Making your own toothpaste is essential for a lot of reasons. It can be because you want to be self-sufficient, you can to save money, or you want to preserve the environment. But aside from those things, another valuable reason to make your own toothpaste is because it can be a valuable trading commodity if SHTF which may cause a major disruption in commerce for a long time.
It’s likely that a lot of people won’t have more than one backup tube of toothpaste and it will be one of the items that most of them won’t think to include in their survival or bug out bag. Therefore, the demand for toothpaste will be there.
Things Needed for Making Your Own Toothpaste
Since commercial toothpastes may not be available if SHTF, you’ll certainly want to be self-sufficient enough to maintain your dental hygiene. This is why we are going to teach you how you can make your own toothpaste. Before we give out the recipes and instructions, here are the things you need first.
- Baking Soda: Most of the homemade toothpaste recipes include baking soda because it is the traditional base for toothpaste. It is known to destroy odors and it can scrub the plaque and stains off our teeth. Aside from that, it can also work like alkaline because it neutralizes acids in our mouth which cause gum disease decay, and bad breath.
- Sea Salt: It’s also great to add sea salt to your toothpaste because it contains trace minerals and it can also help in scrubbing off stains from your teeth. It also has antibacterial properties, helping you eliminate bacteria that cause bad breath.
- Coconut Oil: This is a good base for homemade toothpaste because it has antibacterial qualities as well. You can choose between refined and unrefined. Unrefined coconut oil tastes like coconut while refined is flavorless.
- Essential Oils: Essential oils can also be added to homemade toothpaste because they can help kill germs that can cause cavities and bad breath. However, some of them might not taste that good but can be really powerful.
- Bentonite Clay: This is a natural clay that can act as a natural mild abrasive. It also delivers trace minerals that help in re-mineralizing our teeth. However, you have to keep in mind not to use metal containers or utensils when dealing with bentonite clay because when moistened, the clay will build an electrical charge and will open up like a sponge to absorb toxins, and metal can disrupt this process.
- Natural Sweeteners: Since we are used to sweet toothpastes, adding some sweeteners to homemade versions can be great as well. You can choose between stevia and xylitol. Both of them come in liquid forms. Stevia came from a plant that inhibit the growth of bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease. Xylitol on the other hand, is a sugar alcohol that can help prevent tooth decays and it can also help re-mineralize enamel. However, it can be toxic for pets.
Different Ways to Make Your Own Toothpaste
Now that you know some of the ingredients you need to make your own toothpaste, here are five of the best ways you can choose from.
1. Coconut Oil – Bentonite Clay Toothpaste
This homemade toothpaste can offer a diverse array of benefits for your teeth and mouth.
Things needed:
- ¼ cup of coconut oil
- ¼ cup bentonite clay
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt
- 3 tablespoons of filtered water
- 4 to 5 drops of stevia or xylitol (optional)
- 10 to 20 drops of peppermint oil or any oil of your choice
The first step is to combine the coconut oil, salt, and clay. Then, add some water until its texture becomes a paste. After that, stir in the oil and sweetener. Store it in an airtight and non-metal container away from light.
2. Baking Soda Toothpaste
This is probably the most popular and easiest way to make your own toothpaste.
Things needed:
- ¼ cup baking soda
- ¼ cup filtered water
- 1/8 cup sea salt (optional)
- 10 drops of peppermint or cinnamon oil (optional)
You simply need to combine the baking soda and sea salt. Then, add some essential oil and enough water until it reaches a paste consistency. After that, you can store it in an airtight container.
3. Whitening and Re-Mineralizing Toothpaste
When the minerals in our teeth enamel are depleted, we tend to suffer from teeth decay. Therefore, having a diet toothpaste may help as well.
Things needed:
- ¼ cup bentonite clay
- ½ cup of sea salt
- ½ cup of filtered water
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons calcium powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 10 to 20 drops of essential oil
- 5 drops of sweetener
First, stir together all the dry ingredients. Then, add the essential oil, sweetener, and coconut oil. Stir them in just enough water to make it into a paste. Then store it in an airtight container and in a dark place to preserve the essential oil.
4. Squeezable Toothpaste
Since we are used to toothpaste in tubes, we can also make a squeezable one at home. It is also a great option if you will be taking it with you when you travel.
Things needed:
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- 3 tablespoons bentonite clay
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons of filtered water
- 20 drops of essential oil
- 5 drops of sweetener
First, combine all the dry ingredients then add the coconut oil, sweetener, and essential oil. After that, stir in 1 tablespoon of water at a time, enough to make it into a squeezable paste. Once it gets to that consistency, stop adding water. Then it’s ready to use. Store it in a cool dry place.
5. Coconut Oil – Baking Soda Toothpaste
This version is less gritty compared to the basic baking soda toothpaste. It’s because the coconut oil affects its texture which is a good option as well.
Things needed:
- ¼ cup of coconut oil
- ¼ cup baking soda
- 5 drops of stevia or xylitol
- 10 to 20 drops of essential oils
You simply just have to stir the baking soda into the coconut oil, then add the sweetener and essential oil of your choice. After that, it is ready to use. You can also store it in any safe container.
These are some of the ways you can make your own toothpaste. All of these are very easy to make and are free of chemicals making them good for your health as well. We hope the information we shared will help you create your own toothpaste and be prepared.