Homemade Organic Toothpaste

So one day I'm in the market for an organic toothpaste and since the store that I'm shopping at has a limited collection of organic products I can only find toothpaste from Tom's of Maine. Which happens to contain Laurel Sulfate (SLS) which is to some people a harsh foaming agent and its also a substance that is hotly debated amoung the natural obsessed with half of people saying it's safe while others are not quite so sure. In the end the whole shopping adventure left me frustraded and a little bit sad, but while I was pouting I had the brilliant idea to make my own. Now I know what you are thinking, maybe denistry should be handled by the professionals it's one thing to make soap it's another thing to trust your teeth soley to nature, to that I say nay! Because if you would research toothpaste further you'll find that the most effective ingredients found in toothpaste have not changed since the 1800's and that the over the years the only thing that has toothpaste companies have added are flouride (that is over consumed anyway, but that is another debate) and factory created chemicals that are ment to artificially color, sweeten, and various synthetic ingredients ment as foaming agents. Not only that, the chemicals in commercial toothpaste are said to disrupt hormone parabens, are possibly linked to the developement of breast cancer, and they are found damaging to the gums and skin.

So after much searching on the internet toothpate recipe from Organic Body Care Recipes (Storey, 2007) by Stephanie Tourles that is not only all-natural, but easy to make, store, and is just as effective as any store bought toothpaste in regards to tooth-whitening, oder-eliminating, plaque prevention. It's also super inexpensive.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, finely ground

1 drop peppermint, spearmint, sweet orange, clove, or cinnamon bark essential oil

A few drops of tap water (did you know that tap water is cleaner than bottled water, more on this later.)

1. Add all of the ingredients together in a small bowl and mix evenly with tiny spoon until a smooth thick paste forms that is thick enough to stay on a toothbrush.

2. Place paste on toothbrush and use just as you would a commercial toothpaste.

3. Store excess paste in airtight container, my favorite is an eyedropper that has a dispenser cap . With that you get the perfect amount of paste without the excess clinging to the bottle. Make sure you label the bottle. The toothpaste can be easily stored in the bathroom and does not need to be refrigerated. I use 1/2 ounce bottle and that lasts me about a couple of weeks. This is also perfect for airline travel.