DIY. How to make a homemade whitening and antiseptic toothpaste

In the last post, I promised you a recipe for a natural, whitening, and antiseptic toothpaste. First off, a few quick tips before I explain the recipe. To keep our teeth healthy, free of cavities and other dental problems, a good brushing routine is just as important as good nutrition. Tooth enamel is mainly made of hydroxyapatite (calcium phosphate), so a diet rich in this mineral and vitamin D, which helps absorb calcium, is essential for having healthy teeth. Foods rich in calcium include leafy green vegetables, such as Swiss chard and kale, as well as nuts like almonds or sesame seeds.

In itself, the composition of the toothpaste is not as important as the brushing method itself, genetic factors, and avoiding refined foods, highly acidic foods, white sugar, and alcohol. But furthermore, if we take a look at the ingredients of a store-bought toothpaste, we will see that most contain some of these components: sodium lauryl sulfate, triclosan, fluoride, petroleum derivatives, or parabens, which have proven long-term toxicity resulting from chronic use.

Making toothpaste at home is very simple:

Necessary materials:

• Thyme and rosemary leaves.
• 20 g of fresh ginger.
• 30 g of food-grade white clay.
• 1 drop of eucalyptus, peppermint, or fennel essential oil (whichever you prefer).
• 1 g of sodium bicarbonate.
• 10 g of vegetable glycerin.
• OPTIONAL: 3 g of Decyl glucoside (a natural detergent obtained from coconut oil. It is completely biodegradable and ECO-CERT approved for use in natural cosmetics. It is added to the toothpaste to provide foaming properties; it is optional.)

Preparation method:

First, bring the water to a boil with the fresh ginger. Once it reaches a boil, add the thyme and rosemary. Keep boiling for 5 minutes with the pot covered so the plants' volatile components are not lost. Remove from heat and let it cool. Once cool, strain it and add the vegetable glycerin and sodium bicarbonate. Stir until the bicarbonate has completely dissolved.

The function of the vegetable glycerin is to maintain moisture in the toothpaste so it doesn't dry out too quickly, and the sodium bicarbonate will help whiten your teeth. However, you shouldn't use too much bicarbonate; due to its abrasive action, it can damage tooth enamel, so we will only use 1 gram.

For those who want your toothpaste to foam, now is the time to add the 3 grams of Decyl glucoside. You must stir carefully to avoid generating foam. Next, weigh 30 grams of white clay in a jar and gradually add the previously prepared mixture to it, stirring well until a paste forms. Once the paste is obtained, add the essential oils. And it’s ready to be packaged!

I have these tubes for toothpaste or ointments, which keep the toothpaste fresh for longer because the inside hardly comes into contact with oxygen, so it takes longer to dry out. But you can also package it in a previously sterilized jar.

This toothpaste, in addition to being a whitener, will help us treat cavities and inflamed gums thanks to the antiseptic properties of thyme, the anti-inflammatory properties of rosemary, and the analgesic properties of ginger. And all in a very natural way!