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Update 2/5/15: I have now been using this homemade toothpaste recipe for 2 1/2 years. I have never strayed from it and I love it. Every time I go to the dentist, I hear rave reviews about my teeth! After so long with such a great toothpaste, I feel like it’s time to update this post a bit and add some pictures. Enjoy the recipe!

Toothpaste gave me the most trouble when looking for a healthy, eco-friendly option. Did you know that you should avoid glycerin in toothpaste because it coats the teeth? This prevents saliva from working, therefore decreasing re-mineralization and increasing cavities. Yeah. No good. (source) Now go and see how many natural and homemade toothpastes have glycerin. I also learned that fluoride isn’t necessary either, and might not even be beneficial. In fact, there is talk that it could be harmful. The main example from the article is that fluoride may be linked to hypothyroidism, which runs in my family. The last thing I want to do is increase my risk! [2/5/15: I kinda laugh reading this – so much negative stuff has come out about fluoride since I wrote this and now I have test results showing that I have low thyroid. I’m very glad I have cut it out as much as I can. For more reading on this topic, visit Divine Health from the Inside Out, Weston A Price Foundation, and Small Footprint Family]

As I looked at homemade toothpastes, there was no internet consensus on what is good for your teeth. That made me nervous. I didn’t want to make a random recipe and find out it ate away my tooth enamel! So I resigned myself to store bought toothpastes. But as I looked at the ingredients for natural ones, many had glycerin and some even had sodium lauryl sulfate! No thanks.

After searching and searching, I found Earthpaste. Finally! The more research I did on this toothpaste, the better it seemed. It has five ingredients (plus water) and the company outlines the purpose of each ingredient on their website. I have never seen a bad review for this product and it seems to work really well. The problem? It’s pretty expensive for a college student. I wanted a permanent solution I could afford. So I kept searching and found this recipe.

This was perfect! It essentially was Earthpaste for a fraction of the cost! I got the ingredients and made up a test batch. It took some getting used to and it tasted a bit salty. But wow! My teeth feel amazing! They feel smooth and even the backs of my front teeth, which I have trouble getting clean, feel great. It even works well on my retainers (Yes, even after 5 years I still wear my retainers every night. I’m not going back to those nasty pre-braces teeth! [2/5/15 – It’s been almost 8 years now – still wearing them!]). I have hope, too, that this mixture of ingredients will help keep away canker sores. I’m definitely making a larger batch for when I go back to college.

Of course, the real test will be at the end of January when I go back to the dentist. I had the beginnings of a cavity (my first since I lost my baby teeth) last time I went. Here’s hoping it’ll be gone and my teeth look better than ever!

Whether you decide to buy Earthpaste or make your own, I highly recommend this toothpaste. I love the ingredients and I love the way my teeth feel. What more can you ask for?

Update 9/22/12: I’ve been using my homemade toothpaste for about a month. When I went to school, I made up a large batch of the powder. I just wet my toothbrush and coat the tips of the bristles with the powder, and that is enough for my whole mouth. My teeth continue to feel absolutely amazing and I think they are actually whiter. I rinse out my mouth to get rid of the dry feeling, but my teeth have never felt this good before, so it’s totally worth it. Just remember to keep flossing! I also use mouthwash, and I’m hoping to get a recipe for homemade soon.

Update 1/31/13: I went to the dentist today. I did not have my normal dental hygienist, so I don’t know how my teeth are compared to last time. But, the hygienist and the dentist both told me multiple times how great my teeth look. They also told me that I have no cavities or even anything to keep an eye on (besides my wisdom teeth that haven’t come in, of course). Some of this is probably due to the fact that I’ve been really diligent about flossing, but I am still taking it to mean that this homemade toothpaste is fantastic and works well enough that the dentist will compliment your teeth! Also, I’ve grown used to the feel of the powder. It doesn’t bother me at all anymore. And bonus? I haven’t had a single canker sore since I started using this homemade toothpaste!

What to make some yourself? Here is my perfected recipe for homemade tooth powder:

Homemade Toothpaste (DIY Earthpaste)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Redmond Clay
1/2 tablespoon Real Salt
5 drops essential oils (see note)

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small container and stir until well combined. Wasn’t that easy?
2. Store in a dry place.
3. To use: Wet your toothbrush, then dip it into the powder so the tips of the bristles are coated. Brush away!

Note on essential oils: Which essential oils you use is entirely up to you. Make sure that they are safe for ingestion. Contact me for information about which oils I recommend. You can pick oils for flavor, like peppermint, oils for general anti-microbial benefit, like melaleuca or a Protective Blend, or oils that are recommended for certain oral problems, like clove. We use the Protective Blend in every batch of homemade toothpaste! Use fewer drops (just 2-3) with small children.

Looking for an actual paste? If you would like an actual homemade toothpaste, like Earthpaste is, you can use hydrated clay in place of the dry clay. Either hydrate it yourself, or purchase already hydrated clay. If you choose to go this route, I recommend finding a storage solution that allows you to squeeze the paste out (like this one) rather than dipping a brush in (water and bacteria and all).

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