Have you thought much about fluoride? This lovely product is added to many water supplies and toothpaste. Dentists supposedly say it prevents tooth decay. When I discovered this product has been banned from adding to water in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria, France and The Netherlands, I questioned why it is still being promoted as a healthy product here in the States.
Andreas Schuld describes fluoride as follows in an article on the Weston Price Foundation:
“Fluoride is any combination of elements containing the fluoride ion. In its elemental form, fluorine is a pale yellow, highly toxic and corrosive gas. In nature, fluorine is found combined with minerals as fluorides. It is the most chemically active nonmetallic element of all the elements and also has the most reactive electro-negative ion. Because of this extreme reactivity, fluorine is never found in nature as an uncombined element.”
Highly toxic? Corrosive gas? I am not sure about you, but that concerns me. These references are referring to the addition of flouride to most water systems in the US, but there is another form of flouride that is added to your average container of toothpaste.
Fluoride Deception
You might be interested in checking out these videos…
Fluoride Deception – interesting video on harm of fluoride
Cure Tooth Decay – can tooth decay be related to what kind of food you eat?
Fluoride Alert – professionals sign document to end fluoride in water due to its toxic content. Two interesting videos about flouride.
Fluoride Free Alternatives
Fluoride is added to most toothpastes you will find in the store, and although your consumption may be minimal, it is something to consider. Finding flouride-free toothpaste is a spendy pursuit, costing up to $5 per small tube. Sodium lauryl sulfate is included in most natural toothpastes, which is the foaming agent that is added to toothpaste and other bathroom products. There is much controversy whether it is safe as well, so I am seeking to avoid, if possible, and stick to the ingredients that are safe to consume, especially for the little one, as she very well may swallow it.
Here are a few alternatives:
Toothsoap – I have not tried this, but have heard many rave reviews from others. The ingredients are all natural, based upon coconut oil, olive oil and a few other products. The price might sound a bit high at first but I have been told a tube lasts three months for a family of four. Toothsoap is preferred over natural toothpastes because not only does it not contain fluoride but it also does not have sodium lauryl sulfate.
I reviewed the list of ingredients and I thought…why not? These are simple enough to combine together at home. I wanted a toothpaste with quality ingredients that I had on hand, without spending too much on a tube of toothsoap. Here is what I came up with:
Homemade Toothsoap Recipe #1
You can actually just us Dr. Bronner’s as a natural toothpaste, but the texture is very liquidy and very powerful in taste (soap here we come!). Definitely not something the hubby or baby would like. I tried mellowing and sweetening it a bit with these ingredients and all are quite satisfied! Still under a little experimentation. This recipe provided a nice moist but thicker consistency than Dr. Bronner’s alone.
1 Tbsp Dr. Bronners castile liquid soap or any natural castile liquid soap - contains coconut, olive, palm oils – we use Baby Mild unscented (because it is more versatile for us, and covers multiply uses in one product) and then flavor with an essential oil or two
5 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp or more olive oil or water – to get the consistency you want – this makes it pourable to put in the soap dispenser
Essential oil (20-25 drops), I use orange and peppermint together, as peppermint alone is a little strong for me, but you can use whatever combination you like. If using Peppermint Dr Bronner’s soap, you can skip this altogether.
Stevia, or to sweeten to your taste – a few dashes or so works
Warning: Do not test this product more than a few times at a time or just a dab at a time, or else you can burn your mouth (if using peppermint oil/soap), as I experienced. Best to taste by putting it on a toothbrush and brushing your teeth, as flavor is a bit different from just tasting the toothpaste directly.
I store mine in a new soap dispenser in our bathroom. No scooping it up, just pump it out right onto your toothbrush. No messes in the draw from spilled sticky toothpaste tubes either!
Homemade Toothpaste Recipe #2
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup vegetable glycerin
1 Tbsp castile liquid soap
A few drops peppermint, anise, wintergreen essential oil, optional
dash of stevia or xylitol
Combine ingredients with a hand mixer or by hand as desired. Store in a old toothpaste dispenser by cutting the end off and filling with your toothpaste. Seal the end with masking tape until it is ready for a re-fill.
Both of these recipes work well for cleaning your teeth and are completely safe and natural…so no fear for the little ones! Just make sure to only give them a little dab on the toothbrush because the ingesting essential oils is the only concern here. So please use less essential oils if you are concerned.
Other fluoride free toothpastes on the market:
Tom’s of Maine Fluoride Free Toothpaste – they sell a children’s brand as well.
Trader Joe’s Fluoride Free/SLS free toothpaste – this is a very inexpensive alternative if you have access to TJ’s!
Nature’s Gate Fluoride Free Toothpaste
Check out Mountain Rose Herbs for the best quality and lowest priced coconut oil around!
I agree with the previous poster who said that brushing with baking soda is much too abrasive for teeth on a regular basis. However, another poster mentioned dissolving the baking soda. This is a good idea, especially gargling with it after drinking acids, such as lemonade. The baking soda is alkaline and neutralizes the acids so they don’t harm the enamel on your teeth.
After getting freaked out about toothpastes and hating the sweet flavor they leave in the mouth, I switched to straight baking soda.
Is the oil etc. in these recipes for a health reason or is it for texture/taste?
Also, if baking soda disinfects, what is the reason for the soap?
Wondering if I should be making actual toothpaste or if the straight baking soda is okay…
Thanks!
I made the #2 recipe last night, my husband and I both love it! Only problem is that this morning I tried to use it and it’s extremely hard, I could barely squeeze it out of the tube. I live in TX and it’s HOT so I know the toothpaste dissent get too cold.
Any suggestions?
Lindsay,
I am planning on making recipe 1. Do I just need to combine all the ingredients together and mix?
Thank you so much for being an example to those of us who want better for our family. I thank the Lord for your service in the Kingdom and the encouragement He provides through you!
Yep! Mix all the ingredients thoroughly together for best results.
Here is something I found: from Dr.Keyes who promotes using baking soda and salt:
I have heard that if you grind up the salt, it is much better in the toothpaste mix.
‘ Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), a product used for many years by itself or in combination with other ingredients has several excellent properties. As a soft crystalline substance that dissolves readily, it has a mild abrasive potential. In solution it will kill on contact all of the motile microorganisms associated with periodontal infections, e.g. spirochetes, motile rods, etc. It will also kill other disease related bacteria. It will also neutralize and detoxify the bacterial acids and toxins that form in plaques (bacterial biofilms). I would put this inexpensive, readily available, product at the very top of the list of potentially beneficial dentifrice-ingredients.
Sodium chloride (table salt) Like baking soda, salt has been used for many years as a dentifrice, alone or in combination. When used alone it is rather stingy and unless milled, rather grainy. It is not highly abrasive, contrary to some opinions. In solution at higher concentrations it will kill on contact all motile microorganisms associated with periodontal infections. However, its antibacterial potential, while good, is not as powerful as that of sodium bicarbonate, and it will not detoxify bacterial byproducts. In higher concentrations it will reduce edema in the gingival tissues and stimulate circulation.
Vinegar Vinegar is another product that has been used for dental hygiene for many years. A half strength solution of vinegar (apple cider for taste) will pickle all of the motile bacteria mentioned above, and it will help to dissolve deposits of calculus. For persons whose dental hygiene does not reduce the buildup of bacterial plaques adequately, some of this buildup may harden into calculus. Brushing several time a week with a vinegar solution can help to prevent calculus formation. ‘
” Over the years when I was lecturing, I asked thousands of dentists and hygienists to raise there hands if they had ever seen destructive periodontal disease in person who had regularly brushed with salt and/or soda. I have never seen a hand! And although I have not seen many such cases, the periodontal health in these patients has always been excellent. I have photographs of a lady who was 95 at the time I saw her. She lived to be over 100.”
Regards,
Dr. Paul H. Keyes
Dr. Keyes is the founder of the International Dental Health Foundation
Education: D.D.S., University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine (1941); B.A., University of Rochester (1944); M.S. in Anatomy, University of Rochester (1945); Fellowship in Orthodontics, Harvard University School of Dental Medicine (1948)
http://mizar5.com/keyes.html
I have used this before and it was nice because the salt was ground in a grinder then added to baking soda:
6 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used all natural sea salt and ground it in my coffee grinder)
But right now, I use something different, and this came from a Microbiologist who is concerned about mercury fillings: She says:
you use 1 tsp. of baking soda in a cup of good water, and allow it to dissolve.
Then you brush your teeth with this every day. I find that it has really gotten my teeth white.
Meg.
I’d also like to promote some of my own info, that I’ve come across by doing some substantial web investigation.
I made this one time and it was too oily for me. But I loved how clean my teeth felt! I’m ready to try it again after buying a tube of expensive store bought toothpaste. Is it ok to cut down on the coconut oil? I’m assuming that’s the main ingredient that is making it taste so oily. It seems that I would need to keep the 1 T of Dr. Bronner’s soap? Or should I try cutting that down too? Any ideas anyone?
Just a word of caution about glycerin — I have been reading that it coats the teeth and therefore prevents your saliva from doing its job (which is to protect and nourish your teeth). Almost all natural toothpastes are made using glycerin, except the tooth soap kind. If you are eating a nutrient-rich diet, and want to give your teeth a chance to benefit from it, glycerin toothpastes will apparently prevent the re-mineralization of your teeth which ought to be happening naturally.
I think I’ll stick with tooth soap! Thanks for the recipe.
Doesn’t castille soap contain lye?
I mean it’s saponified, but aren’t there still trace amounts?
Speaking as a soap maker, if the soap was made correctly, NO there is no lye left at all. When oils/fats and lye are combined, they consume each other and make a salt which we call soap. Most soap makers add extra oils to make sure all the lye is consumed and the extra oils help with conditioning. In liquid soap, the lye is neutralized with an acid if there were extra lye.
I make my own toothsoap, though I just use the solid soap as shredds with EO’s, Xylitol and baking soda.
Just a note… while the Tom’s of Maine kids toothpaste is Fluoride-Free… and comes in a fun strawberry flavor, that does burn their mouths…. I was appalled to learn that is also contains SLS – which I didn’t realize until after I purchased it (in bulk) for my daughter! Augh!!! ~ So disappointing!!!
*doesn’t burn their mouths (sorry!)
I tried this recipe (#2), and unfortunately we didn’t like it at all. It tasted way too soapy for us. I think I will try this recipe (http://www.livingthenourishedlife.com/2009/12/four-new-ways-to-use-coconut-oil.html), which uses ingredients we usually have on hand (vs having to buy glycerin).
Hi Lindsay,
I know you blogged on this tooth-soap awhile ago, but I was wondering if you have come up with your favorite, tried-and-true recipe yet? If so, could you share it? I tried your first recipe, but I am having problems with the coconut oil getting too hard and it tastes a little oily in my mouth. Just curious, as I have been looking for an easy, affordable home-made recipe since I can’t spend the money on store-bought fluoride-free toothpaste! P.S. I really enjoy your blog, and it is one of the first points of reference that I now go to for making home-made products and recipes. Thanks for all of the hard work you put into this blog and for sharing it with the rest of us!
I have tried pure Castille Soap (liquid with rosemary) as a face wash, body wash, shampoo (with organic cidar vinegar as a rinse) and Castille Soap as a toothpaste – all worked marvellously. Very clean teeth and happy gums. I followed the face wash with witchhazel lotion – beautiful always getting compliments on my wrinkle free skin (I’m over 50)
I’ve tried multiple creative toothpaste recipes & I know what I was missing…sweetner! I swear I tried every combo out there. I really like the look of this recipe & I’m writing it out to try when we run out of Toms (fluoride free too!) toothpaste. I’m also going to try your deodorant recipe. We switch between hydrogen peroxide & Toms. And once Toms’ is out I’m refilling with the handmade one here.
We’re big on arrowroot powder too. My children have corn allergies & so I have to be very careful as companies start being ‘eco’friendly & are making corn based packaging & the like. to the point… Underarm irritation can also be a sign of an allergy to the corn since the arm pit skin is delicate. Some studies have suggested the increase in diabetes is due to the increase in using corn as a sweetener/thickener. It has over 100 different names/forms.
I too wanted to avoid fluoride in toothpaste, but because my daughter is also allergic to mint, and the mint-free-fluoride-free storebought toothpaste has Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in it (which is bad enough on skin, but specifically prohibited from contact with mucous membranes, so how on earth can they put it in toothpaste?), so I made my own toothpaste.
You can use coconut oil, and though I love it for many things, I don’t want an oily cleaner for my mouth. So here’s my recipe:
Pure Vegetable Glycerine (NOW brand, health food store, $7 for a bottle)
Baking soda
A drop or two of Dr. Bronner’s liquid unscented castile soap (you could use peppermint, or any variety you like)
A drop of your choice of flavoring oil.
You could add more sweetener of your choice, (xylitol would be mine) but it’s not necessary because the glycerine is already sweet to the taste.
Anise and wintergreen are two of my favorite flavor oils for mint-free toothpaste, because wintergreen is not a member of the mint family, yet has freshening properties similar. Wintergreen oil naturally contains lots of methyl salicylate, so be warned that ingesting it in a large quantity can be harmful or fatal in the same way as overdosing on aspirin. However, one drop in a batch of toothpaste is as safe as wintergreen candy at least.
This toothpaste smells and tastes great, foams and cleans superbly, and really powered through plaque and left my teeth smooth, clean, and shiny, which the storebought natural stuff did not.
The only hardship is that I can’t package it in a tube, but must dip it from a jar, or else just run my damp toothpaste over castile bar soap, then dip in a jar of tooth powder made from baking soda and a drop of flavoring oil, blended. That would work too.
Also, what do you think about using xylitol for sweetener? I’ve read recently that stevia drops aren’t good for you and xylitol is supposed to be good for teeth. Do you know if this is true?
If you read through the comments, several others have tried xylitol. There are mixed reviews about its safety on the internet, but I have never heard that stevia is bad for you. Maybe just the drops? Stevia is a natural plant that grows in natural and I don’t think there is anything to be concerned about.
Yes, probably the more processed it is the greater one’s concern should be. Here is what I read about the drops:
Stevia is not permitted for sale as food or as a food ingredient in the EU because it did not pass EU safety assessments. Data considered by a scientific committee found that stevia plant extract has the potential to produce adverse effects in the male reproductive system that could affect fertility, and also that a metabolite produced by microflora in the human gut is genotoxic (damages DNA).
Here in the United States, the Center for Science in the Public Interest raised concerns about potential cancer-causing properties in stevia and urged more tests before approval. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved stevia as a sweetener in December 2008 after PepsiCo and Coca-Cola reportedly wanted to use it as a sweetener for zero-calorie products. PCC sells it as an alternative choice for people who must restrict sugar. (Source: http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/sc/0912/editor.html)
I tried clicking the link, however, and it wouldn’t come up. I haven’t had a chance to do any further research. Probably the green powder is best (although it tastes funny, I think) the white powder not too bad, and the drops should be avoided.
The Nourishing Traditions cookbook by Sally Fallon mentions stevia. I can’t remember the exact place, but if I remember correctly, she states that stevia is a good option but some forms are better than others. She states that the liquid drops and the white powder are processed and therefore not the best options. The only other form that I know stevia comes in is a green powder.
xylitol is not truly safe–so far stevia is, at least for the last 400 yrs of use. check out ewg.org and type them in
Thanks for this recipe! I’m going to try it. I’ve tried using Dr. Bronner’s alone (it’s suggested on their website) and it’s tollerable, but I haven’t made my hubby and kids try it. We’ve been using Dr. Christopher’s herbal tooth powder, which is really good, but turns our toothbrushes brown. It may sound silly but I don’t want guests coming over and seeing we have brown toothbrushes! LOL!
Lots of people are suggesting baking soda… I made the baking soda/salt/peppermint oil tooth powder for a few months and it started taking the enamel off of my teeth. My dentist said baking soda should be used no more than once a week as it’s too hard on enamel for daily use.
One more question… do you think this would be okay for a toddler who doesn’t know how to spit? I know the oils would be fine… but I’m not sure about the swallowing soap part.
I have used it with my little ones. I believe it to be safer that alot of brands on the market in regards to swallowing. Its all natural ingredients, even the soaps main ingredients are olive oil, coconut oil and the like.
Okay I made it using peppermint Dr. Bonners. It seems to be burning my mouth when I brush my teeth. Now I know why washing your mouth out with soap is considered to be punishment.
What can I do to fix the problem?
Yah, that is why I recommend the Baby mild brand because it doesn’t already have the peppermint essential oil and you can control the amount more effectively when adding your own. You can try to fix the problem by adding more coconut oil and stevia but it might be a lost cause.
Use only one drop on your toothbrush. Excess will create that burning sensation.
I love this idea. I just got all the ingredients and I have some questions:
Other websites sing praises of other ingredients like sage, xylitol, glycerin, peroxide, baking soda, and salt. Have you any thoughts on those ingredients?
p.s. got a really nice dispenser on clearance for $2.25 at t@rget
After trying several different mixes of homemade toothpaste, we ended up settling on Evan’s Garden natural toothpaste. We order their facewash anyway, so it works out fine. Evan is working on a formulation for tots (he has products for babies already–but nothing for the 2-5 age range). It’s not local, since he ships from Florida, but I’ve had miserable failures with the homemade variety (especially coconut oil plugging up the sink and plumbing), and the herbs, minerals, and oils he uses in his recipe have been helping my teeth immensely. I wish I could duplicate his formula–but the ingredients list is long and contains herbs I’ve never even heard of!
My doctor specifically instructed me that I needed to get my daughter on bottled water that had fluoride because we were on a septic system and didn’t drink tap water. I was always a little suspicious of this and never did what the doctor said to.. I’m glad after reading this article!
I MADE THIS….WONDERFUL!!!! I ADDED 6 TBLS COCONUT OIL…2 TBLS OLIVE OIL…1/2 TSP ORANGE ESSENTIAL OIL…ABOUT 20 DROPS OF SPEARMINT E.O. AND 2 TBLS BAKING SODA…NO SOAPY TASTE ONCE YOU BRUSH…!!! THANKS FOR SHARING
You can find fluoride free toothpaste from Cleure (a fusion of Clean and Pure)at http://www.LiveCleanAndPure.com
BUT, I’m very curious to try making my own too
Lindsay, love your site!
Emily
I live in Durban, South Africa and do not think that Dr Bronner’s is available here. What could one use as a substitute?
Thanks. Sam
hmmm, only problem I can see is if a guest mistakes the toothsoap for handsoap; ) I’ve gotta admit, I’m intrigued. I wonder if my husband will go for it though.
We just use baking soda and mint extract and stevia and enough water to mix into a paste. Just adjust the amounts to your preference.
By the way, your deodorant recipe works really well! Both me and my DH love it! The nasty store brands always stink of so much disgusting, overwhelming perfume that I couldn’t get near my husband when he wore it. They did not work, either. Of course, he is very sensitive to perfumes and gets a headache anytime he gets around a heavy scent.
Okay, I suppose that I have taken up enough space. I really enjoy your web-site, by the way! It is so nice to get proper nutrition from a good Christian perspective rather than the hippies that work at our local co-op. Yesterday DH went to get some soap nuts for us to try and they asked him if he was trying to align his shakras. Good grief! I think I will stick with the farmers markets and Azure Standard, thank you very much! Okay, now I really have taken too much space
he he he …
Hi Sam, have a look on http://www.faithful-to-nature.co.za, I buy all my organic goodies from them, they have a great range of products at competitive prices and they post your items to you. Regards Liesl (Nelspruit South Africa)
While it’s true that flouride is not added to the water in Sweden flouride for the teeth are still very much promoted. It very hard if not impossible to find flouride free toothpaste and most dentist also promote flouride rinses. Kids in school in Sweden have regular ‘rinse days’.
you cand fin flouride free toothpaste online, i live in romania and i found it
here is the website !
http://www.naturallydirect.net/natural-toothpaste.htm
I just tried home made tooth soap. I made it tonight and LOVE LOVE LOVE it! My teeth feel AWESOME! I added cinnamon and a little lemon juice. It really didn’t leave a “soapy” taste in my mouth. I am AMAZED! Can’t wait to make my hubby and kids try it!!
I will try this recipe out this week. By chance, do you have a recipe for mouthwash?
I have struggled with a similar recipe…the coconut oil hardens when it starts to get cold out side (now!) and then there is no hope getting it out of the container without warming it:( Do you have the same struggle with this recipe?
I would replace the castile soap and coconut oil with vegetable glycerin and extra baking soda. I have been changing the recipe a bit lately and have an updated version to share shortly, but that it the basic idea of it.
Is vegetable glycerin better than the one that is used in the commercial tooth paste? I read that glycerin in the tooth paste coats the teeth and prevents them from remineralization.
I do not know. I used a natural vegetable glycerin from Mountain Rose Herbs.
Lindsay,
Could you post your current toothpaste recipe? (Did I miss it somewhere?)
Thanks!
Well, I tried this recipe. It works okay but I am not totally pleased with it. I added some stevia to sweeten it a bit which definitely helps. It doesn’t sud up at all and doesn’t really make your teeth feel clean, if you know what I mean.
doesn’t the castile soap contain lye and I read that it’s harmful if on the skin and injested? Sorry I’m new to this
I am really not sure on this one. I believe Dr. Bronner’s is perfectly safe…but you would have to check into the lye content with the company.
No, castille soap and other ‘lye’ soaps do not contain lye. Yes, they are made using lye, but once the lye and oils are blended in the soapmaking process (called saponification) the lye and oils are transformed into soap, which then becomes a completely different chemical compound. With that said, my reservations would be using soap on the teeth and in the mouth. I don’t think the taste would be much too enjoyable.