I wanted to wait until after my dentist appointment last week to post my homemade toothpaste recipe. Since I get a clean bill of health there, I'm ready to tell all what I've been brushing my teeth with since about the last time I went to the dentist six months ago. Here's the recipe, inspired by posts on No Impact Man and Crunchy Chicken and other environmental bloggers trying to avoid the plastic toothpaste tubes, questionable toothpaste ingredients, etc...
3 parts Baking Soda
1 part Salt (sea salt is natural and best for health)
optional:
vegetable glycerine (to make a paste; sweetens and preserves)
3% hydrogen peroxide (just a little bit, to make it liquid-y but not watery; kills germs)
10-20 drops of peppermint or other essential oil
I mix this in a covered honey bowl that has a notch for a little spoon. I just scoop with the spoon and "drip" a bit on my toothbrush.
I really like this stuff, so much that I can hardly stand it when I forget and pull out the tube of toothpaste instead. The Tom's of Maine tastes yucky after the basic baking soda/salt mix!
For the first time at any dental appointment, the hygeniest kept remarking that "you sure don't get much plaque", "you sure don't get much plaque" several times as she still managed to scrape at my teeth for half an hour. (I hate dental cleanings!)
I began to notice that my gums were no longer bloody during brushing shortly after starting to use this homemade stuff. And when I ran out of the homemade once and went back to Tom's for a week, they started bleeding again. So I made up some more mix and it got better, and trust me I still don't floss regularly. Overall, my teeth feel healthier and look cleaner with the baking soda/salt mix. I will not go back. There are other recipes and you can find them online, but most start with the soda and salt. Have fun, try your own version!
3 parts Baking Soda
1 part Salt (sea salt is natural and best for health)
optional:
vegetable glycerine (to make a paste; sweetens and preserves)
3% hydrogen peroxide (just a little bit, to make it liquid-y but not watery; kills germs)
10-20 drops of peppermint or other essential oil
I mix this in a covered honey bowl that has a notch for a little spoon. I just scoop with the spoon and "drip" a bit on my toothbrush.
I really like this stuff, so much that I can hardly stand it when I forget and pull out the tube of toothpaste instead. The Tom's of Maine tastes yucky after the basic baking soda/salt mix!
For the first time at any dental appointment, the hygeniest kept remarking that "you sure don't get much plaque", "you sure don't get much plaque" several times as she still managed to scrape at my teeth for half an hour. (I hate dental cleanings!)
I began to notice that my gums were no longer bloody during brushing shortly after starting to use this homemade stuff. And when I ran out of the homemade once and went back to Tom's for a week, they started bleeding again. So I made up some more mix and it got better, and trust me I still don't floss regularly. Overall, my teeth feel healthier and look cleaner with the baking soda/salt mix. I will not go back. There are other recipes and you can find them online, but most start with the soda and salt. Have fun, try your own version!
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