Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Tooth Paste




Nothing says Summer time quite like a new batch of homemade toothpaste!

Please note: The next section of this blog contains seriousness. Reader discretion is advised.

I have sensitive teeth, and I never thought that I could go away from my sensitive toothpaste. My teeth were so sensitive that I decided to stop drinking soda, and anything else that contained citric acid. I also switched to a sensitive toothpaste.

However, as I started to make more and more bath products on my own, I wanted to make my own toothpaste, too.

I decided that I would try. After all, what would it hurt to make some toothpaste? In March of 2014, I made a batch, and I was excited to see if it would work.

I haven't used "real" toothpaste since then, and I don't plan to any time soon. Every once in a while, as I was switching over, I thought my teeth were going to get more sensitive, but they haven't. My teeth feel and look better than they ever have before.

If you want to make toothpaste, I thought that I should warn you about some aspects that I didn't realize before I made my own:

  • Because the recipe contains baking soda, you have to get used to the different taste it gives to the toothpaste. I am a fairly stubborn person, and I eventually got used to the flavor.
  • Also, because the toothpaste contains no sugar or artificial flavor, there is no "minty fresh" or "tasty" aspect to the toothpaste. If you want to make your own toothpaste and have some sort of minty flavor, feel free to add some essential oils. I added peppermint oil to my first batch, but as I went on to make more batches, I left it out. 
  • DO NOT leave out the salt. I left out both the salt and the peppermint oil when I made my second batch, and I found that I missed the salt more than I missed the oil. 
  • 12/4/14 Update: In the book Little House in the Suburbs, they suggested that we should not add salt to homemade toothpaste because it can make a toothpaste (with already abrasive baking soda) overly abrasive for your teeth. I, personally, still use salt in my toothpaste. However, I thought that I should let you know what I learned so you can make up your own mind.

Whew. That was a lot of serious paragraphs. It felt weird, didn't it? It was almost like it was "educational" or something. (Gasp!)

2 + 2 = 4. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?

Before I start talking about the Revolutionary War, I think I should give you the recipe:

____________________

HOMEMADE TOOTHPASTE RECIPE



WHAT YOU NEED:
  • 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
  • 1 Tbsp. baking soda
  • A pinch of salt
  • Essential oils-optional (to taste)


SUPPLIES:
  • Bowl
  • Spoon
  • Small, airtight container that holds at least 2 Tablespoons


HOW TO MAKE IT:
  1. Put the coconut oil in the bowl. If it is not already a liquid, you might need to stir it up or soften it. Coconut oil typically becomes a solid when it is below 76 F., so it is easy to have rock-solid oil.
  2. Add the baking soda to the coconut oil.
  3. Stir them together.
  4. Add a pinch of salt and any essential oils you please.

____________________

I have a bad memory sometimes. I don't know where I got this recipe. If this is your original recipe, please tell me and I will be happy to give you credit.

Ya'll are awesome!
Katie

1 comment:

  1. You know, if you added some flour to that recipe you could knock out a pretty good biscuit. Double duty: paste and food-y. :) Great job Katie!

    ReplyDelete