DIY Natural Toothpaste

 

You want to be a hippie.

You're eating right. You've cut chemicals out of your life-- with chemical-free hair care, lotions, body sprays, &c. You're learning to live care-free. You're feeling groovy (because wild thang makes your heart sang). You're picking up good vibrations.

And then you open your mouth.

People run away from you-- not because you're ugly.

Your spouse or current romantic partner avoids all your kisses-- not because you're ugly.

FACT: It has nothing to do with your ugliness!

It's halitosis.

Unofficial Definition: Foul smelling breath that has the power to knock you over, render you unconscious, or worse; the act of swallowing a sock in your sleep; oral odor; fart breath; 'you ate onions and garlic, didn't you?' ; dragon breath; 'want a mint?'; the act of eating pickled salmon with a side order of blue cheese and peanut butter coated, decomposing vegetables; 'TAKE THE DERN MINT!'

Let's be honest, we've all had bad breath one time or another.

Don't even lie. I know a couple of times you've woken up and practically suffocated on your own morning breath.

No? Oh, I guess it's just me.

Of course, eating apples, chewing gum, or drowning it in coffee may help, but sometimes our teeth need a good scrub... And our breath a good refreshing!

However, whether you're a hippie in the full or only an aspiring, or simply even a normal, regular, everyday Joe, toothpaste isn't always the greatest thing to put in your mouth. 

Conventional toothpaste-- such as Colgate Total--contains an antibacterial chemical called triclosan, which has been linked to concerns over antibiotic resistance and endocrine disruption. Chemicals that are endocrine-disrupting are a serious concern, for they can promote a wide variety of health problems, including, but not limited to: breast, ovarian, prostate, and testicular cancer, preterm and low birth weight in babies, and puberty issues in growing boys and girls. Some animal studies even proved that triclosan caused fetal bone malformations in mice and rats-- which hints at hormonal effects.

Fluoride is another common chemical in conventional toothpaste. Fluoride is a toxic industrial waste product that is a poison to your body, even in trace amounts.

Basically, our bodies don't like conventional toothpaste. And if our bodies don't like something, we shouldn't take it in.

Conventional toothpaste is a big NO-NO.

If conventional toothpaste is a no-no to our bodies, however, how do we get toothpaste that is a yes-yes, instead? 

Why, we go unconventional and make our own!

For your toothpaste, you'll need:

3 tbs. of baking soda

1/2 tbs. of sea salt

2 tbs. of filtered water

1 tbs. of coconut oil and

10-20 drops of the essential oil of your choice (I did eight drops of peppermint and another eight drops of cinnamon because I feel as though they make my breath smell fresh, and I simply adore the combination! However, you can use whatever essential oil(s) that tickles your peach.)

You will also need a closed jar of some sort for storing. Unlike conventional toothpaste, however, this isn't going to be a squeezable paste that you can simply squeeze onto your toothbrush. It's thick, but due to the coconut oil, it will require a quick stir from your toothbrush before every use. It may seem like a pain, but, hey! It's unconventional, chemical-free and o-natur-al!

There are two key ingredients that are beneficial to your teeth: baking soda and coconut oil. 

The major benefit of brushing with baking soda is its teeth whitening and plaque removal properties. Brushing with baking soda removes plaque deposits-- which contributes to tooth decay-- from teeth and there are, also, benefits in its improvements to overall oral health. Also, it's a whole lot cheaper than conventional whitening pastes, strips, &c.! Coconut oil also helps with reducing decay as well as plaque.

After measuring out all of the above ingredients into a bowl, -- with the coconut oil melted into liquid form-- it will begin to look like a liquidy paste. Though the amount of baking soda is stated, you may have to add more or less depending on what consistency you would like your toothpaste to be. Once you pour it into the container you've chosen for storing, you're all done!

Like I said before, you may need to give your natural paste a small stir with your toothbrush before every use, but other than that, it's ready to go!

I wish you all a wonderful day of odour-free breath and many smiles!