applied to the teeth of children, but I encourage you to do a little research of your own… I’m guessing you’ll come out holding the same opinion as me.
There are so many ways to make homemade toothpaste. We encourage you to find the proportions and ingredients for a toothpaste you’ll love. We even enjoy brushing our teeth with a homemade tooth powder now, that includes special ingredients for extra whitening! You can see the recipe here.
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