This homemade toothpaste recipe is natural, frugal, and easy to make! Why buy clay toothpaste when you can make some at home in 5 minutes?! For a different flavor, try my Cinnamon Flavored Remineralizing Toothpaste Recipe.
Confession: I make homemade toothpaste because I’m a toothpaste snob.
I fell in love with Earthpaste after using it only once, and the whole family has been happily brushing their teeth with dirt ever since. In fact, we credit my husband’s beating gum disease to the clay.
I was so in love with all-natural Earthpaste and so against conventional toothpaste (because of the glycerin and fluoride), that I never wanted to go back and use the old stuff again. That was the moment when I decided to make homemade toothpaste that’s just like Earthpaste.
And if I’m going to make something myself, you know I’m going to find a way to do it quickly and frugally.
WHY MAKE HOMEMADE TOOTHPASTE?
Oral health improves your overall wellness, yet many mainstream oral care products have synthetic additives and harmful ingredients, like sodium lauryl sulfate, which we try to avoid. Artificial sweeteners and flavors, artificial colorings, and synthetic vitamins? No, thank you!
It saves money! The ingredients you purchase will last through several batches of toothpaste, and overall, you’ll be paying less per ounce than store-bought toothpaste, especially if you prefer natural toothpaste.
Reduce waste by using less packaging – see below for my tips on how to store your homemade toothpaste.
If you have kids, having them help mix up a batch might encourage them to brush their teeth more. I don’t know about your kids, but mine are more likely to use something they’ve helped make.
You get to choose the flavor. If you’re not a fan of peppermint, choose a different essential oil to flavor your toothpaste.
HOMEMADE CLAY TOOTHPASTE INGREDIENTS
So, what do you need to make homemade clay toothpaste? Luckily, this ingredient list is pretty short.
- Bentonite clay. You might be asking, why bentonite clay for teeth? Bentonite clay has so many amazing health benefits (you can read more about that HERE and ways to use it!). One of the benefits is the remineralizing effect clay has on your body (and teeth!).
- Distilled or boiled water that has cooled.
- Liquid stevia OR xylitol. Optional, to taste.
- Essential oils. Peppermint oil, lemon oil, or orange oil are good toothpaste flavors. Tea Tree Oil is okay, but I distinctly use Plant Therapy, which you can find on Amazon.
- Tiny pinch of salt.
Psst! If you’re going to add salt, I highly recommend Ava Jane’s Kitchen. You may think all salt is created equal, but unfortunately, 90% of the salt produced around the world contains microplastics (gross, right?). Ava Jane’s Kitchen is an exception. Their salt is 100% microplastic-free, and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a bag for just 1¢!! (Get your penny bag of salt on this page.)
HOW TO MAKE TOOTHPASTE INSTRUCTIONS
This homemade toothpaste comes together super fast! Here’s how to make toothpaste in 5 minutes.
Step 1: Combine 3 Tbsp of water with clay in a non-metal bowl and mix well using a non-metal spoon (the clay should never come in contact with any metals).
Step 2: Add stevia and 10 drops of desired essential vitality oil (peppermint, lemon, or orange). Mix well.
Step 3: Add a pinch of salt, mix well, and taste.
Step 4: Add additional stevia and/or essential oils and/or water to taste and texture, adding oils one drop at a time and water ½ Tbsp at a time.
Note: Wait 48 hours before making significant adjustments to the flavor. The flavors will meld together over time.
DIY TOOTHPASTE
The total cost of all-natural, homemade toothpaste (that’s just like Earthpaste) is $0.95 per ounce!
So far, the only downside I can see from making your own DIY toothpaste is the up-front cost of ingredients.
However, one 10 oz tub of bentonite clay can make over 34 batches of the recipe above and each 5 ml bottle of essential oil will make over 8 batches.
You will have enough ingredients on hand to make toothpaste for a while!
For a whitening formula, try this Activated Charcoal Tooth Powder Recipe!
Not a DIY Toothpaste kinda person?
That’s ok! Here are some natural toothpaste options that give you healthy, clean teeth and gums.
Earthpaste – this natural toothpaste is based on bentonite clay and contains no fluoride, glycerin, artificial colors, or foaming agents.
Primal Life Organics Toothpowder – formulated with cleansing, mineral-rich bentonite, kaolin, french green clays, and hydroxyapatite to clean, whiten, and remineralize your teeth!
STORING HOMEMADE BENTONITE CLAY TOOTHPASTE
We use this bentonite clay based toothpaste by simply dipping our brushes in one jar. However, if you’d prefer everyone to have their own containers, here are a few options:
- Mini Plastic Pots: These are about the size of a single eyeshadow container and take the issue out of sharing one bigger jar. One batch will fill 2-3 pots, depending on how well you pack it in.
- Reusable Plastic Tubes: These allow you to squeeze the toothpaste out, instead of dipping it into a jar. Each holds 3 oz, so roughly one batch of toothpaste per tube.
- Small Glass Jars: Each jar is 4 oz, so one batch of toothpaste fills each about halfway. This is what I use personally since each jar can serve many functions beyond the bathroom.
- Mini Glass Jars: Similar to what we use, except that each jar is only 2 oz and comes with a plastic lid. Perfect for those concerned about the clay touching metal, and traveling!
HOMEMADE TOOTHPASTE RECIPE FAQS
What is the best homemade toothpaste?
Give my homemade toothpaste recipe a try! You won’t regret it. This recipe is natural and simple and will clean your teeth without all those unnecessary ingredients.
What can I use if I don’t have toothpaste?
If you run into a situation where you don’t have any toothpaste, don’t worry! You can use just baking soda: just dip your toothbrush into the baking soda and brush as usual with a simple baking soda toothpaste.
Can I use salt to brush my teeth?
Table salt shouldn’t be used for brushing teeth since it would be too harsh and can damage your enamel. However, sea salt works well! You can dip your toothbrush into the salt, or you can dilute the sea salt with water (If you are concerned with the abrasiveness.)
Can I use coconut oil in my own homemade toothpaste?
I thought it would be super cool to make homemade toothpaste with coconut oil, so my first batch included it plus clay, peppermint essential oil, and salt. The flavor wasn’t bad, but it made for a really weird brushing experience, because coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so you can’t just dip your toothbrush into the jar and go. It also made for a weird texture in my mouth during brushing. Instead of worrying about the temperature of our toothpaste, we stuck with our own toothpaste in this post.
This toothpaste is amazing and so cheap and simple to make…Even our 3 year old uses it. I was going to buy lemon EO to put in it for him like the kids version of Earthpaste, so had just mixed it up plain for him and waiting to order the oil…well, I saw him opening the container so figured we’d go ahead without it. He had just been to the dentist and anxious to use his new brush…well, he hasn’t complained yet. He thinks it is cool that he gets to spit! And well, it isn’t so tasty that he wants to swallow it either. So guess we’ll stick with plain redmond clay paste for him! Oh and we don’t put in any sweetener…I bought a big bag of xylitol and the mice got into the bag before I could use it.. so we’ve gotten used to it without it being sweet too. Redmond clay, water, peppermint essential oil and a little pink Himalayan salt and we’re good to go! The dentist is amazed how my teeth/gums fared through pregnancy too. They even were able to clean my teeth fast while Jenna was strapped to me in the ergo a couple of weeks ago. Haha #dontwastethecrumbs
I love this Jamie!! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Tiffany! I love following your blog and all your tips, recipes, etc.. Appreciate all your hard work and sharing with us your knowledge!
Thank you for reading Jamie! ♥
Hi Tiffany,
I just made the earth paste. My earth paste came out in a lump, your photo like much lighter, fluffy ? Was I suppose to heat up the distilled water? I also read somewhere the bentonite clay gets foamy, is that why your earth paste looks better than mine :). I used it but did end up spitting out little chunks of the paste. Can you give me any advise for my next batch? Thank you!
Hi Kit! Add more water – the clay absorbs it CRAZY fast. And you’ll have to stir for what feels like forever to get it smooth (using a hard spatula against the side of a bowl is best). My clay has never gotten foamy before… so I’m not sure what to suggest there!
I was wondering if you can mix in some bamboo charcoal (I can’t do coconut. One of the main reasons why I’m here on your page!) or would that react to anything in the recipe? If it’s a “yes,” what brand would you recommend and how much per batch? Also, would it be weird to do Grapefruit Vitality or Lavender Vitality? And lastly, can you skip the salt (I avoid sodium like the plague because of health issues) and/or the sweetener (It’s toothpaste, not candy. I just need it to do its job)? Thanks!
Hey Gerik! Yes you can mix in bamboo charcoal, but I don’t have a brand to recommend. 🙁 I’d add 1-2 tsp per batch, adjusting as desired. No it wouldn’t be weird to add either Vitality oil! And yes, you can skip the salt!! You’re very welcome!
I’ve been making this for over a year now and when re-reading today for measurements, I don’t see an amount for tea tree oil. Am I missing something?
Hey Galadriel – Young Living doesn’t offer a vitality version of tea tree oil, therefore I cannot recommend ingesting.
What do you think about adding about 10 drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract as a pre-biotic?
Or Grape Seed Extract, which is a oligomeric proanthocyanidin, which has been shown to help prevent tooth decay? NaturalHealth365 has an article on Grape Seed Extract and oligomeric proanthocyanidins help in the strengthening of dentin.
I’m thinking about making this recipe with one or both of these ingredients but have no clue on how much to use.
I haven’t heard of Grapefruit Seed Extract LC, and honestly wouldn’t know how to use it. I’d definitely do more research before jumping in!
I have to watch my sodium so I want to stay away from any salt use. Would it still work without that addition? I love my Young Living Oils and can’t wait to make my own toothpaste. This recipe sounds great!
Thanks,
Mandy
It definitely will Mandy!
Hi Tiffany. For a long time I’ve bee wanting to use more natural products but I’m only 16 and stay with my parents. They don’t like having to spend more for organic so I try to make my own things. Cavities has always been an issue for me and I’ve been searching for a remineralizing toothpaste recipe for a while now. I’ve got a ton of bentonite clay so this recipe is perfect. Only thing is I don’t have any sweeteners and essential oils have a really bitter taste to me. Do you think it will still work with a little less of the essential oil?
Hi Minty! Yes, you can use less EO and actually, you can leave it out if you’d like. We used plain bentonite clay when I didn’t have time to make a new batch and while it’s flavorless, it still does the job!
I used to apply tea tree oil directly to my receding gums until I read it was poisonous; but I never once got sick. Maybe you have to ingest more than a few drops like with fluoride.
This article may be of interest to you; explains why you get cavities even if you don’t eat sweets; I am going to try Redmonds Earthpaste once a day & the miracle soap once a day & see if it helps my receding gums; will let you know if I get good results: See: fixyourteeth.org and then click: how to have healthy teeth; it is an article by Dr. Judd
Could you use white kaolin clay?
I’ve never used that type of clay before Donna, so I honestly can’t say.
Thanks for you quick response. I’ll give it a try and see what happens 😁
ACK!! So I was just making a double batch of peppermint and accidentally used a metal measuring cup to measure the clay! I did use a plastic knife to stir it though. 😉
Is it the end of the world? Or was it so fast that it was like it touching all my fillings while brushing? This is one mom who can’t seem to multitask without making an error. lol
Blessings,
Christy
Hi Wiffy! No, it’s certainly not the end of the world. 🙂 I think your viewpoint of it being so fast, it’s like touching your fillings, is perfectly fine. Just don’t store the clay in a metal container. 😉
Thank you so much! I really appreciate your response. It sure is easy to make. I made a double batch of orange and peppermint and will make one more double batch of peppermint as I have a couple of teens who are digging in their heels. 🙂
Thanks again,
Christy
Hi! I was just making another batch and it took me 20 minutes to find the comment on 1/2 tsp of xylitol that someone mentioned. I will mark it on my recipe but knowing me, I will lose it and be searching again. I noticed several people asked how much xylitol to use and nobody had a specific measurement to try. If anyone uses a different measurement than 1/2 tsp. please reply. 🙂
I love this recipe!! It took a few days to get used to but we love it. My husband uses lemon flavor and I used grapefruit the first time around and this time I am making peppermint for me and one daughter and orange for another daughter before I yank their storebought tubes. 😉
Thanks so much for this post!!
Blessings,
Christy
SO excited to try this! I just can’t move on from Earthpaste, simple ingredients, good taste and results, but that price just keeps rising!!! I do have one question, I’ve never made toothpaste but was kind of the search for a powder comparable to Earthpaste. Would this work the same with no water if oils are mixed in with powdered Xylitol and the clay and then allowed to dry before storing? Will they even mix well? Have you done this as a powder? (My want for a powder is that I think it will keep hubby from using so dang much toothpaste!)
Hi Amy! Do you mean making a tooth powder instead of tooth paste? I haven’t done this myself, BUT I’ve done something similar with homemade powdered foundation and it worked just fine! Again, I haven’t done this myself, but if you have the clay and xylitol in a bowl and then add the oils and then mix REALLY well, you shouldn’t end up with any clump (and if so, break them up and keep mixing). You’ve given me inspiration to try this though – good timing too, I’m almost out of toothpaste!
I made several different versions of homemade tooth scrubbers. Coconut oil was just too weird for us and large quantities of baking soda left my teeth sensitive. Our current tooth powder has been working really well, but my husband still missed a paste version.
I ran across your recipe and added 1 tsp of baking soda and 2 T of calcium carbonate, since I had it and since my husband is concerned about too much bentonite clay in our drains. It is TERRIFIC! We both love it. Thank you for this recipe!
You’re so welcome Amy! Glad you found a recipe that your family likes!
As a fellow toothpaste snob, I am excited to make this! I’ve cleaned up nearly every other aspect of my health/beauty routine, but my toothpaste definitely needs an upgrade. I go to my local Earth Fare when I’ve got a little extra spending money and buy whichever natural toothpaste is on sale. I really liked Earthpaste, but when the price went back up I switched to Dr. Bronner’s. But like you, I am not a fan of glycerin!
I plan on buying the bentonite clay from the bulk section at Earth Fare, and I just need to get my hands on some xylitol! I’ve heard of the amazing dental health benefits from birch xylitol so I am eager to incorporate that. I already make my own deodorant so I can’t wait for the look on my boyfriend’s face when I add yet another jar of homemade stuff to my health/beauty routine 🙂
Hi, what about crowns? I have three…..what happens if the clay is in contact with metal?
Does anybody know if the clay can dry out your mouth? My mouth has been really dry after switching to this. I have never used other than regular toothpaste before, so I was also wondering if I just need to get used to it? I have used this homemade one for about a week now. Any help would be much appreciated!
Hi Josh – maybe someone else can chime in with their experience, but we’ve never experienced dry mouth. Are you using the recipe as-written? If so, try making a tiny tiny amount of just clay + water to see if that alleviates the issue (be sure to give it a few days). If so, it could be the essential oils.
The one thing I added was Calcium Carbonate – maybe that is causing it? Good idea – process of elimination. I’ll try that and see.
Thanks for the advice Melanie!
Just made this for the first time this morning. Although I’ve never used Earth Paste, I am a big fan of Tom’s, but not the price tag! I have to say, if you can get past the color, this is awesome! I loved the play or, texture, cost and especially the way my mouth and teeth felt after brushing! Thanks for sharing your recipe, I’m sure this will be used in my house for a long time!
You’re so welcome Debi! I admit too, the color was the weirdest part for us. And the no sudsing. But after years of making our own, we’d never go back!!
Is this recipe with the clay powder or actual clay?
Sara – the clay is a powder, so in this recipe you’re using the clay. If you see it in a state that resembles toothpaste, then it’s hydrated clay. 🙂
Thanks for the recipe, I should try this.
Just one questions about the use of essential oils (peppermint, lemon, orange)…. What’s their function in toothpaste? If it’s only for flavour, I’ll be happy to skip them (as they can be expensive….)
Is there any benefit contributed by essential oils (other than flavour)?
Thank you!
Hi Grace! The oils are there for flavor, but they do have other properties as well. Citrus is known for whitening, especially lemon. Peppermint and clove/cinnamon are known for antiseptic and antibacterial.
What is the shelf life if this? I tried looking through the comments to see if you had already answered this. I couldnt find an answer, so sorry if you have already answered this question!
No problem Hunter! I make a new batch every couple months or so? It lasts longer for sure though. If it dried out, add water. Clay will continue absorb it, so drying out over time is normal.
Would this work in a reusable silicone tube?
It should Anna!