Maybe you are just trying to avoid a trip to the store or you want to try to eliminate industrial additives from personal care products; either way you will be happy to know that there are many safe and simple alternatives to commercial toothpaste. It is not difficult to make a homemade one; many "recipes" involve the use of a single ingredient to brush the teeth. You can also try a number of natural or tech products to completely eliminate the need for toothpaste.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Make Homemade Toothpaste
Step 1. Learn the ingredients of a homemade toothpaste
It is a product that can be adapted to your specific tastes and needs, but you must remember to include these types of ingredients:
- A cleaning substance;
- An abrasive product to remove plaque;
- An emulsifier to allow the various ingredients to mix together;
- A sweetener to make the toothpaste pleasant;
- An aroma (optional but useful for both flavor and breath freshening).
Step 2. Try a basic recipe
Start with a verified method and make adjustments based on your preferences and tastes. A common recipe involves:
- Half a teaspoon of glycerin (the sweetener)
- A pinch of natural neutral soap powder (the detergent);
- 1 tablespoon of calcium carbonate (the abrasive substance);
- Half a teaspoon of gum arabic which you can find in health food stores (emulsifying ingredient);
- A couple of drops of mint oil (aroma);
- 30 ml of water.
Step 3. Cook the ingredients to form a paste
Combine them in a pan and cook over medium heat, stirring for five minutes or until the mixture has taken on the consistency of a paste. This way you can make a one-year supply of homemade toothpaste for one-tenth the cost you would have to pay for commercial products.
Experiment with different flavors. This is especially useful if you have a particular aversion to the peppermint flavor commonly used in industrial toothpastes
Method 2 of 4: Make a Homemade Toothpaste
Step 1. Recognize the benefits of toothpaste ingredients
Just like with toothpaste, homemade powder can also be made with different recipes. Natural ingredients can often be surprising, for example clay; for this reason it is important to understand the reasons behind certain choices in the ingredients that make up the toothpaste.
- Bentonite: is a natural clay that binds to toxins in the body, including mercury from some fillings. It is rich in elements that nourish teeth and gums.
- Baking Soda: This product is a wonderful natural abrasive, plus it is alkaline and neutralizes acid damage.
- Sage: is a natural whitener and astringent.
- Xylitol: This is a natural sweetener that makes toothpaste more palatable.
- Sea salt: provides many minerals that strengthen teeth and relieve gum inflammation.
- Mint: has antibacterial, antiseptic, analgesic properties and freshens the breath.
Step 2. Combine the various ingredients and mix them thoroughly
Use a non-metal spoon, as some metals can react with ingredients.
- Mix two tablespoons of bentonite with two of baking soda, one tablespoon of dried and finely chopped sage leaves, one tablespoon of xylitol, and half a tablespoon of sea salt.
- Add 15-20 drops of peppermint essential oil and mix thoroughly to blend the mixture.
- Store the toothpaste in a container or jar with an airtight lid, or in a sauce bottle (the grainy consistency of the mixture is fine enough to pass through the spout). Avoid metal containers.
- Store the powder in a dry place.
Step 3. Apply the dry compound to the toothbrush
You can dip the latter in the powder or use the sauce bottle to sprinkle the damp bristles with the toothpaste. Proceed as if it were regular toothpaste.
Method 3 of 4: Use Single Ingredient Alternatives
Step 1. Scrub your teeth with sea salt
This natural product contains the Trace_Elements.2C_generally_defined_trace mineral microelements such as calcium, magnesium, silicon, phosphorus, sodium, nickel and iron which strengthen the gums, hinder the accumulation of tartar, freshen the breath and with time whiten your teeth. The iodine found in sea salt has antibacterial properties and neutralizes the acids that cause tooth decay.
- Dip your wet toothbrush in half a teaspoon of sea salt and scrub your teeth as usual.
- Alternatively, rinse with a saline solution. Dissolve half a tablespoon of sea salt in 120ml of warm water and then rinse your mouth for 30 seconds. Spit out the solution when you're done. This remedy relieves both swelling and inflammation of the gums and eliminates bacteria.
Step 2. Brush your teeth with baking soda
It is a natural method of brushing and whitening teeth that has been known for a very long time. Since baking soda is very alkaline, it can neutralize the acids that cause tooth decay. It also kills bacteria and freshens the breath.
- Mix the baking soda with the water until it reaches a paste-like consistency and use it as if it were regular toothpaste.
- You can also think about mixing baking soda with sea salt to make an alternative homemade toothpaste.
Step 3. Use natural soap
Although people are not used to the taste of natural soap, it is a very effective tooth cleaner. Try a mild product like a fragrance-free olive oil soap.
Step 4. Give coconut oil a try
This natural fat has antibacterial and antifungal properties and, of course, tastes like coconut. You can consider mixing it with other ingredients such as baking soda.
Method 4 of 4: Follow Alternative Techniques for Brushing Teeth
Step 1. Use a miswak
The twigs of salvadora persica have been used for brushing teeth for over 4000 years. Wood fibers contain sodium bicarbonate and silicon, both of which are abrasive enough to remove stains. These twigs also contain natural antiseptics, a resin that forms a protective barrier on the teeth and essential oils that freshen the breath.
To use miswak, chew the bark at one end of the stick and separate the fibers into "bristles" by chewing the pulp. Eventually you can use the bristles to clean your teeth
Step 2. Do watering with the water jet
It is a tool that allows you to wash your teeth with pressurized water; orthodontists usually recommend it to patients who wear braces to supplement toothbrush cleaning. However, anyone can benefit from this tool. Oral irrigations also clean under the gumline, reduce the population of dangerous bacteria and eliminate uncured plaque.
Step 3. Try the oil pulling technique
It is an ancient practice of hygiene and well-being that allows you to detoxify and clean both the teeth and the gums. Vegetable oils such as coconut and olive oils can whiten teeth, decrease sensitivity and reduce bad breath. They also have antibacterial properties.
Rinse your mouth with a teaspoon of oil for about 20 minutes and then spit it out in the trash to avoid clogging the drains with a greasy product
Step 4. Buy a misoka toothbrush
This tool uses nanotechnology to brush teeth. It is in fact a toothbrush made with extremely fine bristles covered with mineral ions. When you moisten it and rub it on your teeth, the ions remove stains and form a protective layer on the enamel.
