This one was an easier switch for me – at least mentally. In practice, though, I’ve found it much harder to adjust to. One of the reasons is that I love brushing my teeth (weird, but true). So I brush 3-4 times a day. Usually for a looong time. My  brushing habits were the major reason I wanted to switch to something natural. How much of that stuff am I ingesting with all that crazy brushing?

You’ll need:

  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 3 tablespoons baking soda
  • 10-15 drops peppermint essential oil

Warm the coconut oil if solid as I think it’s easier to mix everything together with the liquid. Stir in the baking soda and essential oil and store in a sealed container. If you still don’t like the taste or you’re trying to get your kids on board, then adding a bit of stevia really helps.

Here’s what I’ve noticed:

  • It’s much harder to brush for long periods of time. The toothpaste gets very liquid-y and doesn’t foam like regular toothpastes so you can’t keep working it around for more than about 45 seconds. So if you want to brush longer, you’ll need to apply the toothpaste again.
  • It tastes good! Again, I’m a coconut fan so if you can cover up the baking soda, you won’t mind the taste at all. And the mint will make your breath nice and fresh.
  • A nice side benefit is that you’ll inevitably get coconut oil on your lips. I used to always have to apply lip balm after brushing my teeth but now they’re nice and soft at the end of brushing.

Have you tried making your own toothpaste? How has it gone?

via hellonatural

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