Make Buy Skip: Toothpaste

Okay, I'll come right out and say it, so we can get it out of the way: why would "skip" be an option when it comes to toothpaste?  The truth is, toothpaste isn't strictly necessary.  This is NOT to say that brushing isn't necessary!  Please please PLEASE do not stop brushing your teeth!!!  That's just gross.  Seriously.  But you can actually do it without toothpaste, if you're so inclined.

According to my own personal dentist, as well as this article by dental hygienist Vicky Flint, the reasons for using toothpaste are as follows:

1. Flavor/fresh sensation
2. Fluoride (a controversial subject at best)
3. Special needs like whitening or sensitivity.

That's it!  Personally, I like the flavor/freshness enough that it is certainly important to me to include toothpaste as part of my brushing routine, but if none of these three factors are important to you, by all means SKIP the toothpaste (just not the brushing).

Now for the hard part: if you decide you need/want it should you MAKE or BUY your toothpaste?

I will say first that if you have any special dental needs, I suggest that you defer to what your dentist recommends.  I am in no way a dental professional.  I have consulted my own dentist in collecting information for this post and in reaching my own personal decision, and suggest you do the same.

So what are factors to consider when it comes to making or buying?  Well, as always, there is the time factor.  Unless you are running out to the store solely to purchase toothpaste, making your own will certainly involve more time.  Not much time, but it will require time.  Time is money, but money spent is also a factor.  How much does your preferred toothpaste cost, and how much can you get the ingredients to make toothpaste for?  Speaking of ingredients, this is possibly the factor that will lead you to make your own more than any other.  We'll get to that more in a moment...  Flavor plays an important role for me, as it's the reason I don't skip it altogether.  There is an "ease of use" factor.  And finally, I don't know exactly what to call this aspect, but for me, conventional toothpaste actually burns my mouth.  The soft tissues inside my mouth (cheeks, gums, palate, etc) are sensitive enough that regular old Crest and Colgate irritate and burn them.  Perhaps we'll call it the burn factor for lack of a better term?

Are there any other factors that influence your decision that I've forgotten?

How to make your own toothpaste?  How are we to decide whether to make or buy if we don't know what making it entails, right?  The internet is full of recipes for homemade toothpastes, as well as "tooth powders" and other tooth cleaning aids.  The one that I prefer for myself is this one from Crunchy Betty, with some variations.  It's easy, quick, inexpensive, and involves just a few ingredients.  It's also approved by my dentist, and I love that vote of confidence.

The variations that are mine are to use silica in the form of diatomaceous earth in place of baking soda, and xylitol in place of stevia. 

I use diatomaceous earth instead of baking soda primarily because I have a greywater system where the water drains from my bathroom sink straight to the garden, and so I can't put anything with chemicals or sodium down the drain.  This is actually why I make my own toothpaste to begin with, as any traditional toothpaste has too many chemicals, and all natural toothpastes I've found include baking soda.  I also only use half as much as the recipe calls for, because in the original form my dentist felt it was too abrasive and would damage my enamel.  Diatomaceous earth has many other useful properties around the house--it can be used as a flea powder and added as a supplement to food (that's a subject for a different kind of blog).  Amazon is a good resource, and you should ALWAYS look for "food grade" if it is going into your mouth.

I use xylitol because it has strong benefits for teeth and is natural.  It's also not super expensive--I got mine from Amazon for a decent price.  It adds a nice sweet flavor to your toothpaste, though strictly speaking it's not necessary.  Just keep in mind that xylitol is HIGHLY toxic to dogs.  You thought chocolate was toxic?  Chocolate ain't got nothin on xylitol.  If you have a dog, keep it out of their reach and promptly clean up any spills.

I do choose to go for the optional gycerin, as I think it adds something to the texture, as well as some sweetness.   You kind find this on Amazon or from any grocery or drug store with a natural skin care section.

This toothpaste tastes great and works well.  At my last checkup, my dentist complimented me on my dental hygiene--woohoo!  You can change up the flavor however you like with various essential oils.  The drawback to it is that...how do I put this nicely?...it looks like mud!  It probably wouldn't look like mud if I used baking soda instead of diatomaceous earth, but since DE is a component of dirt, mud it is.  It is also susceptible to fluctuations in temperature.  Coconut oil has a melting point of 76 degrees, so if you don't have a temperature controlled environment, some days your toothpaste may be rock solid and others it may be a goopy mess.   As a result, getting it onto the toothbrush can be a little bit of a pain in the butt.

You'll notice that there's no source of fluoride in here.  I actually don't have an opinion yet on topical fluoride (fluoridated water seems more clear cut to me), but I figure since I have fairly strong teeth anyway (only one cavity in my life!), I'm okay to risk going without until I know more.  I do highly encourage you to do your homework as to what ingredients are in the toothpaste you're currently using.  Consult the Skin Deep Database if you are looking for more information about a particular ingredient.

That's the toothpaste I use at home.  However, because it's kind of a pain to deal with, I bring a tube of actual toothpaste with me when I travel and don't need to worry about sodium down the drain.  I would much rather use a pre-made toothpaste with ingredients I understand than go through the hassle of using my own (making it is easy, it's the using it that can be annoying).  I choose Miessence toothpaste in the mint flavor; again, I look for the fresh feeling from my toothpaste so it's mint all the way, but lemon and anise are also options.  It is a little bit salty from the inclusion of both baking soda and sea salt, and I've found that the saltiness has grown on me and I feel like it helps my mouth feel soothed rather than irritated like conventional toothpastes.

All natural mint toothpaste

What's your take on it?  Do you make, buy, or skip the toothpaste, and why?