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Homemade coconut mint toothpaste is easy to make! Learn how to make your own natural toothpaste with this simple DIY recipe.
Why I Switched to Natural Toothpaste
When we first became interested in natural health and simple living (many years ago), we started noticing how many chemicals we were consuming.
Most conventional toothpaste includes a long list of questionable ingredients and chemicals.
That list includes things like sodium lauryl sulfate, fluoride, artificial coloring and flavoring agents, propylene glycol, and triclosan. Yikes!
Toothpaste was one of the first things we scrutinized. And we didn’t like what we found in our store-bought toothpaste.
That’s when I decided to try making my own!
Homemade Toothpaste is More Natural
I prefer to know what’s in my toothpaste, and I love being able to leave any questionable ingredients out entirely.
Instead of being filled with lots of chemicals, this natural toothpaste recipe is just that—all natural!
I’ve been experimenting with different homemade toothpaste recipes lately.
I started with making my own tooth soap, and now I’m making powders and pastes. Today I’m going to share with you the one I’m currently using.
I’m very happy with this homemade coconut mint toothpaste. It’s so simple, and think this is the best coconut oil toothpaste ever!
Some of the ingredients like xylitol are documented to help fight tooth decay.
Homemade Toothpaste Saves Money
The thing about switching to natural toothpaste is that it can get expensive.
Making your own can be a lot cheaper than most of the natural toothpastes that are available.
In fact, these are all ingredients that we keep stocked in our kitchen, so I didn’t have to buy anything to make this.
If you keep these basic ingredients on hand in your real food pantry for cooking, you’ll find that this homemade coconut mint toothpaste is inexpensive to make.
I love that’s it not only natural but also affordable!
How Do You Make All Natural Toothpaste?
Making your own natural toothpaste is so incredibly simple! It’ll only take a few minutes to whip up.
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Supplies Needed:
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 2-4 tablespoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon xylitol (please note that xylitol is toxic to dogs)
- 15-20 drops peppermint essential oil
- optional: you can also add Bentonite Clay and Black Walnut hull powder (these may help remineralize teeth)
Directions:
- Place the coconut oil in a small saucepan over very low heat and let it gently melt.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir well to combine.
- Store the homemade toothpaste in a small glass jar with a lid.
- Allow to cool completely.
- To use, you can either dip your toothbrush directly into the jar or use a spoon.
Notes: I just dip my toothbrush in this (each family member has their own jar of toothpaste). If you prefer, you could also keep a popsicle stick or a small measuring spoon near the jar and use that to scoop it out.
Does Homemade Toothpaste Really Work?
This post was originally published in January 2014. I updated it and added some new photos.
We first started making homemade toothpaste over five years ago, and we’ve been very happy with it!
I was thrilled when we took our older children to the dentist (after years of natural toothpaste use—both homemade and pre-made) and they had zero cavities (my oldest is almost twenty years old, and she still had no cavities at that time!).
Don’t want to make your own? We’ve been happy with this natural toothpaste whenever I’m not making my own.
Homemade Coconut Mint Toothpaste
Homemade Coconut Mint Toothpaste
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 2-4 tablespoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon xylitol
- 15-20 drops peppermint essential oil
Instructions
- Place the coconut oil in a small saucepan over very low heat and let it gently melt.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir well to combine.
- Store the homemade toothpaste in a small glass jar with a lid.
- Allow to cool completely.
- To use, you can either dip your toothbrush directly into the jar or use a spoon.
Notes
This post was originally published in January 2014. Post has been updated with new photos in February 2019.
Thank you so much for stopping by! Have you ever made your own natural toothpaste?
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You wouldn't happen to know the approximate self life would you?
I don't have an official number on this, but it should be good at room temperature for quite a few months. Since we have several people at a time using it, ours never lasts that long. The only thing I know of that might make it not last as long is if water were to get in the jar. I've heard others say that you should use a spoon or something to apply it to your toothbrush (rather than dipping the wet brush in the jar) to prevent it from getting wet. Hope this helps!
You can always buy a paste tube as well and it works wonderful. Mine doesn’t last long enough to worry about it but I have used this recipe for many years and it keeps your teeth white and your mouth fresh….really good and affordable alternative to buying it.
Thanks for sharing, Lea-Anne!
You wouldn't happen to have an estimated shelf life would you?
I have heard that you don't want to put coconut oil down your drain, but is this amount so small that it would not make a difference with regard to clogging your drain?
Yes, that's true. When I was oil pulling with coconut oil I would always either spit it outside or spit into a paper towel in the trash can. But I never have had any trouble with the toothpaste since it is such a small amount.
I made coconut oil toothpaste and used it regularly for at least a couple of years…with no drain issues! I kept reading how it could clog drains, and I’ve had some pretty frustrating clogs in my kitchen drain (another perk of living in these ancient apartments, I “share” drains with the apartment upstairs, ugh!) That said, I finally gave up making my own, but am so obsessed with getting back to it…just can’t seem to decide :(. Has anyone heard of any tips or hints on something that might facilitate it getting through the drain system without solidifying? I thought about trying fractionated coconut oil, doesn’t seem it would solidify, but what a toothpaste mess, lol!
Hi Kate! My husband works for a company that sells coconut oil, and he says the amount most people use for brushing teeth shouldn’t be a problem, especially if you make sure to run some warm water down the drain afterward. For oil pulling, I would definitely recommend spitting it in a trash can or other container (rather than the sink), but we haven’t had any problems with the amount used for brushing teeth. I can’t make any guarantees, but this has been our personal experience. Hope that helps!
Thanks so much! I think it’ll be ok, now that I think about it, seems I remember pouring a pot of almost boiling water down the bathroom sink about once a month…think I’ll get back to it! YAY! 🙂
You’re welcome!
Wish I would have ground the xylitol like you suggested. Also, had troubles finding food grade peppermint oil, so I used peppermint extract. Turned out very salty so added some stevia sweet drops. Next time I make this, I think I need to follow the recipe exactly.:/
I've been looking for a homemade toothpaste recipe. This looks great. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hope you like it! 🙂
If you really need a sweetener try stevia instead of xylitol. Xylitol is toxic to dogs and can cause death (this could be a concern if your paste is crumbly and pieces find their way to the floor.) I've been oil pulling for years, so non sweetened works well for me
Hi Joy! I've had this recipe made up (just the oils & soda) for some time. I used it a few times as toothpaste, but somehow I couldn't handle the coconut oil in my mouth.
So, don't laugh…I finally decided to try using it as a face/body scrub! A couple times a week and, oh my, it's wonderful! I just used it up and am now making some more as face scrub using lavender oil.
Thanks for the toothpaste/face scrub recipe lol
Sarah from VA
Lol, that's great that you were able to find a use for it!! I have some family members who didn't care much for this toothpaste, either. 🙂
Great post! I will have to try this !
Domi x
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This is the same way I do our toothpaste! I have recently been adding a bit of bentonite clay to it to draw out any impurities that we may have picked up along the way (flu season you know…) and black walnut hull to whiten our teeth. We love it!
Thank you so much for the suggestions about bentonite clay and black walnut hull! I think I may have both of those items on hand, so I'll have to remember to add those. Thanks again!
How much of each other those do you add?
I don't really have any exact amounts…I just reduce some of the baking soda and add in the other ingredients, getting it the consistency I want. Hope that's helpful!
I've have a similar recipe, but have had trouble with the paste becoming crumbly cuz our house is colder this time of year and the coconut oil solidifies. Does yours do the same? Or do you have any suggestions on how to adjust the recipe to make it work better?
Mine is like that, too, right now. I figured it's just the nature of working with coconut oil, and I just use it that way. Hmmm. I'll let you know if I ever find a way to make it smoother in the winter! 🙂
Good to know! I had been putting it in frosting bags to make it more like a tube of tooth paste, (zip-lock baggies tore at the tip too easily) but that only works in the summer. Right now it's so crumbly, more ends up on the counter than on the brush! I'll need to put it in individual jars so more is used instead of wasted. Thanx for that suggestion!
You're welcome, Sarah!
MY mum does this but also adds a bit of olive oil to keep it a slightly runnier consistency. Not sure how much, maybe a tablespoon using the proportions you gave.
Thanks for the suggestion!
I whip my coconut up with a Handmixer until it is smooth and creamy and then add the Peppermint Oil to it
Great idea, thanks!
Maybe try fractionated coconut oil. It won't harden.
Thanks for the suggestion, Emily!
How about letting it sit in warm water before using, to melt down the coconut oil?
When this happens to me, I just place the toothpaste container in a cup of warm water while I wash my face. It is then usually soft enough to use when I am ready to brush my teeth.