DIY Whitening Disinfecting Cavity-Healing Toothpaste
Did you know that many toothpastes include chemicals that are really not good for you? And did you can make your own toothpaste that is environmentally friendly and much healthier? And it will heal cavities and whiten your teeth?
Well shoot Haley, why didn't you say so earlier?
Sorry!
There are lots of articles out there on toothpaste and what should and shouldn't be in them. Let's just keep it simple and stick with my favorite saying:
Toothpaste is loaded down with synthetic materials and chemicals that are really not great. But nobody is denying how important toothpaste is! So how about we make our own that won't kill you?
You might like: Biodegradable Environmentally friendly toothbrush!
But wait a minute, Haley! Isn't Home-made toothpaste made with baking soda? Baking soda damages tooth enamel, right?
Here is the short answer: No it doesn't.
Now here's the long answer.
It can effect your teeth if you have receding gums. It also breaks down the glue used to keep braces on teeth (don't use for kids with orthodontic treatment!)
But you know what else is bad for your enamel? Sugar. Alcohol. Lots of other stuff that you eat. That's why we brush.
Baking soda is not abrasive enough to really effect the enamel (on the official hardness scale, enamel is a 5 and baking soda is a 2.5). This is a great article by Orawellness that breaks down exactly what the risks are. Here's a little excerpt:
So what is she saying? Basically, baking soda takes the heat for ruining enamel, but really it ruins dentin. If you're getting baking soda on your dentin, it's because you have receding gums, and you need to fix that problem ASAP.
But Haley, I read that baking soda can cause gum recession!
Yes, it can. If you scrub your gums like you'd scrub the grout between your tile! DON'T DO THAT. Most of us go on auto-pilot when we brush.
So how should you brush to avoid gum recession?
You should be brushing your teeth at a 45 degree angle, in a circular motion, brushing along your gum line with every few strokes. You should not be scrubbing at your gums. And you should not be pushing hard.
But Haley, every other article I read says baking soda doesn't kill bacteria! How will it keep my teeth clean?
Dude. Yes. That's why there's good ol' Frankincense in the recipe! Frankincense is an all-powerful oil that is basically the Zeus of the oil world. You can read about it here.
So without further adieu, here is my recipe!
1/8 cup Coconut Oil
1/4 cup Baking Soda
5 drops Frankincense Essential Oil
*1 tsp Activated Charcoal (3-4 capsules on average)
**5 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
1. Warm the Coconut Oil until it melts (microwave or double boiler) but just until it melts enough to stir! Keep the oil as low temperature as possible. It should still be cloudy, and not totally clear. Stir until it's cloudy but all the chunks are dissolved and it is fully liquid.
(you may have to microwave or heat it a few seconds at a time, coconut oil will liquefy very quickly. If it does turn clear, it's not an emergency, just let it cool a bit before adding the oils)
2. In a separate bowl, mix the Baking Soda and the Charcoal until thoroughly combined.
3. Add the essential oils to the coconut oil and mix well (again, keep the temperature of the oil as low as possible to prevent the oils from reacting. If you're using a double boiler, take the pot off the stove! Some EO's can become toxic if heated too high).
4. Begin mixing the powder into the oil until it is fully combined. You will have a paste that looks black and watery, but when you mix it will have some resistance and grain to it. Spoon into airtight containers, or squeeze tubes.
Let it sit until mostly solid before using to form more of a paste.
To use: simply scoop a chunk onto your toothbrush and brush as normal! Yes it'll taste bad at first... baking soda is nasty! But after using my toothpaste for about a week, the taste didn't bother me at all, and left my mouth feeling healthy and refreshed.
*optional - for whitening
** optional - for flavor
Yes you will look like a swamp monster while using it.
But it'll make your teeth healthy and gorgeous!
You might like: Activated Charcoal on Amazon - $8.95!
Want to know more? Check out these articles to read more about what's in your toothpaste!
Natural News | Mercola.com | Mercola list of Toxins | Eco Watch
You can also check out this awesome list of 10 Natural toothpastes put together by Eluxe Magazine.
Let me know how it goes using your new toothpaste!
Well shoot Haley, why didn't you say so earlier?
Sorry!
Thanks for visiting! Just so you know, The Life and Lies is an affiliate of several websites, and may collect a fee for your clicks, purchases, and subscriptions. Any item featured or reviewed may have been received free or discounted, but in no way affects my review. Thanks, and enjoy!
If you can't find it in your fridge, your pantry, or your garden, it shouldn't go on your skin or in your mouth.
Toothpaste is loaded down with synthetic materials and chemicals that are really not great. But nobody is denying how important toothpaste is! So how about we make our own that won't kill you?
You might like: Biodegradable Environmentally friendly toothbrush!
But wait a minute, Haley! Isn't Home-made toothpaste made with baking soda? Baking soda damages tooth enamel, right?
Here is the short answer: No it doesn't.
Now here's the long answer.
It can effect your teeth if you have receding gums. It also breaks down the glue used to keep braces on teeth (don't use for kids with orthodontic treatment!)
But you know what else is bad for your enamel? Sugar. Alcohol. Lots of other stuff that you eat. That's why we brush.
Baking soda is not abrasive enough to really effect the enamel (on the official hardness scale, enamel is a 5 and baking soda is a 2.5). This is a great article by Orawellness that breaks down exactly what the risks are. Here's a little excerpt:
As you know, the enamel is the outer portion of each tooth. Under the enamel is the dentin, then the tooth pulp. However, if we have receding gums, it’s very possible that the surface at our gum line that we brush is not enamel, but dentin.
As you can see from this image, the enamel only extends down the sides of our teeth so far. Once the gum line has receded, this exposes the dentin.
This explains on a functional level why it’s more common for adults to get cavities along the gum line than on the chewing surfaces of the teeth. The receding gum line exposes the dentin, which is softer than the enamel that covers the crown of the tooth, and therefore is more prone to decay (and structural damage from abrasives).
But even with this, is makes sense within the discussion of abrasivity that used consciously, baking soda is ok to use in a tooth powder.You can read the rest of the article here.
So what is she saying? Basically, baking soda takes the heat for ruining enamel, but really it ruins dentin. If you're getting baking soda on your dentin, it's because you have receding gums, and you need to fix that problem ASAP.
But Haley, I read that baking soda can cause gum recession!
Yes, it can. If you scrub your gums like you'd scrub the grout between your tile! DON'T DO THAT. Most of us go on auto-pilot when we brush.
So how should you brush to avoid gum recession?
You should be brushing your teeth at a 45 degree angle, in a circular motion, brushing along your gum line with every few strokes. You should not be scrubbing at your gums. And you should not be pushing hard.
But Haley, every other article I read says baking soda doesn't kill bacteria! How will it keep my teeth clean?
Dude. Yes. That's why there's good ol' Frankincense in the recipe! Frankincense is an all-powerful oil that is basically the Zeus of the oil world. You can read about it here.
So without further adieu, here is my recipe!
All Natural Healing and Whitening Toothpaste
You will need:
1/8 cup Coconut Oil
1/4 cup Baking Soda
5 drops Frankincense Essential Oil
*1 tsp Activated Charcoal (3-4 capsules on average)
**5 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
1. Warm the Coconut Oil until it melts (microwave or double boiler) but just until it melts enough to stir! Keep the oil as low temperature as possible. It should still be cloudy, and not totally clear. Stir until it's cloudy but all the chunks are dissolved and it is fully liquid.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the Baking Soda and the Charcoal until thoroughly combined.
3. Add the essential oils to the coconut oil and mix well (again, keep the temperature of the oil as low as possible to prevent the oils from reacting. If you're using a double boiler, take the pot off the stove! Some EO's can become toxic if heated too high).
4. Begin mixing the powder into the oil until it is fully combined. You will have a paste that looks black and watery, but when you mix it will have some resistance and grain to it. Spoon into airtight containers, or squeeze tubes.
To use: simply scoop a chunk onto your toothbrush and brush as normal! Yes it'll taste bad at first... baking soda is nasty! But after using my toothpaste for about a week, the taste didn't bother me at all, and left my mouth feeling healthy and refreshed.
*optional - for whitening
** optional - for flavor
But it'll make your teeth healthy and gorgeous!
You might like: Activated Charcoal on Amazon - $8.95!
Why these ingredients?
- Coconut oil - known for healing cavities
- Baking soda - whitens and cleans plaque and tartar off teeth
- Charcoal - Natural adsorber (binds to toxins) and scrubs tartar off teeth, also whitens naturally
- Frankincense - restores and heals gums by re-setting the DNA in the nucleus of the cell, antibacterial, and pulls out toxins from the skin (can heal cancer, gingivitis, cold sores, abscesses, etc)
- Peppermint - Antibacterial, Anti-fungal, Disinfectant, and minty-freshness :)
Want to know more? Check out these articles to read more about what's in your toothpaste!
Natural News | Mercola.com | Mercola list of Toxins | Eco Watch
You can also check out this awesome list of 10 Natural toothpastes put together by Eluxe Magazine.
Let me know how it goes using your new toothpaste!
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