Make-It Yourself Monday--Five Simple` Ingredients and you Have Toothpaste....

In my years of making all my own mixes, and learning how to bake and cook from scratch, I slowly became aware of two things.

Number one: toiletry items are rather expensive, and a large part of any household budget...

and Number Two: surely, if I could replace so many things with homemade alternatives in my house in the cooking and baking department, with a little research and herbal know-how, I could replace our toiletries with ones that had ingredients I could actually pronounce.

So anyhow, with a little simple research, and a whole lot of learning to change my mind about some things (like fluoride) I was able to come up with a simple toothpaste that knocked my socks off.

Mainly because in only a week it removed an enormous amount of stains from my teeth, I didn't have morning breath, and my teeth felt cleaner than even using Crest toothpaste, 

which has been a mainstay of my life since I was about four.

30+ years is a long time to be dedicated to a product that didn't always do the job it promised, but like with anything else, it is hard to let go of things you rely on and start looking in other places for the same product. However, I am convinced that it is one step closer to relying on the knowledge I have learned instead of relying on someone else to provide it for me, and since this recipe is made from ingredients that you can keep stable in a food pantry or cupboard, you can make it in as large or small of an amount as you want.

While I use a half pint jar for my recipe, I have made it in much larger batches for the family use. Different people in my family prefer different tastes, such as my children liking peppermint flavor much more than the clove flavor that my husband and I enjoy. If you want something that it squeeze-able rather than placed in a jar, just simply put this into a inexpensive condiment bottle that you can get at a dollar store. They are simple to clean, and it you get the threaded type, they don't explode with pressure like so many do.

Five Ingredient Toothpaste

3 Tbs Coconut oil, Extra Virgin if possible for the best health benefits

1/4 cup baking soda

2 tsp glycerin

oil of cloves, food grade, no more than 10 drops

peppermint extract, 1 tsp

Mix all in a small bowl, and place in your container.

Coconut oil has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, so it really helps your teeth from collecting plaque throughout the day, and also keeps this formula from gathering bacteria. I have found the baking soda at first seemed abrasive, but was told my teeth are in excellent condition (and he wanted to know what I was using to make them so clean and white, lol), and very quickly removed stains I have been building up for years as a heavy coffee drinker. The glycerin helps the toothpaste retain a smoothness, and for my kids adds just enough of a sweet taste to offset the baking soda when combined with the peppermint. The oil of cloves is also anti-bacterial and helps with mouth health. Use very sparingly, no more than five to ten drops per batch the size of the above one, as it also has pain-deadening effects and too much is definitely TOO MUCH. It is a very good thing to have on hand for other ailments, or for toothaches before you can get to a dentist. You can also use spearmint for kids in place of the clove oil, which they find more appealing.

Just a quick note, if you have someone who suffers from canker sores, a mouth wash made of thyme and hyssop tea really does a good job of deadening the pain and healing the sores.

Amazon has some good deals on a couple of these products, so you can find them linked below. Thanks to all of you who have used my links, as every bit helps and supports my family in the process.