Directions
- Melt coconut oil in a small pan. Cool until oil is at room temperature, yet still liquid.
- Add the baking soda, clay, and myrrh powder to the coconut oil.
- Add the remaining ingredients, and stir every few minutes until the coconut oil cools further and you get a nice thick paste.(Note that if you pour the mixture into your containers while it’s still liquid, it can separate.)
- Spoon your homemade toothpaste into your container of choice*.
- Apply a small amount of toothpaste to your toothbrush and brush as normal.
*Tip: Small mason jars work really well as toothpaste holders, but if you’re a sucker for the squeeze, these GoToobs are super handy. They are BPA free and are made of soft silicone. Plus they’re airplane approved!
Health Benefits of Homemade Toothpaste
First off, store-bought toothpaste typically contains a number of not-so-nice ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate, artificial colorings, triclosan, and fluoride, which can become toxic if swallowed. Many of these ingredients can actually start to strip your teeth, damaging enamel and making them more sensitive.
Making your own homemade toothpaste is simple and offers a number of health benefits. To begin with, coconut oil and echinacea are powerful antimicrobials and can thus help to reduce cavity-causing bacteria in the mouth. Bentonite clay acts as a gentle, less abrasive polisher. Baking soda helps to neutralize the acids that are constantly bombarding our teeth from the food we eat. Frankincense and myrrh both have anti-inflammatory properties and can help tone down gum inflammation. Last but not least, peppermint oil freshens your breath just was well as any other brand name toothpaste!
Health Benefits of Your Non-Existent Toothbrush
Do you want to take it to the next level? Let’s say you have no access to a toothbrush… perhaps during a zombie apocalypse? Use a twig! Yes, a simple twig straight off of a tree. Twigs contain volatile oils, which stimulate blood circulation and have tannins that tighten and cleanse gum tissue. They even contain vitamin C, which maintains healthy gums. Bay, eucalyptus, oak, fir, juniper, neem, marshmallow, licorice, alfalfa, or horseradish can all be used! Take a trip to India and you’ll see plenty of people making use of this age-old teeth cleaning trick!
