I’m really bad about measuring ingredients. Like, terribly bad. I like to adjust recipes while I’m making them. This puts my more precise friends in a state of agitation so I usually keep up a stream of chatter as I cook to avoid scrutiny. But today for the sake of being able to replicate I am going to get exact (ish) measurements for my toothpaste recipe!
***I am not making any medical claims, use at your own discretion***
*Edit* for some reason the actual recipe and photo captions didn’t save so I am updating with the information that should have been here all along.
BASIC TOOTHPASTE RECIPE
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
1/4 Cup Ground Cloves
1/4 Cup Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Spirulina
1/8 Teaspoon Salt ( I used coarse salt and ground it in my coffee bean grinder)
*Back Story*>Why bother with toothpaste? Well, during my husband’s deployment I neglected my teeth. Bad, I know. But when you are single mommin’ it with three kids and you find yourself passed out on the couch after skyping half the night (because time zones don’t care if you’re tired) you’ll understand how these things happen. Anyhow, I had painful, bleeding and receded gums. One tooth had turned an awful dark gray color and was fairly loose. Ugh, no. So I went to the dentist and they not so gently cleaned my aching mouth and sold me a $14 tube of toothpaste that was supposed to decrease sensitivity. No support for the receding gums or dying tooth though. I tried the gunk, I mean, toothpaste and it was awful. You basically rub a thick slime on your teeth at night and wash it off in the morning. Um, not gonna work.
I just decided to go back to what had helped before. I treated my bad tooth with clove oil in hopes to heal it. It actually has regained a more normal color and isn’t loose. Yes!
For my gums I did a quick search on oral health and saw that a lot of tooth powders contained minerals of some kind, usually in clay. I happen to have lots of odds and ends on hand and this is the recipe that I like best and use daily. My teeth feel stronger and are less sensitive with regular use. And no more bleeding gums ! Double yes! While travelling I decided not to fuss with my toothpaste and just bring a normal travel tube. ( I can just see me trying to explain that mess to TSA…ha!) But….my teeth started to ache again in just a few days. I could almost feel them weakening…weird. I’m no dentist but I know when I do/do not have pain. I’m taking this stuff with me on every trip!
An added bonus* that baking soda is nice and scrubby so you end up with a brighter smile! Another added benefit is that the coconut oil seems to have a little bit of the “oil pulling” effect and I have noticed more congestion issues when I am not using my DIY paste. This one is a win all the way around! I hope you try it as see how it works for yourself. (Best results are with regular use)
If you prefer a more liquidy version, my friend Jackie makes this one. I’ve used it before and it does work well. (I just prefer the scrubby)
Hennekes At Home 