Ever look at your toothpaste and think, "gah, you're so pasty!"
Me, neither. But I do love a good tooth powder!
Learn how to make a DIY homemade tooth powder that whitens, freshens, cleans, soothes, & remineralizes. Tooth powder is a staple for natural & holistic oral care.
What is Tooth Powder?
Tooth powder is a powder form of toothpaste. It has all the same cleansing and freshening power of toothpaste.
Some benefits of homemade tooth powder include:
- Less messy: no pasty clumps in your sink
- Travel friendly: no exploding tubes in your suitcase
- No coconut oil: a lot of homemade / natural toothpastes have coconut oil which isn't always good for your plumbing
- Longer shelf life: the ingredients are shelf stable powders
- Inexpensive: Once you purchase the ingredients, you will have enough to make tooth powder for yearsss. The powders have a long shelf life. Plus you can use all the ingredients for other DIY recipes!
My Holistic Dental Care Testimony
I used to have sensitive teeth. I used to use a maximum strength sensitive toothpaste. I used to use a numbing gel I got from my dentist everyday. And I STILL had sensitive teeth & gums. And then I started making DIY, nontoxic, homemade toothpaste & mouthwash and started oil pulling.
My sensitive teeth are a thing of the past. Bye bye, Sensodyne!
Read more about my homemade toothpaste, mouthwash, and oil pulling:
What's in a Tooth Powder?
You can use any of these ingredients and mix & match them to make a custom tooth powder for your needs & flavor preference.
Activated Charcoal:
- The porous nature of activated charcoal allows it to absorb plaque and stains that discolor your teeth. By gently brushing with activated charcoal powder or using toothpaste infused with activated charcoal, you can effectively remove years of surface stains caused by coffee, tea, wine, and other common culprits. But don't worry about your teeth turning black – it doesn't leave any residue behind after you rinse.
- Learn more about activated charcoal here.
Baking Soda:
- Acidic pH levels in your mouth can weaken enamel and increase the presence of cavity causing bacteria. Baking soda will help balance pH levels.
- Baking soda is cleansing and freshening.
- Learn more about baking soda here.
Bentonite Clay:
- Bentonite clay comes from volcanic ash that has naturally occurring minerals and an electric charge. This electric charge attracts and draws out toxins, metals, & other impurities, resulting in an effective, gentle, & healing detox.
- Bentonite clay is mineral-rich and contains calcium, magnesium, and silica which strengthen and nourish teeth.
- Note: don't use metal bowls or utensils with bentonite clay.
- Learn more about bentonite clay here.
Calcium Carbonate:
- Calcium carbonate is calcium rich to strengthen and remineralize teeth plus may reduce sensitivity.
Finely Ground Salt:
- You can use any kind of salt you want but go for high mineral content to remineralize teeth.
- I prefer Himalayan or Sea Salt.
- Be sure it's finely ground so it's not too abrasive.
Xylitol:
- Xylitol is a sweetener that has been shown to prevent cavities, gingivitis, and plaque.
Optional Flavors:
Ground Herbs & Spices:
- Finely ground cinnamon, peppermint, turmeric, and/or clove add flavor and have herbal benefits.
- Learn more about turmeric here.
Essential Oils:
- My favorites include:
- Peppermint
- Spearmint
- Citrus Fresh (blend of citrus essential oils and spearmint)
- Lemon
- Clove
- Cinnamon
- Thieves (has clove, cinnamon, and lemon in the blend)
- Myrrh & Frankincense (traditionally, myrrh & frankincense resin were chewed as a gum to support oral health)
- Copaiba
- Orange
- Learn more about essential oils for oral health here.
- Learn how to get the best deals & coupon codes here.
Tooth Powder Recipe
- In a non-metal bowl and using non-metal utensils (metal shouldn't be used with bentonite clay), mix:
- 1/4 cup bentonite clay
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- 2 tablespoons calcium carbonate
- 2 teaspoons fine mineral salt
- 1 teaspoon activated charcoal (about 4 capsules if using capsules)
- 1 tablespoon xylitol
- Optional:
- 2-4 teaspoons dried herbs & spices (cinnamon, peppermint, turmeric, and/or clove)
- 10-20 drops essential oils of choice
- Be sure essential oils are mixed well so no clumps form
- You can adjust the amounts of each ingredient to fit your needs and flavor preference.
- Store in an air-tight non-metal container at room temperature.
- Dip your damp toothbrush in the container and brush & rinse normally.
- Can be combined with other dental care routines including diy toothpaste, oil pulling, and diy mouthwash.
Can I Spit Tooth Powder Down the Sink Drain?
I do not spit tooth powder down my sink drain, especially when I used bentonite clay in the recipe. Bentonite clay hardens as it dries and may cause buildup in your pipes. I brush my teeth, spit it in the trash, and then rinse my toothbrush and mouth normally in the sink.
More Posts on Holistic Oral Health:
- DIY Recipes
- Guides
- How to Use
- Essential Oils for Oral Health