DIY Toothpaste

This recipe is a combination of other recipes I have seen on various other blog sites. Some people are using bentonite clay in their DIY toothpaste, but after some research and lack of safety assurances (from reputable websites) I have decided to forego it. Mountain Rose Herbs provides a profile of the bentonite clay they sell and aluminum is the second largest mineral at a whopping 18.1%.  Natural News touts bentonite clay as a natural detoxifier of mercury, and while this sounds terrific, what does it do to those of us with mercury fillings? Since AboutClay.com recommends it for detoxing baths and chelation therapy, I got to wondering if it would basically try to extract the mercury from my fillings little by little, thereby allowing my mouth to absorb mercury directly into my bloodstream. Lastly, the bentonite clay I purchased, Redmond Clay, clearly has a warning on the label for California residents regarding proposition 65. "This product contains trace amounts of lead, a substance known to the state of California to cause birth defects and other reproductive harm."  Maybe I'm being paranoid, but given this information, I thought it wise to omit this ingredient all together. 

My recipe follows below and fits nicely into one single Humangear Go Toob 1.25oz, but you can also put in a small container with lid.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Tbl Calcium Powder
• 1 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1 Tbl+1 Tsp Coconut Oil
• 2Tbl  Xylitol Powder
• 1 Tbl *Homemade Peppermint Extract (see my recipe below)
• 1 Tsp Hydrogen Peroxide

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix calcium powder and baking soda together in a small bowl. 
2. Slightly melt coconut oil and add xylitol so it dissolves.
3. Add coconut oil & xylitol mixture into the powders.
4. Add homemade peppermint extract and hydrogen peroxide and mix well. 
5. Add more calcium powder if consistency is too runny.
6. Fill Go Toob.

Notes: 

Since most people aren't going to spend 4-6 weeks waiting for homemade peppermint extract to be ready, and since food grade peppermint essential oil can be very strong, you may need to make adjustments to quantities. Other DIY bloggers have used water or distilled water but were concerned about it causing the toothpaste to go bad rather quickly. Still others have used vodka instead of water to circumvent this.  Since my homemade peppermint extract is made with vodka, I was able to omit the water in lieu of extra extract.  

Also...you might be tempted to add more baking soda because of its deodorizing and whitening properties, but I would advise caution.  Many people are getting skin irritation from DIY deodorants using higher amounts of baking soda.  Baking soda basically needs to be used sparingly on your skin and this includes your gums.  Here is an article that I stumbled upon when I noticed my DIY deodorant was causing me red and irritated underarms. It is from LisaLiseblog.com. There are other blogs out there discussing it as well, but this one caught my attention and convinced me.  I now use reduced amount in my toothpaste and deodorant and have no more problems.

Also worthy to note is that this toothpaste is not going to foam like traditional toothpaste. It's really a different experience. Because of the lack of foaming, I sometimes add a little more toothpaste in the middle of my brushing routine. Overall, I am pretty happy with this healthier toothpaste!