by Lisa Curcio

Created on: November 13, 2009

Whether you are trying to save money, go green, avoid possible carcinogens or find that perfect flavor, making your own toothpaste at home is a simple alternative to store bought brands. This may be something that you will only use when you run out of your favorite toothpaste, need something simple for camping or you might just love it so much that you will never buy another tube of toothpaste again. Once you experiment with a few techniques, I am sure that you will be able to come up with a recipe that suits your taste, while saving money at the same time.

I started making my own toothpaste while camping, as a way to cut down on items that were packed and lighten my load. I now have three recipes that I like the best. You may have to experiment a bit with my recipes, especially when adding flavor to figure out which combination works best for you. For the most part, for me, the basic recipe stays the same, but I still change the amount of flavor I use from time to time.

The essential oils I like to use are food grade lemon, lime, orange, cinnamon, peppermint, and spearmint. Different combinations I like are lemon-lime and lemon-peppermint. Some essential oils have a stronger flavor than others, you can often get a good idea of the strength of the taste by how strong the aroma is.

I get my dried herbs from my garden. I dry them and grind them into a find powder using a mortar and pestle. I mostly use different mints, including lemon mint and chocolate mint. For the dried citrus zest, I simply zest a bit of lemon, lime or orange peel, let it dry and then grind it using a mortar and pestle. My cinnamon powder comes straight from my kitchen cupboards. Again, different dried powders will have stronger flavors.

My first recipe is a dry one that can be stored in a small mason jar on the counter.

Mix together:
9 Tablespoons baking soda
6 Tablespoons salt
1-3 teaspoons of dried herbs, zest or cinnamon to suit your taste. I always start by adding a smaller amount, tasting it and then making a decision to add more or not.

When you are ready to brush, run your toothbrush in hot water and dip it in the dry mix to cover your toothbrush with an amount comfortable for you.

This recipe is a paste that can be stored in a small mason jar on the counter.

Mix together:
9 Tablespoons baking soda
6 Tablespoons salt
2-3 Tablespoons of glycerin
10-15 Drops essential oil, to taste
OR
1-3 teaspoons of dried herbs, zest or cinnamon to suit your taste.

You may want to add a little bit more or less glycerin, depending on how thick you like your paste to be.

When you are ready to brush, dip your toothbrush into the paste to get a comfortable amount to use.

The last recipe is what I have used the most for camping, since I am already taking a bit of peroxide in my first aide kit, a small container of baking soda fits nicely in the kit as well. This is the simplest to make and use. It does not require any pre-mixing and can be used at home just as easily as out on the trail.

Splash a bit of peroxide on your toothbrush, dip it in the baking soda and then brush.

For any of these recipes, the texture and strength is completely up to you. Have fun experimenting with all the different ways you can make your own toothpaste at home!

Learn more about this author, Lisa Curcio.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.