Saturday, March 31, 2012

homemade toothpaste.

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I've been pretty into making things myself lately. Initially as a strategy to save money but as a healthy measure for my family as I continue to learn more disturbing information. I'm going to try not to rant here... but oh my gosh... there are millions of things that millions of Americans do daily that are detrimental to their health. It's absurd.

I've heard that people make toothpaste. Cool.. I'll make toothpaste too. But why? Yes, it is by far cheaper. And... a billion times healthier. Here is a little information about why the toothpaste you most likely brushed your teeth today may be harming you and is probably, actually, HARMING YOUR TEETH.

Most toothpastes and hygiene products foam, right? Foaming and soapy suds make us think that something is working to make us more clean. You wash your hair and it doesn't get all foamy so you add more soap, right? Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is what does that.

SLS is one of those crazy things that can be found in many products in your home in small doses but that can also be used for completely different things in very large amounts. SLS is used to clean oil spills. It's in bubble bath. In shampoo. In toothpaste.

Have you ever noticed that many hygiene products say to flush your eyes out with water if you accidentally get it in your eye? Have you ever had your shampoo or face wash get into your eye and cause it to get red and sting? Thats the SLS. SLS is known to be a harmful skin irritant and can actually cause damage to the mucous membranes in your eye. Yuck. It is also known to be toxic to the liver and kidneys, it can be deadly to fish and aquatic animals (good thing we're washing it down our drains daily!), and is listed as a hazard by the National Institute of Health. It's (big surprise!) known to cause eczema and other skin problems as well as mouth ulcers (canker sores).

You may find that some of your hygiene products say that they're free of SLS because people are getting smart and learning to avoid certain harsh chemicals. However they most likely contain equally terrible things such as Sodium Laureth Sulphate and Ammonium Lauryl Sulphate.. which don't seem to be any better. So read the label and educate yourself about what you're reading.

Cases of sensitive teeth and mouth cancers on the rise... Wonder why? Of course many things can be playing into those issues but putting chemicals in your mouth and inevitably ingesting a little can't be helpful, can it?

Most toothpastes contain artificial colors and flavors - neither of which are healthy or even close to natural. Both of which are very bad for you, especially for children. If you don't know anything about what artificial colors do I strongly encourage you to do some research, especially if you have children.

So I poked around and found some very convincing evidence of tooth decay and enamel problems being slowed, stopped, and even reversed in people of all ages after switching to a homemade, safe, and natural toothpaste.

I picked out a pretty simple recipe to start with. If this goes well I may keep it, experiment with changing the taste, or try one of the more complicated recipes out there.

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Easy Homemade Toothpaste:
5 Tablespoons Baking Soda
4 Tablespoons Organic Coconut Oil
10 Drops Organic Peppermint Oil
optional: a pinch of Xylitol to make it sweeter


Mix the ingredients together, apply to your toothbrush, and brush away!

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Remember.. it won't foam. But that's a good thing! :)

After brushing my teeth felt so squeaky clean and I was left with a refreshing peppermint aftertaste. The baking soda taste may be overpowering to some - simply add more peppermint oil or xylitol if this is the case.

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Did you know about what harm your toothpaste could be causing? Do you use natural toothpaste or make your own?

1 comment:

  1. I made up this recipe today - it's fantastic! My teeth feel squeaky clean ^_^ Thanks for sharing

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