What would you say if I told you I gave up toothpaste 6 years ago?
You might look at me like I was a crazy person and then try to sneak a peek to see if there were any teeth in my mouth. Or you might back away to avoid the expected bad breath.
Perhaps I should clarify a bit. I didn’t give up brushing my teeth, I just gave up conventional toothpaste.
Most of the ingredients in conventional pastes make me shudder. Even “natural” ones tend to have
Even “natural” ones tend to have glycerin which coats your teeth, preventing them from being able to heal themselves through remineralization. (Wellness Mama has an excellent article about remineralization.)
I am a DIYer, I was making my own things long before I knew it was the cool thing to do. It all started with my “tooth soap“, and then evolved into making deodorant, lotion, and cleaners.
I always get the itch to create new things so when I saw BHS’s toothpaste recipe featuring bentonite clay a few years ago I knew it was time to experiment again, that is how this easy DIY toothpowder was born.
This recipe makes a sweet, dry powder that should be stored in a tightly sealed glass jar. For hygienic reasons, never dip toothbrushes or fingers into the powder.
Ingredients:
3 TBS bentonite clay
1/4 to 1/2 tsp powdered organic stevia **
1/4 tsp charcoal
1/8 tsp real salt or Celtic salt ground very fine
5-10 drops essential oil (clove or peppermint)
1 cute jar (like this one)
Instructions:
Place all the ingredients in a small jar and shake until mixed.
To use, moisten your toothbrush and sprinkle tooth powder lightly over bristles.
I was wondering is this safe for children, nursing and pregnant women. My children are ages 1-6.
If you are using it for toddlers or nursing and pregnant, I would suggest sticking with just citrus essential oils and not using peppermint. Research shows that peppermint can dry up your milk supply. You could also leave the essential oils out or use less. It really is a tiny amount, but it always better to err on the side of caution.