Back to Basics: Homemade Toothpaste

From May 2013

Frankincense tastes awful!

Like I said in a “Thoughts from a Box of Baking Soda”, I’ve done the natural toothpaste thing before. I did it for about 9 months. It works wonderfully. The first batch I made was 2/3 cup baking soda, ½ a bottle of food grade peppermint oil (from the Wilton section in the craft store candy making aisle) and water (to consistency). My first batch lasted about 3 months. I stored it in a zipper baggie. After my second batch, I couldn’t find the peppermint oil anywhere in the area any longer.

My son and I originally bought it to make hard candy along with a plethora of other flavors which we ended up using first. It had been in the cabinet for about 6 months untouched, so I used it. When I ran out I searched everywhere in the area. I knew I could buy it online but I couldn’t justify the expense especially when my dudes won’t use anything but store-bought stuff and it would just be for me.

I tried it with cinnamon oil, but it wasn’t cinnamon flavor, it was more like the powdered kind in liquid form. It was too weird. After the batch with the cinnamon I gave up. Colgate usually has good coupons anyway, so I went back to my old ways.

At the time, I was trying desperately to save us money in any way I could. But my dudes, being the worldly guys they are, weren’t willing to make the necessary changes. We had taken in a wayward teenager who had been "kicked out" of his house (man that kid could eat), as well. I made up some homemade laundry soap (which Hubby and son claimed “didn’t work on them”…..spoiled brats!), some homemade dishwasher detergent and homemade hand soap in an attempt to stretch our budget. My family was too resistant and I had to go back to the “normal” way of doing things (the kid we took in wasn’t the problem, he would try anything).

When I got the frankincense to use for painkiller, I also bought the powdered version. In my research on frankincense I discovered that for centuries it has been used for maintaining healthy teeth. So I did a search on how to make frankincense toothpaste.

It tastes horrendous!!!! But, in the 2 days I’ve used it my teeth turned 2 shades whiter, they feel cleaner than they ever have before and my breath stays fresh all day. I am amazed and it is completely and totally worth 5 minutes of discomfort every morning.

I have terrible teeth to begin with. All of my molars are caps, my mouth is full of cavities that I’ve been working on slowly due to lack of funds, and I wish I had discovered this years ago!

I couldn’t find a recipe for it.

I used 2/3 cup of baking soda, water to consistency and I dumped in what I thought I could handle of the frankincense (I already knew it tasted terrible). I put it in a leftover container and just stir it with the end of my toothbrush before use because it separates. You only need a dab on your toothbrush; I go back for a 2nd dab for the lower teeth (I brush my uppers first

I always exercise while brushing my teeth anyway. It actually helps to distract from the taste.

For years I’ve done squats, standing crunches lunges and wall sits while brushing.

I can’t believe how amazing my teeth feel hours and hours after brushing. ). I think the taste would improve with peppermint oil, but you already know I have none. I might have to look into getting some online. Either way, I don’t think I’ll ever go back.