This is my body’s favorite toothpaste! These ingredients and essential oils work for me. I know because I actually look forward to brushing my teeth! (And YES! My mouth’s happiness is worth the mess of the activated charcoal!) You can play around with this recipe and see what works well for your body.*
Why these ingredients?
Bentonite Clay
This powder hails from volcanic ash, notably from Benton, Wyoming which is how it gets its name. Its electric charge attracts the positive charge of those things you don’t want thriving in your mouth: bacteria, viruses, fungus, parasites, etc. It also pulls heavy metals from your teeth and gums. It’s alkaline property also raises the pH of your mouth and neutralizes acidity from foods that cause tooth decay.
Tooth and gum regeneration is possible!
Sugar and other (non-optimal*) substances erode your enamel over time. Your salvia contains good juices for remineralization of your enamel. Bentonite clay keeps a fresh tabula rasa for your body to rebuild and strengthen your teeth. It also contains healthy minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, and silica to help that rebuilding process.
Bentonite clay has very fine particles which end up polishing your teeth. You may notice twinkles emerging from your freshly brushed teeth! ✨
P.S. After eating my optimal foods and cutting back on sugar for several years, my recessive gums have strengthened, my teeth have stopped eroding where they were exposed from the gum recession and they are A LOT less sensitive.
Activated Charcoal
This is a carbon powder, usually made from plant husks or pits that are fired at high temps, which makes the surface area larger and more porous. Activated charcoal is so good at bonding to toxins that it’s sometimes used in emergency rooms for overdose or poisoned patients, and it’s in many air and water filtration systems.
Potential Whitener. Make sure it’s right for you!
Activated charcoal can help whiten your teeth–through if you have sensitive teeth (and you eat a lot of non-optimal* foods), it may remove too much enamel by brushing. Ask your body and listen to your intuition to see if adding this ingredient to this toothpaste recipe is a good idea. It may also work to apply it to your teeth with your finger, separate from brushing. If you decide to go without it in your toothpaste, you can always use more of the bentonite clay and/or or baking soda.
Coconut Oil
Interestingly, coconut oil can create a type of “soap” when mixed with saliva. It’s high in lauric acid, and when bonded with alkalis in the saliva such as sodium hydroxide and bicarbonates, it creates sodium laureate, which cleanses like soap. Like the other ingredients in this toothpaste, coconut oil is antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory.
Oil pulling
You may have heard of oil pulling, which is an ancient Ayurvedic tradition of swishing oil in the mouth to “pull” toxins from the body through the tongue and the mouth. Having coconut oil in this toothpaste not only bonds the ingredients, but helps to freshen breath and pull any nasties which are hiding in the mouth, from the tongue, and potentially throughout the body.
Fennel Oil
My body LOVES fennel! (I tend to add fennel seeds when cooking grains–quinoa, amaranth, rice, etc). Perhaps it’s the high manganese content, which helps with blood sugar regulation, metabolism, bone density, as well as other things to keep our cells healthy.
Fennel is also antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory. Fennel has been used in ancient Chinese medicine as a way to counteract plaque buildup and gum disease.
Peppermint Oil
Peppermint has quite the reputation for freshening breath and it helps those of us who grew up with mint-flavored toothpastes equate this recipe with healthy teeth and gums (the power of thought!). Peppermint also has antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties to keep teeth and gums healthy. It is also especially effective at killing anaerobic bacteria (that doesn’t need oxygen to live) that hides between the teeth.
Choose your favorite essential oils!
I use fennel and peppermint essential oils because that’s what my body prefers. Other great oils for oral health include:
- clove
- cinnamon
- eucalyptus
- tea tree
- lemon
- yarrow
- sage
- frankincense
Feel free to play with the flavor and balance of essential oils in your homemade toothpaste. Whatever “tastes” good to you and keeps you wanting to use your toothpaste is likely the combo your body prefers.*
Experiment with Amounts
If you choose different essential oil combos, you may need to change the amount of drops. For example, tea tree and eucalyptus are particularly strong and you may want less drops in your toothpaste.
Eat Well for Your Oral Health
A great toothpaste is helpful for oral health, but ultimately, eating your optimal foods is the best thing you can do to have healthy teeth, gums, and breath. My Healing Body and consuming what your body needs to regenerate (again, regrowing tooth enamel and gums is possible!) is a tremendous recipe for overall health and vitality!
Toothpaste Recipe
The amount below makes enough for two small containers. You can halve it, or if you don’t have a family or partner using the toothpaste with you, you can place the extra container in the fridge to keep its freshness.
IMPORTANT — NO METAL!
Make sure to use non-metallic bowls and utensils, especially when you add the bentonite clay, as it will pull the metal into your toothpaste. A wooden spoon or chopsticks works well. Ideally, store in a glass jar with a non-metallic lid.
Add the ingredients in this order for less mess!
1.5 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
15 drops Peppermint oil
15 drops Fennel oil
3 tbsp bentonite clay
3 tbsp baking soda
3 tbsp activated charcoal
Your Toothpaste May Change Form with the Temperature
Because this toothpaste contains coconut oil, you may find it “melting” in really warm temperatures. This is okay, but if you like a powdery consistency in the summertime, you can store your toothpaste in the fridge or find a cooler spot for it in your home.
*Not sure what is optimal or non-optimal for your body? Check out My Healing Body and allow your body to tell you.
If you are an EarthHeart Healing Member, tell us in this post how you like this toothpaste or how you may have changed it to suit your body’s favorite flavors and needs.
