Most of us buy toothpaste out of fear of losing our teeth. We buy it at stores, because it’s convenient and we’ve been told that it will clean our teeth and freshen our breath.
It is possible to have healthy clean teeth without needing to buy toothpaste. How you ask? Well, you can easily make your own in a matter of minutes. Using simple and natural ingredients that are freely available at your local grocery retailers and pharmacies, you too can have your own personalised toothpaste that tastes just as good as any store-bought paste leaving your mouth clean and refreshed at a fraction of the cost in the long-run.
Let’s take a look at some of the advantages of making your own toothpaste vs buying from store.
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Store bought |
DIY toothpaste |
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Ingredients |
Chemicals Contains controversial chemical ingredients that are toxic to you and the environment (e.g. Triclosan, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Propylene Glycol, Fluoride) |
Natural organic ingredients
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Environmental impact |
Creates waste The tube itself is too difficult to recycle and is sent to landfill as a result. Some toothpastes also contain plastic microbeads that end up being ingested by marine wildlife. |
Minimal to zero waste Making your own toothpaste requires no additional packaging other than what your ingredients come in, which can be bought in recyclable packaging |
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Choice |
No control over what goes in your mouth as the ingredients are predefined |
You can customise the recipe to suit your taste and needs |
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Taste |
Flavoured with artificial sweeteners |
Uses only what is essential |
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Price |
R20-R40 per average 100ml tube |
Anything from R5-R30 for 100ml depending on the ingredients you want to use |
Recipe
Ingredients
4 table spoons (20g) Coconut oil
1 tablespoon (5g) Bicarbonate of soda
15-20 drops of Organic Peppermint Essential oil
Mix all of these in a glass dish or jar and you are ready to go
You can refer to an instructional video made by Lauren Singer here.
Bonus
Make your own mouthwash
How to use + tips
- Simply use a spoon to scoop the toothpaste on to your Simply Bamboo Brush
- The batch should be enough to last you 1-2 weeks
- You can adjust the ratios according to your preference
- Bicarb makes the toothpaste salty so it will taste differently to what you are used to – give yourself time to adjust. You can always add more essential oil for a more minty taste that you are used to.
- *Caution – bicarbonate of soda is abrasive on your teeth. Using too much of it or using it too frequently will damage the enamel on your teeth, making cavities more likely to occur.