This homemade DIY toothpaste powder is remineralising, 100% natural and chemical-free! Use the power of herbs, clay, spices and many more!
Usually, I make my own toothpaste adding coconut oil to these dry, powdered ingredients. But for travelling, it’s so much more convenient to just take this DIY toothpaste powder (no risk of spilling!).
Contents
You also don’t need much time to mix the ingredients together. It’s easy, fool-proof and adaptable! Make it your way, with ingredients you like!
I’ve got a comprehensive guide about making your own homemade toothpaste here on my blog if you’re a total beginner! I go a bit more in-depth about the different ingredients you can use plus why you should switch to homemade toothpaste and ditch the conventional!
And if you want to even dive deeper into natural oral care, make sure to check out my information-packed Holistic Oral Care Guide.
Ingredients
Affiliate Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. That means I may earn a small commission, if you purchase the linked product, at no extra cost for you.
Here’s a list of natural ingredients you can add—you choose! The recipe at the bottom of this post will give you a rough idea of how much to use.
- Clay (bentonite clay, French green clay, kaolin clay)
- calcium carbonate (calcium powder) *(!)
- bicarb/baking soda *(!)
- salt
- xylitol
- powdered herbs (sage, peppermint)
- ground spices (cinnamon, clove, turmeric)
- activated charcoal *(!)
- essential oils *(!)
*(!) Caution with this ingredient: please read the explanations below before adding it to your own tooth powder!
Clay
Clay is incredibly nutrient-rich, especially in minerals, which are needed to remineralise your teeth (of course, it’s always best to get minerals from your diet, mind).
Eating the wrong foods (like sugar!) or any habitual jaw “activity” (like clenching) contribute to (slowly) destructing our enamel making it easier for bacteria to find their way in.
So, clay may help remineralise your teeth, rebuilding the protective layer, aka enamel, so there are fewer chances of getting cavities.
Also, clay attracts and absorbs all those baddies (metals, toxins) in your mouth, kinda like a magnet. Once absorbed, they won’t be released.
You can use bentonite clay (the most popular clay), French green clay (buy it on amazon or iherb) or kaolin clay. ALWAYS choose “food grade” (not cosmetic or other) or “super/ultra fine” to avoid abrasion.
Calcium Carbonate
Calcium Carbonate (buy it on amazon or iherb) is a calcium powder that was used for cleaning a lot back in the day. It may help whiten your teeth by removing plaque.
Plus, it’s pure calcium which is the mineral our teeth need (teeth are just like our bones!). Just like clay, it may help remineralise your teeth.
CAUTION: calcium carbonate can be quite aggressive and abrasive. Use with caution, gently brush your teeth with it, and perhaps, don’t add more than 1 tablespoon.
Bicarb/Baking Soda
Baking soda is similar to calcium carbonate. It removes plaque leaving your teeth whiter. However, baking soda is also a very active ingredient.
CAUTION: baking soda is abrasive and may destroy your tooth enamel. I know, many toothpastes—homemade or store-bought—use this ingredient, however, I think it’s way too aggressive, and too active. You decide though. Your teeth, your decision!
Salt
Sea salt creates a temporary alkaline environment in our mouths that hinders bacteria to grow and flourish. Also, salt may relieve any toothaches or inflamed gums.
Xylitol
Studies have shown that xylitol prevents bacteria from growing and flourishing in your mouth. It may reduce the number of decay-causing bacteria so that fewer plaque forms, thus fewer cavities and tooth decay.
Also, xylitol is a sugar-free sweetener, so you can make your natural tooth powder sweeter :). Buy it here, on amazon or iherb. For better use and absorption, I grind xylitol into a fine powder.
Powdered Herbs
When I make my own tooth powder, I prefer using herbs (powdered) instead of essential oils. I just find they blend in much better plus, more importantly, essential oils actually have to be diluted with a carrier oil which we don’t add, obviously.
I reckon, leave out the oils when making a tooth powder and use dried herbs instead! Peppermint and sage (always choose organic!) are great herbs to add because they’re both anti-bacterial and have healing properties promoting healthy teeth.
Spices
Ground cinnamon, clove and turmeric are all anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial thus highly beneficial in our homemade tooth powder.
Turmeric may also whiten your teeth! I know it sounds counter-intuitive to add something yellow to make something white, right? But it does work (I think, from my experience).
CAUTION: ground cinnamon may irritate the gums. Only use a little bit.
Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal is an active whitening ingredient that works similarly to clay: It draws out all those toxins due to its electrical charge.
CAUTION: a few things to keep in mind. Charcoal can be quite messy and stains a lot. Some people also tend to brush their teeth a bit more excessively because of the black residue that can be left behind. Always brush your teeth gently to avoid unnecessary abrasion!!
VERY IMPORTANT: Charcoal is a very active ingredient and you shouldn’t use more than ½ teaspoon (in the recipe, see below).
And, it’s always a good idea not to add this ingredient to your homemade tooth powder every single time. Maybe leave it out every second time you make it, giving your teeth to recalibrate.
Essential Oils
Essential oils are anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, soothing, anti-microbial and fight bad breath (especially peppermint oil and clove oil). Because we’re not using any oil in this recipe, we won’t be able to dilute them.
It’s always recommended to dilute essential oils! So, if you do want to add them, here are a few things to consider.
- First, don’t add too many drops. Keep it minimal.
- Second, don’t use any strong oils like cinnamon or clove oil.
- Third, if you react to them, immediately stop using this DIY toothpaste powder or add coconut oil turning it into a natural toothpaste.
Instructions
How to make this DIY toothpaste powder
Very easy, very simple. Simply mix all ingredients together and store them in a small, recycled glass jar!
If using clay or activated charcoal, it may be a good idea not to use any metal utensils as this may neutralise/irritate the electronic charge of the clay thus, it won’t absorb the toxins.
How to use this DIY toothpaste powder
Two ways to do this. One is to dip your wet toothbrush into the powder making sure it's well covered. The other one is using your finger.
Wet your finger and cover it with your homemade tooth powder. Rub it (with your finger) over your teeth and gums and keep it in your mouth for about half a minute before you start to brush your teeth.
Storage
You can store this remineralizing tooth powder in a small, recycled glass jar or a container. When using clay or activated charcoal, make sure not to use anything with metal (like tin cans).
The shelf life is fairly long. It depends on the ingredients you choose from this homemade tooth powder recipe and their expiry date.
If using ground herbs and spices, the shelf life will be around one year as they will lose their power and beneficial properties over time.
Benefits of Natural Toothpaste
Homemade toothpaste (including this natural tooth powder) refrains from the use of harsh chemicals that may cause a multitude of problems with your oral health.
Commercial toothpastes contain harmful, toxic ingredients such as the harsh chemical sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or heavy metals.
The main ingredient in this DIY tooth powder recipe is clay which has plenty of benefits for our oral hygiene, gum health and dental health.
For more information, refer to my homemade toothpaste guide where you'll find the details about the health benefits as well as a list of harmful chemicals used in regular toothpaste.
Safety & Warnings
Several ingredients are active and abrasive which may cause damage to the tooth enamel. Especially, when you have sensitive teeth.
These ingredients are activated charcoal, calcium carbonate and baking soda. Always use these with caution, and less is more! Ground cinnamon may irritate gums.
Be careful using essential oils as we are not diluting them. It may be a better idea to use ground, and dried herbs instead.
If any irritations occur (ulcers, inflamed gums or tongue), stop using this homemade tooth powder immediately.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp bentonite clay food grade, or French green clay, kaolin clay
- 1 tbsp xylitol
- 1 tsp peppermint leaf powder organic, or sage
- ¼-½ tsp salt fine rock or sea salt
Optional Add-Ins (see notes)
- 1 tbsp calcium carbonate *
- 1 tbsp bicarb/baking soda *
- ½ tsp turmeric and/or clove
- ¼ tsp cinnamon *
- ¼-½ tsp activated charcoal *
- 3-5 drops essential oils *
Instructions
- Simply mix all ingredients together and store the toothpowder in a small, recycled jar!
- If using clay or activated charcoal, it may be a good idea not to use any metal utensils as this may neutralise/irritate the electronic charge.
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