Why DIY toothpaste? Some people are looking for more natural solutions in their personal care products. Others wish to save money. Many are finding that simple home remedies actually work better than store bought products. Sometimes it is helpful to have a particular ingredient in your tooth care products that you cannot get unless you make it yourself.
Your teeth are very important. You need them to eat. You need them for your smile to look good. You need them to be healthy because tooth infections can nearly paralyze you with pain. Long term teeth problems are also connected to serious health problems. It makes sense to have healthy routines to maximize the health of your teeth.
If you make your own tooth care products you can avoid excessive fluoride, SLS products that can cause mouth and skin issues, artificial ingredients and chemicals you cannot spell or pronounce let alone explain their purpose for the health of your teeth.
Common and simple ingredients abound for use in DIY tooth products. Some popular and useful ingredients include:
Baking soda was commonly used to clean teeth before the introduction of commercial toothpaste. Even today many people use baking soda to clean their teeth effectively and inexpensively. Simply sprinkle baking soda onto your toothbrush and gently brush your teeth. If you do this before bed it will help your mouth to remain alkaline at night which keeps bacteria from building up.
Until you get used to it baking soda will taste salty. You can vastly improve the flavor by adding peppermint essential oil to your baking soda.
Mama to Many, one of Earth Clinic's top contributors, will teach you how to make a DIY Alkaline Toothpaste in this video!
Black walnut is reputed to help remineralize teeth. Clove is antiseptic and helps with pain. Horsetail contains minerals, including silica, which are good for the teeth.
If you have sensitive teeth a combination of herbs used to brush your teeth can help. Mix together 1 tablespoon of the following:
Sprinkle this powder onto your teeth and brush gently! This may leave some herb powder in your teeth, which is not ideal if you are about to go out. Use this powder before bed or make sure to completely rinse your mouth and check your mirror after you use this powder.
Activated charcoal can be used straight or in a recipe as a tooth powder or home made paste. While it is black as night, with regular use, it has helped many to whiten teeth. Along the way it also helps to deodorize the mouth as it adsorbs toxins and bacterial. As with the herbal tooth powder, be careful using this remedy before leaving the house as it will leave temporary black residue in the mouth. The advantage is that if you do this before bed, the residue will be working to clean your mouth all night long!
Everyone’s health is different. It would be wise to discuss alternative tooth care options with your dentist to ensure that your own particular situation and the natural ingredients you wish to use are compatible.
Do you have a DIY toothpaste remedy to share? We would love to hear from you!
Additional Pages of Interest:
Ten Remedies for Sensitive Teeth
