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Closeup of tooth powder on a bamboo toothbrush. In the background theres a glass jar filled with the homemade tooth powder.

DIY Tooth Powder

Last Modified: March 1, 2020 // by Kelly Hancock, RDH // February 13, 2020 I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this post. Learn more here.

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More sustainable than commercial toothpaste, tooth powders effectively clean your teeth. They're simple to make, help save you money, and by making your own, you control the ingredients. #toothpaste #toothpowder #naturalhealth #thethingswellmake #miy #oralcare #oralhealth
More sustainable than commercial toothpaste, tooth powders effectively clean your teeth. They're simple to make, help save you money, and by making your own, you control the ingredients. #toothpaste #toothpowder #naturalhealth #thethingswellmake #miy #oralcare #oralhealth

More sustainable than commercial toothpaste, tooth powders effectively clean your teeth. They’re simple to make, help save you money, and by making your own, you control the ingredients.

Closeup of tooth powder on a bamboo toothbrush. In the background theres a glass jar filled with the homemade tooth powder.
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Table of contents

  1. Why make your own toothpaste powder?
    1. Ingredients
      1. How to use tooth powder
        1. Video
          1. Recipe
            1. Customizing the recipe
              1. Final thoughts

                For many years now, I’ve been brushing my own teeth with a variety of homemade toothpastes. For some reason, though, I put off trying to make or use a tooth powder until more recently.

                Perhaps I thought it would be uncomfortable to use. (It isn’t.) Or maybe I thought it would feel grainy and unpleasant. (It doesn’t.)

                When my naturopath gifted me a tooth powder to try out towards the end of last year (and, yes, she knew my history of being a dentist), I decided it was time to test it.

                I used it until I ran out and have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. I wanted to make more.

                So, when I met Kelly Hancock, RDH of Toothbrush Life, around that time, I thought it would be fun to challenge her to make a tooth powder for my readers. It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for a while now.

                She jumped at the opportunity and quickly sent over a recipe and an article to share with you. I made it myself and have to say I love it! I have since customized the recipe and will give you my thoughts and ideas for customizations. First, though, let me leave you with Kelly’s article…

                Why make your own toothpaste powder?

                It’s important to know what you put in your body. If you make your own toothpaste powder, you will stay in control of all of the ingredients used.

                Avoid toxic ingredients

                No extra stuff, no fluff, no extra additives or harmful chemicals.

                There are some chemicals in regular over-the-counter toothpaste that have been deemed harmful and cause many people health issues.

                SLS

                One common ingredient that people often have reactions to is SLS, or sodium lauryl sulfate. This is a surfactant or synthetic detergent. It’s what makes your toothpaste foam up. It can also cause tissue sloughing and mouth ulcers.

                Triclosan

                Another toxic ingredient sometimes included in commercial toothpaste is Triclosan. Triclosan, a bactericide, has been linked to concerns over antibiotic resistance. It is also an endocrine disruptor that has been shown to affect thyroid function and impair muscle function (including that of the heart).

                FDA stance on triclosan

                The FDA no longer allows for the use of triclosan in most home care products like hand soaps. They do, however, allow it in toothpaste, despite the studies that show its negative health implications, because it has been shown to improve gingivitis in some patients.

                Are you willing to risk your health to maybe slightly improve gingivitis? (When you can make changes in your oral care to improve gingivitis without those health risks?)

                More sustainable

                If you make your own toothpaste powder, not only will you have a safer toothpaste, but you will also be helping the environment.

                Think of how many tubes of toothpaste you go through in a year. Tooth powder can be stored in a glass jar. No more plastic waste.

                Save money

                Once you’ve bought the inexpensive ingredients needed for making toothpaste, you can make many batches. That means you can save a lot of money over buying commercial toothpaste or tooth powder.

                Tracy’s comment

                Another great reason to make a homemade tooth powder is that there is no need to add a preservative. It has a very long shelf life. There is no need to worry about microbial growth. (This is the main concern when making a homemade water-based toothpaste.)
                Because no water is added, no preservative is needed. (You can read more about when and why to use preservatives in my beginner’s guide to natural preservatives.)
                Be careful not to contaminate the tooth powder with water when using it.
                To keep the toothpowder contaminant-free, consider spooning up a small amount of the powder onto a clean spoon and loading it onto your brush from there. Using a damp toothbrush, rather than a dripping wet one, may also help.

                Ingredients

                Making your own tooth powder is simple and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients.

                A wooden spoon full of baking soda held over a glass jar filled with baking soda.
                Baking soda

                Baking soda

                Baking soda breaks up stain molecules, helping to lift stains off of the teeth. That makes it an effective cleanser and natural teeth whitener. It also neutralizes the pH in the mouth which helps prevent tooth decay.

                You may have heard that baking soda is really abrasive and damaging to teeth, but that is completely false. Baking soda is actually the second-lowest of the tooth cleansers that have been evaluated on the RDA scale.

                What is the RDA Scale?

                The RDA scale, or relative dentin abrasion scale, is a tool used to help dentists and patients know how abrasive different tooth powders or toothpastes are.

                Baking soda’s RDA value is only 7 on a scale of 0-250. 0-70 is understood as low abrasive and 151-250 is regarded as harmful. The only thing with a lower abrasive rating on the RDA scale is plain water on a toothbrush.

                Baking soda’s low abrasiveness and ability to clean the teeth so well make it a great ingredient for homemade toothpaste or toothpowders.

                A wooden spoon full of xylitol held over a jar of xylitol
                Xylitol

                Xylitol

                Xylitol is a natural sweetener. Other sweeteners that are added to commercial toothpaste have been shown to have negative side effects.

                Xylitol has been shown to prevent cavities and is an ingredient in many sugar-free chewing gums. Xylitol is also great for neutralizing the pH in the mouth. This results in a less acidic environment helping to prevent tooth decay.

                This is what we will use to sweeten our toothpaste (with the bonus that it has great oral health benefits).

                Xylitol Warning

                While xylitol is the perfect choice for sweetening homemade toothpaste and tooth powder for humans, it is toxic to dogs and cats. (And, perhaps, some other animals.)
                Do not use it on your pets and keep it out of their reach!

                Essential oils

                Not only do essential oils have therapeutic benefits, but they can also provide a great fresh taste as well.

                Adding essential oils is completely optional, but does add flavor to the powder.

                Consider adding oils like peppermint or spearmint for a minty flavor and fresh mouth feeling. Clove oil is another popular essential oil for oral care products.

                A wooden spoon full of bentonite clay powder held over a glass jar of bentonite clay.
                Bentonite clay

                Bentonite clay

                Bentonite clay is claimed to help draw out toxins. It also has lots of minerals that may help remineralize teeth.

                How to use tooth powder

                To use the toothpaste powder simply add a little bit to a damp toothbrush and brush as usual. Ideally, brush your teeth two times a day for at least two minutes.

                You may follow up with a homemade mouthwash, if desired.

                Video

                Recipe

                Looking to make more?Subscribe to my newsletter for the latest projects (and recipes)!
                Closeup of tooth powder on a bamboo toothbrush. In the background theres a glass jar filled with the homemade tooth powder.

                DIY Tooth Powder

                More sustainable than commercial toothpaste, tooth powders effectively clean your teeth. They're simple to make, help save you money, and by making your own, you control the ingredients.
                5 from 3 votes
                Print Rate
                Prep time: 5 minutes
                Active time: 2 minutes
                Total time: 7 minutes
                Author: Tracy Ariza, DDS

                Materials

                • 3 Tbsp. Bentonite Clay
                • 3 Tbsp. Baking soda
                • 2 Tbsp. Xylitol
                • 5 drops essential oils like mint or spearmint optional, for flavor

                Instructions

                • Mix all of the ingredients in a glass jar with a wooden spoon.
                • To use the toothpaste powder, simply add some to a wet toothbrush and brush as usual.

                Notes

                Avoid using a metal spoon, if possible, as bentonite is sensitive to certain metals. If you must use metal, choose stainless steel.
                For the same reason, avoid mixing and storing this tooth powder in a metal bowl or jar.  
                Store, covered, in a cool dry place.
                Shelf life: at least 6 months
                Ideally, brush your teeth two times a day for at least two minutes each brushing session.
                You can optionally add other ingredients like mineral drops and/or salt to personalize the recipe. 
                Tried making this? Tag me today!Mention @thethingswellmake or tag #thethingswellmake!

                Back to Tracy Ariza, DDS…

                Customizing the recipe

                I tested the recipe as written, using a few drops of mint essential oil, and I loved it.

                Still, I thought it would be fun to test other combinations.

                a jar of homemade tooth powder in front of jars of ingredients (salt, bentonite clay, baking soda, etc.

                Mineral drops

                Mineral drops add, well, minerals to the powder, of course.

                Cavities are a type of demineralization of the teeth that happens in the presence of acids formed by bacteria in dental plaque. So, it goes to reason that having a variety of minerals around the teeth (in combination with a higher pH environment) may help with remineralization. That would help prevent cavities.

                Because mineral drops are a water-based ingredient, you’ll want to add only a small amount to the baking soda and allow the liquid to evaporate before adding the other ingredients.

                (When water is introduced into a product, it promotes microbial growth. We want to avoid that to have a shelf-stable product that doesn’t need any preservatives.)

                Ionic Elements

                One of my favorite trace mineral products is Ionic Elements by Purium (in the USA) and by Platinum Health here in Europe.

                Discount Code

                If you want to get $50 off Ionic Elements or any other Purium products order of $75 or more, click on the link to their website and use the code: keephealthywithtracy 
                (I recommend copying and pasting the code to avoid any issues.) This code will get you either $50 off or 25% off- whichever is more!
                If you decide you love it and stick with using their products, you will automatically be considered a “loyal customer” after your first order and will continue to be able to buy at a discounted rate. As long as you order every month, you will save 25% on your purchases. You’ll also start to earn Rewards Points. If you forget to order one month, you’ll receive a 15% discount instead. To get back to receiving a discount of 25% off, make sure you order within 30 days of your last purchase.

                ConcenTrace

                Another trace element product I have used and like is called ConcenTrace by Trace Minerals Research. I ordered through Amazon in the past, but I can no longer find that particular product there anymore. They do have a product called Endure which provides minerals meant to be used as electrolytes for maximizing athletic performance.

                Salt

                Salt will add a different flavor to the tooth powder, but that’s not the main reason for adding it.

                Salt is known to help promote healing and soothe inflammation, making it an ideal addition to toothpaste.

                If you use a salt like Himalayan salt, you are also providing extra essential trace minerals. They may help with remineralization of the teeth.

                Activated charcoal

                Many people have asked my thoughts on adding activated charcoal to homemade toothpaste or tooth powder.

                While it does show potential whitening effects, it also may be overly abrasive. Because activated charcoal can vary so much from product to product, it’s difficult to determine an overall abrasiveness rating.

                In my opinion, there just isn’t enough evidence to suggest enough potential benefits that outweigh the risk of using it in a homemade toothpaste on a daily basis. (Commerical products that use charcoal may be able to more carefully monitor the abrasiveness of their product in a way that we can’t effectively do at home.)

                Kelly agrees and has written a post on her blog with her thoughts on using charcoal toothpaste.

                Final thoughts

                Making your own toothpaste powder can be extremely beneficial to your oral care routine. The ingredients are natural, safe and better for the environment.

                Have you tried using tooth powder yet?

                Homemade clay-based natural toothpaste (without cacao) shown on bamboo toothbrush.

                Natural Homemade Toothpaste Recipes & Tips From a Dentist

                Bottle of homemade mouthwash with homemade toothpaste and a bamboo toothbrush

                DIY Homemade Mouthwash

                3 tubes of a homemade lip balm (2 clear and one red) with a closeup of one on its side

                DIY Homemade Healing Lip Balm

                Category: Oral Care

                About Kelly Hancock, RDH

                Kelly is a registered dental hygienist and oral health care lover. She is passionate about oral hygiene and encourages people to achieve optimal oral health. She has been working in the dental profession for 16 years and worked in many different roles in the dental industry. Kelly is currently a pediatric dental hygienist specializing in children’s dentistry. She is committed to helping others with their oral health issues and helping others achieve a smile they love.

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                Reader Interactions

                Comments

                1. Paulina

                  February 19, 2023 at 3:03 PM

                  hello.
                  I am looking for a diy recipe to do toothpaste tablets, the ones you chew to brush your teeth.
                  the videos I’ve seen show similar ingredients to your toothpaste and then drying little dots of the mix in the oven. Any thoughts?
                  thanks

                  Reply
                  • Tracy Ariza, DDS

                    February 25, 2023 at 9:55 AM

                    Hi Paulina,
                    I actually bought some molds and a powder compressor (actually sold for making milk tablets!?!) to experiment with it, but never got around to it.
                    It’s something I’ve been meaning to try and, yes, I think it could work, but I’ haven’t gotten that far yet. 😉

                    Reply
                    • Paulina

                      February 28, 2023 at 9:54 AM

                      thank you for your answer.
                      if you try, please post!

                      Reply
                2. Jessica

                  July 19, 2022 at 7:19 PM

                  With regards to adding the Trace Minerals, is there any guidance on how much to add so as to not throw off the Ph balance? Also, do you have any thoughts on adding raw cacao powder? I’ve done that in a squeezable DIY toothpaste recipe, but have not made tooth powder yet. Thanks!

                  Reply
                  • Tracy Ariza, DDS

                    September 5, 2022 at 2:33 PM

                    Hi Jessica,
                    The trace minerals shouldn’t really alter the pH much. They’re generally salts and minerals. I’d just add a few drops. It’s not in contact with your teeth long enough to make a huge difference either way, but the minerals could possibly help. You could also rinse with water with trace minerals if you prefer.
                    As for the raw cacao- sure! As long as it doesn’t have sugar in it, that’s fine. I had it as an optional addition to my homemade toothpastes too. 😉

                    Reply
                3. Tina

                  June 7, 2022 at 1:54 PM

                  What lovely recipes. Can we add food grade diatomaceous earth to the toothpaste or tooth powder?

                  Reply
                  • Tracy Ariza, DDS

                    June 16, 2022 at 6:10 PM

                    Hi Tina,
                    The concern I have with diatomaceous earth is that it would be difficult to know how abrasive it is. I would think it would vary from batch to batch, depending on the type of DE and where it was obtained, etc. I’d be concerned about using anything overly abrasive on the teeth and wearing them down.

                    Reply
                4. Belle

                  August 19, 2021 at 7:14 PM

                  Hi! Is the xylitol optional? While I know it can have benefits for oral health – we do have pets that LOVE to lay in our bathroom sink and I worry if there was ever any residue left in the sink (I have a kid who doesn’t always rinse the sink well) that it could be a problem. Thanks!

                  Reply
                  • Tracy Ariza, DDS

                    October 11, 2021 at 8:30 PM

                    Hi Belle,
                    Yes, no worries! It’s totally optional.
                    It’s there to add sweetness and increase the possible cavity-fighting abilities of your toothpaste, but it’s not essential!

                    Reply
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                Hello, I’m Tracy!

                I love making my own natural products like soaps and lotions and my own pantry items like yogurt and salad dressings.
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