Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Toothpaste alternatives - homemade teeth cleaners that will leave you smiling

As some of you may know, I strive for sustainability. If I can make it myself, I try to. You may remember my post a while back about Homemade Deodorant. If you haven't seen it yet be sure to check it out.
Today I decided to share my homemade tooth powder and tooth paste recipes. The taste will be different than you are used to, since they use no sweeteners, so you may need a few days to adjust to the flavor. Once you do, you will be so glad you switched. You will notice your teeth are actually smooth and clean! You will also notice your teeth getting whiter, naturally. I never noticed how terrible commercial toothpaste was till I tried these recipes. I know that sounds like a cheesy infomercial but test it out then come back and tell me I'm right.

Tooth Powder
This is super basic, you already have this stuff in your cupboards.

Simply mix together:
Baking Soda (roughly 1/4 cup)
and Salt (1 teaspoon) in a small dish.
To use: run your toothbrush under running to water, shake out excess water, dab in powder, and brush as normal.

Tooth Paste
I prefer using the paste these days. It creates a nice foam in my mouth and I like the flavor. Less salt, more mint.

In a small container with a lid, combine:
Baking soda (1/4 cup),
Water (1/2 teaspoon),
and Dr. Bronner's liquid soap(1/4 teaspoon) till you have a paste.

Grab a little bit (about a pea size amount) with the tip of your toothbrush and brush as normal.
This paste tends to thicken so you may need to add a few more drops of water every now and then to keep it easy to scoop up with your toothbrush.

Not only does this stuff save the energy it takes to make, package, advertise & ship commercial toothpaste, but it also works better, and you use less of it making it last longer.

If you're not familiar with Dr. Bronner's you should be. Its an amazingly simple product that can be used for pretty much all your cleaning needs. For this tooth paste I would recommend using their Peppermint, Almond, or Citrus flavor/scent liquid soaps. Or you could try getting the "unscented" Dr Bronner's and add you own food grade flavorings to it.

Have fun with it, experiment and find what works best for you.

SMILE!

7 comments:

  1. I so enjoyed your post I remember my mum telling me that during the was she used baking soda to clean her teeth as toothpaste wasn't available.Nice recipe.

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  4. Baking soda is indeed one of the few effective alternatives for teeth whitening. Other alternatives are apple cider vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. But it would be best to check with your dentist first, to know which of these alternatives work for you.

    Thanh Arnett

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  5. I wouldn't trust someone who makes money by filling holes in your teeth to really know what the best solution is. I'll have to ask my dentist what he thinks, if I ever have to see him again! Iv been brushing with baking soda sea salt, xylitol and a basic lye soap for 6 years and haven't had to go to the dentist once! Not even for a cleaning. These ingredients can be abrasive on the teeth that is the only down side
    Check out the ingredients I use at www.clearconsciouscare.etsy.com

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