This homemade turmeric toothpaste is not only remineralising your teeth, it’s whitening them at the same time! The secret ingredient? Turmeric.
Yeah, I know, turmeric stains everything yellow. But trust me, it leaves you with whiter teeth! No need to use harsh chemicals to bring your teeth back to their original white—it's all 100% natural ingredients!
Contents
Making your own whitening toothpaste is super easy and you don’t even need that many ingredients!! This is the natural way to white teeth!
If this is your first time making natural toothpaste, look at my comprehensive beginner's 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.
- Bentonite clay
- Coconut oil
- organic turmeric powder
- essential oils (optional)
(see recipe card for quantities)
All the ingredients are beneficial for your oral hygiene and have many oral health benefits. We're going deeper into that in a minute!
Baking Soda: There are a few different recipes on how to make turmeric toothpaste. Some like it as simple as plain coconut oil and turmeric, and maybe even some bicarb/baking soda.
I’m personally not a big fan of baking soda because I think it’s too abrasive and it might even attack and damage the tooth enamel.
I prefer using bentonite clay instead as one of the active ingredients. It just makes it easier to apply to your toothbrush than runny oil.
Another reason why I love using bentonite clay is that it’s also rich in minerals (particularly in calcium which is very important for our teeth) and has the ability to remove toxins and metals at the same time.
Bentonite Clay Benefits
- rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium, silica, sodium, copper, iron and potassium
- remineralises your teeth
- cleansing and detoxing properties
- binds toxins and metals
Bentonite clay is formed from volcanic ashes and can be found in rivers as well as along the coastlines. Depending on its origin and its formation, it is composed of different amounts of nutrients—but it’s always rich in minerals, no matter what.
Bentonite clay is rich in minerals like Calcium, Magnesium, Silica, Sodium, Copper, Iron and Potassium which will help our teeth to remineralise.
Remineralisation simply means that we strengthen our teeth by reducing or eliminating bad bacteria or other harmful baddies floating around our mouth and providing the teeth with essential minerals to rebuild the tooth enamel.
Because of its electromagnetic ionic charge (normally negatively), bentonite clay also has cleansing and detoxifying properties. Its power is “activated” by adding water (or saliva). The clay then acts like a sponge or a magnet absorbing everything that is harmful (like metals and toxins).
Where to Get?
You can buy it online (affiliate link). Or in Australia and New Zealand for example, you often find it in bulk shops as well as in health food shops.
I know in Europe, it’s not that easily accessible. Online might be your only way to get it. If you can’t find it at all, you might want to check out these alternatives below.
Coconut Oil Benefits
- anti-microbial
- antibacterial properties
- prevents plaque and may even reduce it
- has tooth-whitening properties
- may reduce tooth decay and signs of gum disease
Coconut oil has many benefits and is scientifically proven to be particularly helpful for oral care. It reduces harmful bacteria and plaque buildup, fights gingivitis and can prevent tooth decay.
The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are anti-microbial which means they attack harmful bacteria and other micro-organisms blocking them from growing and expanding!
It’s even said that coconut oil can reverse tooth decay and signs of gum disease. Some studies have shown that it reduces plaque, may get rid of surface stains and even prevents new buildup.
Especially, when used in oil pulling (a traditional Indian oral hygiene practice), coconut oil combats periodontal disease and helps with gum inflammation.
The only (maybe) annoying thing about coconut oil is that it liquefies at 24°C/76°F (and solidifies below this temperature). This can be quite a pain when you want to make this turmeric paste for a tube (FYI).
Turmeric Benefits
- teeth whitening properties
- anti-inflammatory
- anti-microbial
- has a distinct/strong taste
There is no scientific evidence to prove that turmeric has a whitening effect on our teeth. It’s rather anecdotally known.
Nevertheless, turmeric is a great ingredient for your toothpaste anyway! Besides its whitening effect, it has medicinal properties that may help with certain dental issues.
Turmeric is anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial which is great for a healthy mouth and beneficial for dental care.
My personal experience: My teeth aren’t deep yellow but not bright white either. So, when I was using turmeric for some time, I noticed my teeth turning a shade whiter.
But I think our diet and habits play a more important role when it comes to tooth surface stains and discolourations! Like smoking, drinking coffee/tea or lacking in nutrients.
I recommend using organic turmeric powder (affiliate link). Conventional turmeric powder might still have some chemical residue.
Or you might wanna try turmeric essential oil. It's the curcumin found in turmeric that has the whitening effect and the oil also contains it.
Essential Oils
- 100% natural (preferably using high quality (maybe even therapeutic grade) oils)
- promote fresh breath (peppermint and clove in particular)
- anti-bacterial
- anti-microbial
- anti-inflammatory
Essential oils aren’t necessary for this turmeric toothpaste recipe but they’ll add a lot of value and 'flavour' to it.
Depending on what you’re looking for, you can choose an essential oil that additionally cleanses, soothes and/or fights bad breath.
Since they are highly concentrated, you only need a few drops and should always dilute them with a carrier oil (in this recipe, it’s the coconut oil—or your alternative).
Great oils to use in your turmeric toothpaste: peppermint, spearmint, lime, lemon, cinnamon and clove (affiliate links).
I love using cinnamon and clove essential oil in combination with turmeric—it’s kinda like a golden chai taste whenever I brush my teeth.
If you choose these 2 oils just make sure you’re only using a few drops! Cinnamon and clove are considered strong oils. For this recipe, 3 drops each should be plenty.
Instructions
Preferably, don't use any metal utensils because of bentonite clay’s absorptive properties. Wood, plastic or glass bowls and spoons are better.
Step 1. In a bowl (wood, plastic or glass) mix bentonite clay and turmeric with a spoon or spatula (also, wood, plastic, glass or silicone).
Step 2. Now add melted coconut oil. If using an essential oil add your preferred amount of drops to one of the tablespoons of oil before mixing it in.
Step 3. Mix until everything is well incorporated and no lumps are left. If the toothpaste seems too crumbly, add more oil. If too runny, add more clay.
Step 4. Pour the turmeric toothpaste into a 60ml / 2oz container. A little glass jar works best, I find.
Substitutions
Bentonite Clay: Green clay (food grade or superfine), Calcium Carbonate, OR calcium carbonate in combination with activated charcoal.
Coconut oil: fractionated coconut oil (if you need a liquid oil and don't want to miss out on the benefits of coconut oil), olive oil, sesame oil (has a strong taste though. Always use organic, cold-pressed!!)
Turmeric: Another great natural whitening agent is activated charcoal. If turmeric doesn't work for you give it a try. Here's my activated charcoal recipe!
Storage
You can store this DIY turmeric toothpaste in a small glass jar or a container. When using clay, 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 recipe and their expiry date.
Benefits of Natural Toothpaste
DIY toothpaste (including this turmeric toothpaste) refrains from the use of harsh chemicals that may come with a bunch of side effects.
Regular toothpaste contains harmful, toxic ingredients such as the harsh chemical sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or heavy metals.
Conventional whitening toothpaste often contains a chemical called hydrogen peroxide[1]. The higher the content, the greater the whitening power. Even though the chemical passes easily through the tooth enamel without harming it, it does cause tooth sensitivities.
The main ingredient in this DIY 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.
Warnings & Safety
If any irritations occur, please stop using this homemade turmeric toothpaste.
Turmeric stains everything, so just be a bit careful when you're making the toothpaste or when you brush your teeth, so you don't spill anything on your clothes. The stain should come out with washing the clothes (it happened to me before and it was alright).
Please note that the whitening effect of turmeric is only anecdotal. There isn't scientific evidence for it, yet.
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- Preferably, don't use any metal utensils because of bentonite clay’s absorptive properties. Wood, plastic or glass bowl and spoon are better.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon bentonite clay food grade
- 3 tablespoon coconut oil melted
- 1-2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 10-20 drops essential oils see notes
Instructions
- If your coconut oil isn't liquid already, melt it in the microwave or over the stove top.
- In a bowl (wood, plastic or glass) mix bentonite clay and turmeric with a spoon or spatula (also, wood, plastic, glass or silicone).
- Now add liquid coconut oil. If using essential oils (see notes) add your preferred amount of drops to one of the tablespoons of oil before mixing it in.
- Mix until everything is well incorporated and no lumps are left. If the toothpaste seems too crumbly, add more oil. If too runny, add more clay.
- Store in a 60ml / 2oz container. A little glass jar works best, I find.
Notes
Little warning. As I said, turmeric stains everything. So when you brush your teeth with it, be careful not to drop it on your clothes. It may stain them (yup, happened to me, but fortunately, it came out).
Kristina says
Hi, thank- you I have tried your recipe but only have two questions/concerns: first of all should my teeth feel gritty after using? And secondly, coconut oil blocks drains when it hardens at room temperature, how do you manage this issue?
Thanks, Kristina
Lavender Gypsy says
Hi Kristina, I'm sorry for my late response! No, your teeth shouldn't feel gritty. What grind size is your bentonite clay (if using)? It's important that it's food grade, and not cosmetic grade. The finer, the better. And concerning the coconut oil, yes, there is that problem. I'm travelling and moving a lot so I don't live in one place for very long and never bother about it. To manage this issue though, which might only be an issue in winter or in cold climates, actually, I recommend using fractionated coconut oil or olive oil instead. Or after brushing your teeth you can run some hot water down the drain to prevent the oil from hardening in your pipes. I hope this helps you a bit. All the best, Julia