Natural home made tooth paste

Why should I bother making my own tooth paste when there are so many brands in the market? There are a few reasons, one obviously is because since I became a massage therapist I am more and more in contact with nature, natural cosmetics and ingredients are a choice to achieve a healthier lifestyle. I have suffered from gingivitis in the past , my dentist recommended me a natural tooth paste that worked very well, but lately I don’t find it without fluoride, plus here in Ireland the cost of that toothpaste is over 8 euros.  This winter has been very emotionally stressful and my body responded with canker sores in the mouth, I had kind of greyish or whitish color in my tongue and ulcerations in the sides, plus my breath was not pleasant sometimes. I have a very holistic view of my health and life in general, I knew all these symptoms in my mouth were my body shouting loud at me. I have to cope with life and finances better and improving my diet was a must. To all this motivational issues I have to add my passion about aromatherapy, vegetable oils and natural remedies; my mother brought me up using all sort of natural remedies before any drug was put in my mouth and I love to keep that part of my heritage alive.

So I started to investigate ingredients and check the cupboards to see what I had available at home.I came across plenty of recipes on internet and books that were using coconut oil, so I decided that would be my basic ingredient. Coconut is a very versatile oil to have, you can use it for almost everything.

ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS:

All these ingredients although they are natural, they have to be treated with care, so please get informed through different sources and be cautious with the amount you use.

toothpaste1

1. List of ingredient

  •  2 tbs Organic Coconut oil (measured in solid state)
  • 1 tbs bread soda,
  • 1 tbs xylitol
  • 1 ts Aloe vera,
  • 5 drops of each essential oils (total 15):  Peppermint (Mentha x pipperita), Chamomile Roman (Chamaemelum Nobilum) and Clove bud oil (Syzygium aromaticum).

 

 

Coconut oil: is included here for its antimicrobial properties, this means that coconut resists or destroys pathogens like bacteria, fungus, yeast, etc. This makes is a great basic ingredient for a toothpaste. Other properties that I thought would be of benefit on a toothpaste is the soothing effect in the tissues of the mouth.

Bread soda or what is the same, sodium bicarbonate or baking soda: this is included here for the whitening effect and stain cleanser agent.

Xilitol: this is a natural sweetener that I am using in my diet instead of sugar. I recently discovered that is very good to prevent tooth decay and as a whitener agent too. In this case I included it here as well because the taste and the cooling effect in the mouth. Bread soda has a salty taste, xylitol balance the saltiness and makes the toothpaste nicer to use. Bread soda and xylitol in combination gives very pleasant freshness effect in your mouth.

Aloe vera: everybody knows the healing powers of aloe vera repairing tissue.  In this case I add aloe vera because is antimicrobial, disinfectant, reduces inflammation and creates a cooling action on the tissues promoting healing. Great if you are prone to gum disease.

Essential oils: are a non-oily natural extracts of an aromatic plant most commonly obtain by distillation. They are highly concentrated and have different therapeutic properties due to their chemical components that were formed within the plant or in the distillation process. I really recommend the use of essential oils in your life but do it with care and informed (small amounts always best).  I have chosen for this toothpaste. :

  • Peppermint (Mentha x pipperita): apart from its great flavour, this essential oil is a good pain killer (analgesic and anaesthetic).
  • Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum Nobilum): This is a beautiful oil, well known for the anti-inflammatory properties. Roman chamomile is consider one of the gentlest oils particularly useful when treating children.
  • Clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum): chosen here for the analgesic , anaesthetic and antiseptic properties, well known for a dental value. This oil has to be treated with care.

All this ingredients are easily available in health food stores. Here In Laragh you can find xylitol and coconut oil at Glendalough Green shop and Aloe Vera is available through Sarah Cullen.

THE PROCESS TO MAKE IT IS SIMPLE: mix and blend the ingredients.

toothpaste2

2 tablespoons of coconut oil

toothpaste3

essential oils chosen for their therapeutic effect and flavour

toothpaste4

1 tablespoon each of bread soda and xilitol

toothpaste5

1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel

toothpaste6

Stir all the ingredients together until you get a nice smooth paste

toothpaste7

Consistency of the paste

toothpaste9

Here you go, almost two full 50 ml jars (about 80ml)

Hope you like it.

Remember to go to your dentist at least one or twice at year, check your diet for healthy teeth and watch your stress. Gritting your teeth or being prone to infections in the mouth are all symptoms of ongoing stress, diet or other health problems, do not leave them unattended. Commit to take care of yourself and get massages to keep healthy. Always double check the ingredients used in this DIY as you would do with any other comercial labels if used on your children (but you do not need me to tell you that 😉 )

Sources:

Dr. Vinograd’s holistic dental practise

Environmental working group 

Salvatore Battaglia: The complete guide to aromatherapy

 

Both comments and pings are currently closed.
Website Designed & Developed By: PTA IT Solutions