I am not a dentist. I am merely sharing my own experience, not dispensing medical advice.
Now that I have that out of the way…
Full-On Hippie Ingredient: Eggshell Calcium Powder
For a while now, I have wanted to make toothpaste with calcium powder but simply could not find calcium powder in bulk. So I made my own out of eggshells. I ground up sterilized, dried shells into a very fine powder and have not found it abrasive.
I don’t know if eggshell calcium offers dental benefits. If you Google something like “remineralize teeth eggshell calcium” a pile of links to videos and websites will pop up, which all claim you can reverse cavities if you brush your teeth with eggshell powder, or eat the stuff. I’m skeptical.
What I can claim is that my homemade tooth powder cleans my teeth well while it both reduces my waste and saves me money.
Other Ingredients
Bentonite clay
I have very sensitive teeth. A few years ago, they had reached the point where I experienced pain drinking room-temperature water. A couple of years ago, I bought plastic-free tooth powder from Aquarian Bath, which I highly recommend. If you don’t have time to make your own toothpaste alternative or can’t find bentonite powder, consider buying tooth powder from Aquarian Bath. Cory, the owner, is awesome, and so are her products.
When my tooth powder ran out I decided to make toothpaste that included bentonite clay, one of the main ingredients in the Aquarian Bath tooth powder. After several months of brushing my teeth with these bentonite clay-based products, one day I realized my teeth no longer hurt! I have zero scientific proof that brushing with bentonite clay reduces tooth sensitivity but I’m sticking with what works. My teeth feel better.
Cinnamon and cloves
These leave my mouth feeling fresh. They cost less than essential oils and I can buy them in bulk. My boyfriend grinds up organic cinnamon sticks in a second-hand coffee grinder he reserves just for that purpose. It. Is. The. Best. Cinnamon. Ever.
Baking soda
Occasionally I brush my teeth with plain baking soda but find it a little harsh on my teeth. I included a small amount in this recipe. If you don’t like baking soda, just omit it.
Coconut oil
When I ground up my eggshells, I had planned on using them for a paste not a powder but:
a. I rather like tooth powder
b. I would prefer to eat the small amount of it’s-so-not-local coconut oil I have on hand and
c. Coconut oil leaves some residue on the sink and I’m lazy about cleaning the sink.
So I decided to make tooth powder this time rather than toothpaste. If you prefer a paste, stir in, oh let’s say 6–8 tablespoons of coconut oil (or more) and, to make your toothpaste more palatable, 20 drops of essential peppermint oil.
How to use
Avoid dipping your bacteria-filled toothbrush into the jar. Instead, grab a pinch of tooth powder between your thumb and forefinger and place onto your brush. You need only a little. Brush as usual. Rinse thoroughly and spit. (By the way, I use a bamboo toothbrush and love it.)
If desired, follow with homemade mouthwash.
Bentonite-Calcium Tooth Powder
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons bentonite clay
- 3 tbsp calcium powder
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp cloves
Directions
1. To make tooth powder, combine ingredients in a jar. Wide, shallow jars work best—you can easily get out your powder (or paste).
2. To make a paste, add 6 tbsp coconut oil or more until you achieve desired consistency and, if desired, 20 drops essential peppermint oil to improve the flavor.
3. Avoid dipping your bacteria-filled toothbrush into the jar. Instead, grab a pinch of tooth powder between your thumb and forefinger and place onto your brush. You need only a little. Brush as usual. Rinse thoroughly and spit.
4. If desired, follow with homemade mouthwash.