Coconut oil is one thing I always have in my house. I’ve been buying it in fairly large jars, as it tends to be less expensive per ounce. Sometimes I don’t always consume it in a timely manner. But there are plenty of other potential uses for coconut oil. One is using this healthy substance to make your own toothpaste.

I avoid the type of toothpaste sold in the supermarket. That’s because nearly all of it contains sodium fluoride. This is a controversial additive also found in many municipal water supplies. There’s growing evidence it may not be good for us. In fact, a number of communities across the United States and Canada have gotten rid of fluoridated water.

Even some of the “all natural” toothpaste on the market still contain sodium fluoride. The best way I’ve found to avoid this chemical is to order my toothpaste online. Another option is to make your own toothpaste. (I’ll warn you though. Getting your family to use a homemade toothpaste, if they’re accustomed to using a commercial brand, may take some doing.)

How to Make Coconut Oil Toothpaste

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In order to avoid brushing my teeth with fluoride, as well as other potentially harmful chemicals, I ordered a toothpaste called Nature’s Gate Peppermint fluoride free toothpaste. It tastes good, much like regular toothpaste. I’ve been very happy with how it tastes, and how it works, similar to the chemical-laden brands.

Nature’s Gate all natural toothpaste is also free of sulfates and carrageenan. This latter ingredient is derived from seaweed. So it’s marketed as “all natural.” However, there’s some evidence it may promote inflammation. For someone like me, who has chronic nerve inflammation, this is an additive I want to avoid.

Bentonite Clay Coconut Oil Toothpaste

Anyway, I’ve been really happy with Nature’s Gate toothpaste. Other people in my house like it. I’ll keep ordering it. At this point the rest of my family members won’t be switching to Mom’s homemade toothpaste. My recipe calls for coconut oil, baking soda, essential oil and Bentonite clay, a mineral-rich natural volcanic ash.

Some holistic dentists recommend using a “remineralizing” toothpaste. I’m not a health professional and I can’t give medical advice. All I can do is share my personal experience of using natural remedies on my teeth. I’ve decided that for me, using a toothpaste that contains natural minerals makes a lot of sense. You can also buy natural clay toothpaste already made and ready to use. However, I’ve decided to make my own instead.

Homemade Toothpaste Recipe With Coconut Oil

Making my own toothpaste was easy. That’s because I’m already using to making my own sunscreen and skincare creams. About six years ago, when I adopted a clean lifestyle, I stopped eating junk food and made the switch to real food.

Then I got rid of my chemical cosmetics. I thought I’d miss them. But I was pleasantly surprised by how well natural plant-based ingredients worked. Actually, I noticed they gave my skin a healthy glow. My once-blotchy skin tone improved to the point that I no longer wear foundation. So I’m totally sold on plant-based cosmetics.

Toothpaste With Coconut Oil and Baking Soda

I know many of my readers probably already own everything they need to make homemade toothpaste. The volcanic clay is optional. But since I already have dried clay in my bathroom, I might as well use it. (Normally I use clay on my face. That’s because it has natural exfoliating action. I love how smooth my face feels after I use a clay mask.)

So you don’t worry if you don’t have Bentonite clay or green European clay in the house. However, if you want to add some to your recipe, you can order it here. For the baking soda, I used a regular brand I bought at a discount store. For years, I invested in a top shelf brand that claimed to be aluminum free. Now I know that all baking soda is aluminum free.

DIY Toothpaste With Coconut Oil

Making your own toothpaste is incredibly easy. All you do is gently melt the coconut oil on your stove. Let it cool and then add the baking soda and clay (if you choose to use this ingredient) and essential oils. Here’s the recipe I used.

1/2 cup of organic coconut oil (It’s available here)

2 teaspoons of baking soda

1 teaspoon of Bentonite clay (It’s available here). You can also use European green clay, which also contains minerals. This is what I used, since I had it in the house.

2 drops of peppermint essential oil (It’s available here)

Liquid stevia to sweeten to taste (It’s available here). I didn’t use this ingredient because I don’t necessarily need a sweet toothpaste. Just something that cleans my teeth, and doesn’t contain chemicals. But if you want a better tasting toothpaste, you can use this.

Gently heat the organic coconut oil in a sturdy saucepan. When it becomes liquid, add the baking soda and clay. Stir thoroughly. Then add the peppermint essential oil and stir until the toothpaste is completely mixed. Refrigerate for 45 minutes and mix again, carefully breaking up any chunks of clay. Store the toothpaste in a clean glass jar with a lid, away from light and heat. The toothpaste may become liquid in warm weather, so you may want to keep it in the refrigerator.

There is one drawback to using a DIY coconut oil toothpaste, though. This is something my holistic dentist tipped me off to, when he encouraged me to do “oil pulling” with coconut oil. When it’s cool, coconut oil hardens. So it has the ability to clog your drains. At first I took his advice and spit the oil in the trash. Later, I figured I didn’t need to do this. Guess what? He was right. My bathroom sink became backed up. If I remember correctly, we needed to call a plumber. So, when you finish brushing with your homemade toothpaste, you may want to discard it in the trash. Also, the toothpaste contains essential oils, which are very strong. So make sure to spit it all out and not swallow.

Disclaimer

These statements have not been approved by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use essential oils unless directed to do so by a healthcare professional.

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Here is another recipe for coconut oil toothpaste with essential oils and clay, plus the addition to turmeric. This spice is believed to have teeth whitening ability.