Homemade toothpaste

After three days of deserts, we need to turn our attention to dental hygiene...

I spent a couple of days in Las Vegas for a conference.  While wandering around the Miracle Mile Mall, unsuccessfully looking for a Barbie-type doll, I checked out Urban Outfitters and saw the Big Ass Book of Crafts.  Thumbing through, I saw  how to make a vase out of colored pencils and a recipe for homemade toothpaste.  Humm.  I like homemade stuff and ever since I learned that you are not supposed to swallow toothpaste because it has toxic stuff in it I have been a bit freaked by it.  But it never occurred to me to make my own.  I didn't buy the book and of course it is not in my library system.

I have now read a bunch of recipes on line.  Homemade toothpaste recipes come from three basic types of websites: sites that focus on saving money, folks who want to go "all natural", and sites interested in sustainability.  Wonder which category this blog falls into?  Anyway, recipes all seem to contain the same two ingredients: baking soda, and peppermint or another essential oil.  Sometimes they also have coconut oil, salt, xylitol, glycerin, or hydrogen peroxide in them.  So far, these are all ingredients that I have on hand.  I rejected any recipes that were called "tooth soap" or contained soap/soap products. 

When I got home, I started experimenting...

Tammy's Recipes Homemade Toothpaste was the closest to what I was thinking about.  I basically followed it, but I added 2 teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide.  I melted the coconut oil because it is in the low 60's here and it was rock hard.  Initially it appeared grainy and was not combining well, but once the coconut oil cooled, I was able to mix it well.  

It does have a baking soda taste, but it is not too bad.  Better than I expected, actually.  The big difference is that it does not foam.  My teeth feel really clean.  I'll let you know what the dentist thinks.