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Making your own gentle toothpaste at home (without the extras)
Here’s how I do it: I mix a couple tablespoons of baking soda with a bit of coconut oil until it’s just pasty, then add a few drops of peppermint oil (for the taste, honestly). I use this with a soft brush, and it feels clean, but not harsh. Sometimes I throw in a pinch of salt if my mouth feels blah. Anybody got a better recipe or tricks for keeping teeth clean without the usual stuff?
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3 replies
That mix you’re using is actually pretty gentle compared to some of the DIY stuff I’ve seen folks try. Baking soda’s fine in moderation, and coconut oil can feel soothing. I’d just say, easy on the salt - it can be a bit rough if you use it too often. I get wanting to skip all the extras in commercial toothpaste, but just make sure you’re still getting enough fluoride somewhere for cavity protection. Your routine sounds like it leaves your mouth feeling fresh, though, and that’s half the battle.
The fluoride point matters more than whether the paste feels gentle. Baking soda and coconut oil can help with the mechanical cleaning, but they don’t provide fluoride, so they shouldn’t be treated as a full substitute for cavity protection. Anyone avoiding commercial toothpaste could keep the homemade mix for occasional use while getting fluoride from a separate, dentist-approved source. I’d also leave out the salt for regular brushing, since the extra abrasiveness adds little benefit.
A gritty texture is a good reason not to use the mix for brushing. If the paste dries out or has undissolved salt crystals, it may feel more abrasive than the smooth paste you intended. A “clean” feeling is not a reliable sign that it is gentle on teeth or gums.
For routine brushing, leave out the salt and stop if it causes sensitivity or gum soreness. The fluoride issue is separate: a smooth homemade paste still does not provide fluoride cavity protection.