Monday, February 17, 2014

DIY Toothpaste with Baking Soda and Bentonite Clay

I am going to confess something that might sound a little strange. The truth is that I brush my teeth with dirt. Okaaaaay, technically, it's not dirt-- it's clay, but dirt sounds way more dramatic. {Scarlett O'Hara inspired swoon}

DIY toothpaste with clay, baking soda and coconut oil #DIYbeauty
If you are blog follower of mine then you might not be too shocked to see that I am playing with dirt like substances... in my mouth. After all, you know I'm a little naturalistic crazy. But seriously, trust me, brushing your teeth with dirt is kind of amazing so don't write it off just yet!

I knew I had to over haul my home care products after I saw this article.

But this is why you should think about using bentonite clay in particular: 
  • It's all natural and that is AWESOME. 
  • Clay absorbs the bad stuff and removes it from your body. It's actually nature's detox agent. People (and animals) ingest clay for an internal cleanse.
  • It actually enhanced gum repair 
  • Also, using clay will also decreased cavities by increasing the remineralizing of the teeth. 
Clay can do all of those things because it is jam packed full of nutrients and negatively charged ions that truly clean your teeth.

Please, don't go into your backyard or the nearest riverbed and scoop out some clay and smear it all over teeth. That's gross. You have to buy a clay that's either Montmorillonite or Benonite Clay to get the full benefits in your toothpaste. You should also buy from a reputable source because clay has negatively charged ions which attract positively charged ions so if the company doesn't take proper precautions you can end up with clay that has some nasty stuff it in like heavy metals. Yuck. Ain't nobody got time for dat!

Worried about the lack of fluoride? Read this from Natural News.

Clay mixture for toothpaste
It'll look a little gooey when you're done mixing!
That's okay because it'll harden up a bit as it sits!
DIY Toothpaste:
It may not look pretty, but it does taste pretty good!

Seriously, this is one of the most ridiculously easy thing I've ever done. I adapted this recipe from Homemade Mommy by tweaking the recipe just a bit, but it's important to note that I completely removed the sweetener. Why did I remove it? Preference. The idea of smearing sweets on my teeth to clean them seems a little weird to me. If you want a sweeter version, then definitely check out her post (she's awesome!)

What You Need
Mix water and clay to form a paste, then add all the other ingredients together. Mix and put it in a jar or a toothpaste container-- do NOT let it get into contact with metal. I don't want to sound all brilliant or anything, but let me explain! {clears throat} The negative charge of the ions in the clay will act as a magnet to the positive ions in the metal and they'll kinda do a swaperoo (scientific term) and cause your clay to become kind of toxic. That's bad. So, no metal!

How does it feel? Like toothpaste. It tastes a bit salty, but in a good way like a day at the beach! Afterwards, my mouth feels really clean and fresh. What's weird is no suds! But that's not a bad thing.

I recommend rinsing your mouth out with water or DIY mouthwash after brushing

Sylvia Plath QuoteAs for the essential oils-- there are lots of options so feel free to get creative. You can use oils like Lemon, Rosemary, Peppermint, Cinnamon, Clove, and Tea Tree. They all have great benefits for those pearly whites!

When picking a brand of essential oil, don't trust "therapeutic"  or "pure" on the bottles or websites!! So many companies and people are shady. Only 10% of the essential oil needs to be plant material to be considered "pure" which is insane to me! That's why it's so important to find quality essential oils! Read this for more information about how there is an increase in promoting adulterated essential oils! 

You can also buy already made clay toothpaste like Earthpaste (it's just water and clay) if you're feeling lazy. Don't worry… I won't judge you. ;)

And I thought this quote from the brilliant Ms. Sylvia Plath would be a great line to use AFTER you brush your teeth with your new DIY toothpaste. ;)

Rawr.

Are you interested in the benefits of coconut oil?
Coconut uses for Teeth and Body

Got Questions? Please read the comments below. If you still have questions please join my Natural Living Support Group. Thank you!

Update: Essential oils that are not 100% Therapeutic Grade should not be ingested and probably should be avoided topically. I have had several complaints of rashes, eczema like symptoms, GI distress and other symptoms from using oils that are not therapeutic grade. I recommend Young Living essential oils.

DIY toothpaste is easy

Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review, but I did receive the clay and the salt from Redmond Trading Company and I was instructed to provide an unbiased review. They are pretty confident and should be! Love their products! 

If you buy any of the products from my recommended Amazon links I will get a very tiny and rather small commission from Amazon (your price stays the same) which I will use to buy more stuff to blog about. True Story. 

Annnnd… you should probably consult a dentists before trying this just to be safe. 
Sherri Griffin
Sherri Griffin

Thanks for checking out my blog. I get serious about a few things in life: animals, chemicals, and food. For the rest I can't promise anything so keep the bar low. For more about me check out my "About Me" page! Happy DIYing!

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You rock for reading all of that. {pats you on back}