Homemade toothpaste is cheap, easy to make and does not contain any harmful chemicals.
We all want shiny, white and healthy teeth and fresh breath. Sure enough, all toothpaste brands promise us exactly that. While they may deliver on their promise, chances are that your favourite toothpaste is actually full of potentially harmful chemicals.
Does it really matter, you may ask, since I don’t actually eat it? Surprisingly, it does. Many of the chemicals found in industrial toothpaste can be harmful even in small doses.
Ingrendients found in pesticides, industrial detergents, solvents and antifreeze are all staples in your over-the-counter toothpaste
Sad reality but unavoidable, right? Wrong.
Making your own toothpaste is easier than you might think.
There are many recipes you can find but this one is my favourite. All the ingredients can be bought online and are pretty cheap compared to industrial packaged toothpaste.
A couple of words on the less known ingredients:
This homemade toothpaste is really fool-proof. For approximately 100 grams of toothpaste, you’ll need:
- 40 grams of (plant-based) glycerin;
- 30 grams of calcium carbonate ;
- 9 grams of kaolin clay;
- 6 grams of miswak (or siwak) powder;
- 5 grams of lithothame;
- 2.5 grams of bamboo sap;
- 0.5 grams of chlorella powder;
- 0.5 grams of Iris root powder .
- 6 drops of peppermint essential oil..
Start by grinding the different powders in a mortar, to make sure they are as fine as possible.
Put them all in a bowl and add the glycerin. Mix well until you get a smooth paste, then put you toothpaste in a jar and use it daily.
You can use a little spoon to place a small quantity of toothpaste on your toothbrush, but avoid dunking your toothbrush directly in the jar to avoid contamination, especially if the whole family uses it.
Thanks to the high glycerin content, your toothpaste will keep for 3 months.