Making my own toothpaste
With Valentine’s Day upon us, having fresh breath is critical but I still want to reduce my packaging (of course). This week, I decided to try to make my own toothpaste. I found lots of recipes on line with varying levels of complexity. I want something simple to make so that I will continue to use it. Bea Johnson, the founder of the zero waste movement, only uses baking soda. However, several dentists indicated that the baking soda is abrasive and can damage teeth enamel. I settled on a hybrid recipe that consists of 4 ingredients: coconut oil (which coats the teeth and is antibacterial), baking soda for cleaning and whitening teeth, peppermint essential oil for a fresh taste and liquid minerals to remineralize my teeth.
It was very simple to make. The first step was to soften the coconut oil with warm water.
Then it was a matter of adding the baking soda:
And finishing with the drops of peppermint oil and the liquid minerals:
Voila! Toothpaste. My husband bought me a bamboo compostable toothbrush and I tried it out with my new zero waste toothpaste.
Taste: A little salty but fresh with the peppermint oil
Tooth-feel: Very nice! The coconut oil allows a nice smooth film to form on the teeth.
Breath freshness: Good (I think). My husband confirmed it with a kiss! And I will need fresh breath for Valentine’s Day.
As a side anecdote, my younger daughter Natalie went to see my husband last week and whispered: “I want something that’s contraband.” My husband was worried that she wanted him to get her drugs or something illegal and he asked with trepidation what it was that she wanted. She replied: “Hershey’s kisses.” I guess this is a sign that I need to achieve more of that balance I mentioned in one of my last posts. So for Natalie, Happy Valentine’s Day with non zero waste wrapped Hershey’s kisses. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is!
Sandra’s Toothpaste Recipe
1 TBSP coconut oil, 1 TBSP baking soda, 10 drops peppermint oil and 8 drops liquid mineral solution