DIY Fluoride-free Toothpaste
I'm all about toothpaste.
Why is that? As a nurse, I have seen for my patients and for myself how important oral health is. I think flossing and oil pulling are a big part of oral health, but using toothpaste definitely serves an important purpose. And I'm certainly not leaving my house in the morning unless I've used it to brush my teeth, or I'm asking for horrendous bad breath!
For the past year and a half I have been fluoride free with my toothpaste, and that is for many reasons. Probably the most important reason is because when I became very sick a year ago, I saw an immediate need to completely eradicate all the chemicals I was regularly using. This included house cleaners, shampoos, makeup, my toothpaste, etc. Did I go overboard? It might seem that way to some. However, whether you have autoimmune symptoms or not, removing chemicals from your daily environment is important to both your short term and long term health- and this applies to your entire family's health as well!
Fluoride is one chemical that seems to be everywhere these days, and unfortunately it wrecks havoc on our bodies. Swallowing the toxin has been found to damage your soft tissues, as well as teeth and bones. There are numerous published studies illustrating fluoride's harm to the brain. In addition, fluoride accumulates over time in the body, making it very dangerous to your system long-term.
While it might prove to be difficult to remove the fluoride out of your drinking water, it is certainly easy to remove it out of your toothpaste. And it definitely is important to! Many toothpastes are filled with harmful ingredients and chemicals. Just recently, Crest was challenged by dentists and consumers in regards to the plastic microbeads in their toothpaste. The tiny scrubbers contain polyethylene, a form of plastic that does not degrade and stays embedded in your mouth. Crest says they were just using the beads for decoration, so what purpose do they serve being in our bodies?!
None. And neither does the sodium laurel sulfate (SLS), triclosan, blue #1 and #2, hydrated silica, DEA, propylene glycol, and the several other harmful ingredients in toothpaste.
So I started making my own toothpaste.
I already have been buying fluoride and SLS- free toothpaste, but this can certainly be costly. The average chemical free tube averages from $8 to $18, and while I love my teeth, that's a pretty penny I prefer not to chew on! (totally did that on purpose!). Making it at home is easy, cost-effective, and lasts a long time. What's great about this recipe is most of these ingredients are items you probably already have in your home: coconut oil and baking soda. Getting the oil to go with it might require that extra purpose, and if so you can get oils on Amazon, Whole Foods and many other retailers. My favorite brand that is tried and true is Young Living. In fact, I love the purity of their oils so much that I am a member and a distributor of the oils. Making this toothpaste was another great way to put my peppermint to use besides its more common other uses for heartburn and nausea.
Hope you enjoy the simplicity of this household staple and enjoy using it for your whole family! Make sure to use separate containers for each individual's toothpaste to help prevent transfer of germs.
DIY Fluoride-free Toothpaste
1/2 cup organic cold-pressed coconut oil
2 1/2 tbsp baking soda (Bob Mills brand best)
15-20 drops peppermint or cinnamon oil (I use young living brand)
Make sure coconut oil is soft or liquid form. Add to glass jar and stir in baking soda. Lastly, add the oil of your choice.
Blessings,
Lindsay
Why is that? As a nurse, I have seen for my patients and for myself how important oral health is. I think flossing and oil pulling are a big part of oral health, but using toothpaste definitely serves an important purpose. And I'm certainly not leaving my house in the morning unless I've used it to brush my teeth, or I'm asking for horrendous bad breath!
For the past year and a half I have been fluoride free with my toothpaste, and that is for many reasons. Probably the most important reason is because when I became very sick a year ago, I saw an immediate need to completely eradicate all the chemicals I was regularly using. This included house cleaners, shampoos, makeup, my toothpaste, etc. Did I go overboard? It might seem that way to some. However, whether you have autoimmune symptoms or not, removing chemicals from your daily environment is important to both your short term and long term health- and this applies to your entire family's health as well!
Fluoride is one chemical that seems to be everywhere these days, and unfortunately it wrecks havoc on our bodies. Swallowing the toxin has been found to damage your soft tissues, as well as teeth and bones. There are numerous published studies illustrating fluoride's harm to the brain. In addition, fluoride accumulates over time in the body, making it very dangerous to your system long-term.
While it might prove to be difficult to remove the fluoride out of your drinking water, it is certainly easy to remove it out of your toothpaste. And it definitely is important to! Many toothpastes are filled with harmful ingredients and chemicals. Just recently, Crest was challenged by dentists and consumers in regards to the plastic microbeads in their toothpaste. The tiny scrubbers contain polyethylene, a form of plastic that does not degrade and stays embedded in your mouth. Crest says they were just using the beads for decoration, so what purpose do they serve being in our bodies?!
None. And neither does the sodium laurel sulfate (SLS), triclosan, blue #1 and #2, hydrated silica, DEA, propylene glycol, and the several other harmful ingredients in toothpaste.
So I started making my own toothpaste.
I already have been buying fluoride and SLS- free toothpaste, but this can certainly be costly. The average chemical free tube averages from $8 to $18, and while I love my teeth, that's a pretty penny I prefer not to chew on! (totally did that on purpose!). Making it at home is easy, cost-effective, and lasts a long time. What's great about this recipe is most of these ingredients are items you probably already have in your home: coconut oil and baking soda. Getting the oil to go with it might require that extra purpose, and if so you can get oils on Amazon, Whole Foods and many other retailers. My favorite brand that is tried and true is Young Living. In fact, I love the purity of their oils so much that I am a member and a distributor of the oils. Making this toothpaste was another great way to put my peppermint to use besides its more common other uses for heartburn and nausea.
Hope you enjoy the simplicity of this household staple and enjoy using it for your whole family! Make sure to use separate containers for each individual's toothpaste to help prevent transfer of germs.
DIY Fluoride-free Toothpaste
1/2 cup organic cold-pressed coconut oil
2 1/2 tbsp baking soda (Bob Mills brand best)
15-20 drops peppermint or cinnamon oil (I use young living brand)
Make sure coconut oil is soft or liquid form. Add to glass jar and stir in baking soda. Lastly, add the oil of your choice.
Blessings,
Lindsay
What do you use to scoop out onto your toothbrush? Do you share the jar with your husband? 5 people in my home!
ReplyDeleteHey Christine! im the only one using it in my home but you definitely don't want to share jars if your sticking your toothbrush in it! I would use a Popsicle stick to get on toothbrush ;)
ReplyDelete