I said something in a recent blog post that has been niggling me all week.  I proclaimed that some plastic items were unavoidable because making certain things such as detergents, shampoos and toothpastes would take too much time.  This statement was naive.  I’ve never tried to make these products and I assumed that they would be time consuming to make.  Perhaps they are!  I really have no idea.

So, today’s post is about challenging mindsets and trying something new: making my own toothpaste!

The verdict?  It was faster, easier, and cheaper than going out and purchasing toothpaste.

I perused a bunch of recipes I found online and this is what I made:

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 tbsp baking soda

10 to 15 drops of peppermint essential oil

1 capsule of activated charcoal (optional)

 

I added the charcoal because my mother swears by it (it’s what they use(d) in India) but my husband took one look at the final concoction and exclaimed “that’s disgusting.”  You may want to skip it 😛  Other recipes add items such as bentonite clay, stevia (for sweetness), sea salt, and other essential oils.

The final product is a bit runny as my coconut oil is liquid at room temperature but it was easy to apply to a toothbrush and to brush with.  My mouth feels clean and minty fresh, much like regular toothpaste.  This is something I could get used to!