111 Responses to “Natural Plastic-Free Toothpaste, Tooth Powder, Tooth Soap Ideas…”

1. Hello, your number 4 option apparently contains LEAD. Please check out some of the reviews here: https://www.amazon.com/Uncle-Harrys-Fluoride-Free-Toothpaste/dp/B01DK4M5M8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1522695613&sr=8-1&keywords=uncle%2Bharry%27s%2Btooth%2Bpowder%2Bjar&refinements=p_89%3AUncle%2BHarry%27s%2BNatural%2BProducts&linkCode=sl1&tag=toothpaste-powder-soap-20&linkId=05c4cc8fbc76f5c318652f85fe185baf&th=1, I wouldn’t keep this up as it is still gaining traction via google searches.

2. Have you looked into where bentonite clay comes from? I was looking into eco-friendly cat litter, and found out that most (if not all) of it is strip mined. Something to think about!

3. Definitely add xylitol to whatever you make! My dentist says there was a time dentists were actually afraid it would make them obsolete. If you want to test its antibacterial properties, swish a xylitol-water solution in your mouth (yum), and see how your breath will still be really fresh hours later. (And then, do it every time you are about to go on a date!)

4. Just a quick note if you make your own toothpaste (or buy commercially) Xylitol is toxic to dogs so please, please, be careful and don’t use it on your pets.
   -From a vet student <3

5. I’ve been told I need the fluoride from toothpaste or else my gums will get infected. What are your thoughts?

   • In Australia our water has fluoride in it for that reason.

   • My local water isn’t fluoridated and my dentist recommends fluoridated toothpaste and mouthwash instead. His reasoning isn’t gum infection per se, more about cavity prevention and tooth strength.

     When I’ve asked companies about fluoridated options, their reasoning is that their perceived market doesn’t want fluoride. I hope plastic-free toothpaste packaging gets popular enough that fluoridated toothpastes are offered as well!

6. Have you seen this option?
   https://bitetoothpastebits.com/

   • Looks great. I just requested a sample to review. Thanks.

7. Hello! I have FINALLY found a solution to this!! Tooth tabs WITH FLUORIDE plastic free!!! Anything but plastic sells them in cardboard boxes, plastic free. This is what I plan to use :)

   • Erin, what’s the brand?

8. I read that you need fluoride for healthy teeth. I know this for a fact because I’ve tried Aquarian Bath tooth powder and my dental health slowly deteriorated. Now that lush sells its toothy tabs in plastic, I’m stuck. Does anyone know any products with fluoride I could use?

   • I’m in the same boat as you. The least offensive option I’ve been able to find for a fluoride toothpaste is Tom’s Of Maine Cavity Protection Toothpaste (with baking soda) in Peppermint. I’m wary of what “other natural flavor oils” could mean, but, other than that, the ingredient profile is mostly good. The tubes, which are made from aluminum barrier plastic laminate, can be temporarily diverted from landfill through TerraCycle. The paperboard carton is made from 100% recycled paperboard (no info available regarding post-consumer fiber content) and printed with soy ink; recyclable or compostable.

   • I talked to my dentist about this recently and they said that fluoride in toothpaste is just like some other vitamin supplements – you might find it helps, but is not essential. I’m in Australia where fluoride is in the tap water and at every 6 monthly dental check a fluoride treatment is applied so I’m ok to use fluoride free toothpaste. I am stuck on how to do dental checks without plastic – but that’s a whole other conversation!

   • Yep! Tooth tabs by ANYTHING BUT PLASTIC, sold in cardboard

9. Beth, I think I read that you use baking soda and essential oils to clean your teeth, but Davids Natural Toothpaste is sold in a recyclable aluminum tube (instead of a plastic laminate tube) and FSC-certified paperboard carton. For anyone who prefers buying premade products over DIY and is not looking for a fluoride toothpaste, this is a convenient plastic-light option with a good ingredient profile (as long as you’re not opposed to glycerin, carrageenan, or stevia) that is similar to conventional toothpastes in form/texture, so it doesn’t require getting used to something new (e.g. neem sticks; tooth powders; non-foaming, mud-colored Earthpaste; oil pulling).

10. I recently read about an experimented with ‘oil pulling’.
    Melt a half-ish tablespoon of coconut oil in the mouth, then swish it around for 5-20 minutes, as tolerated (while showering, reading, play video games, whatever.) Spit, then brush and floss. No paste, soap, powders, or acidic washes. Essential oils are often recommended for just about every step, but I’m sensitive to taste so I don’t use them.
    My teeth felt awesome and I had someone ask if I was whitening because of the shine. Shiny teeth are usually healthy teeth!

11. How about this toothpaste?
    https://georganics.co.uk/collections/latest-products/products/natural-toothsoap
    I think it tastes really good and is in a recyclable / recycled tube
    x

    • Very interesting! And there’s no soap flavor at all?

      • I got some of this a couple of weeks ago and I LOVE it. No, no soap flavour! Gently minty, and with just a tiny bit coating the ends of your bristles it foams up amazingly. Because you’re only using a tiny amount it’s clearly going to last for ages, and no waste except a little bit of cardboard. I’m a convert!

12. I love 1/4 c bentonite, 1/4 c baking soda, 20 drops of thieves oil plus 10 drops Dr. BRONNERS Peppermint soap. Pound with a wooden spoon to mix add soap last and pound again .it is all done. Not soapy or gritty!

13. What awesome DIY toothpaste recipes! I got into making my own tooth powder after learning about all the toxic chemicals in store brand toothpaste, and it’s worked so well for my teeth that I now sell it as part of my ethical + eco-friendly self care business, in zero waste packaging of course!

14. Hello:) I recently discovered a great option. Justthegoods.com tooth paste and mouthwash. made from a one person business mindful of pure ingredients and comes in a cute glass canning jar. All responsible vegan products. The unflavoured toothpaste contains vegetable glycerine, calcium carbonate, coconut oil, kaolin clay and neem oil. It’s a nice thick white paste, tastes refreshing. My teeth feel really clean after I use it.
    I also use the vegan tooth oil to brush with. Contains coconut oil, peppermint oil, clove oil, and myrrh oil. This feels clean on my teeth but especially good on my gums when they feel irritated around dental work areas.

15. im trying baking soda with stevia. Then I follow with homemade mouth wash of water, cinnamon, lemons and honey

    • You should stay away from lemon juice. It is acidic, which is really bad for teeth. Go with something with a high pH.

16. I’ve been using Toothy Tabs for a year or so now, and just went to get some more today. Imagine my horror when I found that they’re now packaged in PLASTIC BOTTLES. Now I need to look into tooth powders etc.

    • What???!!!!! No way! ? Well, tooth powder is simple to make. Or you can try brands like Aquarian Bath, Taylor House Naturals, or Rex Apothecary. They all come plastic-free.

17. I haven’t used toothpaste for years. Nor have I purchased any tooth powders or tried any elaborate recipes. I’ve read numerous times spanning decades that dry brushing removes more plaque. But in the hopes that using minerals will help remineralize teeth, I brush with calcium bentonite clay powder or dolomite powder. Some times with some sea salt. I see no reason to sweeten the mixture or make it minty. Clove would be antimicrobial, but I frequently drink clove tea in the evening, so…

    • where do you get bentonite powder

18. I’ve experimented a lot with making my own toothpaste- i noticed with coconut oil it’s just too unpredictable in temperature differences. It’s either too hot and liquid-y- all the ingredient float to the bottom, or too cold and have to scrape at it with the back of my toothbrush. I’ve finally gone with my own tooth powder that I’m just starting to sell, i can send you a free sample to try out (no plastic policy) with either a metal tin 125ml or glass mason jar. The sample would be in a small 5ml metal tin. let me know! glad to see your anti-plastic efforts.

    Aly Coy
    Small Business Owner at Coy Pond Essentials
    https://www.savagedaughtersoapcompany.com/

    alycoy@coypondessentials.com

19. Just the Goods vegan toothpaste 120g comes in a glass jar the anise, unflavored, and spearmint all rate a 0 on skin deep and every ingredient in them is a 0. there is also A Soap for Goodness Sake Plain/spearmint Tooth Powder same scores but runs more expensive.

20. Real cellophane made from cellulose or fake cellophane (crinkly, noisy plastic)?

21. Do you get your teeth cleaned at the dentist? The baking soda stuff they shoot on at the end has aspartame in it. I could taste the sweetness in the residue around my mouth and immediately I started to get a migraine headache. Ask for plain baking soda.

22. Pump bottles siting in the shower get water through the top into the pump and bottle so keep them out of the direct spray. Those screw-on tops that you press and the side of the top pops up to dispense the shampoo can be taken apart and scrubbed with an old toothbrush.

23. @Beth Terry Oh dear, this is making me very discouraged! But I shall soldier on. Any little bit helps, I suppose.

24. @yuki
    d
    Does anyone remember back in the day the dentists used to put fluoride on kids’ teeth? It tasted icky, but I remember it….of course this was decades, eons, ago, and might have been when we were not in the US. It’s been so long I can’t even remember which of several countries it may have been. (Oh dearie me, I’ve gotten old all of a sudden!)

25. @Eve Stavros Sounds like my own recipe of bentonite, baking soda, sage, myrrh EO, peppermint EO, xylitol, and activated charcoal. Sometimes I add organic cocnut oil, yummy! (I know, I’m a bit late to the party, but only came upon this site 2 days ago.) I’ve only been at it for awhile so don’t really have results yet, but teeth feel really clean, so….

26. This might be an odd question… But I’ve been through the process of getting porcelain dental veneers. OK, that may not have been green-friendly, but the damage is done, so to speak. I’m wondering if any of these plastic-free options at oral hygiene are safe to use with veneers. They are rather durable, but they can still be damaged, which would result in embarrassment. If anyone knows, I would appreciate it!

27. urbanwoodswalker
    I belive you need to see the reason for the big enamel loss first. Sometimes they are due to unknown reasons. But they could come from brushing too hard, stomach problems and acid reflux, drinking too much soda, misaligned teeth, grinding too hard and bruxism, genetic… have you been told what kind of abrassion you have? is it at the gum line or on the chewing surface?

28. @EthelQ Bea at zero waste also has a silk shirt she unravels – then flosses with the silk thread.

29. salt is usually included because it inhibits/kills bacterial growth and infections. over time, it strengthens your gums. i have discussed these things with many dentists over the years. not one has contradicted me. most dentists are much more open to alternatives in oral health, due to the mass influx of chemical sensitivities and allergies faced by their patients. if you are truly concerned about abrasives, i would suggest skipping the whole toothpowder/paste issue and just use water. plain coconut oil (virgin, organic) is also used to brush with by many, is highly beneficial to overall health, and i personally like the taste.

30. many dentists have told me over the years (i move a lot) that my teeth are very clean. then i tell them i have never used toothpaste. (i am over 40- my mother is 70 and has never used toothpaste either…still has all her teeth. lol) i have always used either baking soda (salt optional), plain water, or sometimes diatomateous earth. you would have some trouble damaging your tooth enamal, it is the hardest known biological substance. the dentists themselves scrape at you with stainless steel and abrasives. some folks are born with thin enamel. google what you need in your diet to remedy this. mouthwash….salt water would be good for your gums and clear up infections, etc. bad breath comes from your stomach or advanced tooth decay/gum disease, not your mouth per se. tongue scrapers are also highly beneficial. many asian cultures consider tongue scraping more important to oral health than brushing. food for thought there. (i also scrape, so covering my bases. :o)

31. what about a good alternative to mouth wash?

    • @yvonne123 Here’s a mouthwash I made: http://myplasticfreelife.com/2007/11/vodka-variations/ And here is one I haven’t tried but sounds great; however, it can be hard to find vegetable glycerin in glass. But where I live, there is an herb shop that only uses glass bottles. Here’s the recipe: https://crunchybetty.com/shut-your-mouth-homemade-mouthwash/

32. I am wondering if you have consulted any licensed dentists on all this. All I know is that my dentist told me I have literally scrubbed off the enamel on my teeth over the years. I grew up on brushing with bicarbonate. Just bicarbonate. Why is salt added to these recipes? Just curious on that one.
    Any green eco dentists out there? I just wonder about all thiese various ingredients…as I have loss a lot of enamel. I would like to have them weigh in on the abrasives in these recipes.

33. Do you know why “To brush your teeth with soap, it’s recommended to use a soap without added glycerin” ?

    • @EcoPeaceful Here is what one reader wrote about why she brushes with soap and why she thinks glycerin is bad for teeth: http://www.mintandchili.com/why-i-dont-use-toothpaste

      • @Beth Terry Thank you.

34. I use the Brushing Blend from OraWellness. I really like it.

35. I’ve been using homemade toothpaste with baking soda, peppermint oil and coconut oil. I hear the coconut oil makes it less abrasive on the enamel, and I haven’t had ANY sensitivity in the month I’ve been using it. Also, I was about to cut the end of my old toothpaste tube and refill it with my own paste, but then I remembered something I heard about acids and fat/oils making chemicals more prone to leach out and be ingested. So it’s in a small jelly jar.

36. Teeth remineralize from the inside out through proper diet. Look up Ramiel Nagel’s book, “How to CURE Tooth Decay”. Many tooth powders on the internet. If you get a tooth soap make sure it is super-fatted and the mildest possible for sensitive mucous membranes.

37. I saw no mention of Victoria’s Tooth Soap. I hav e heard great things about it, although I have never used it – for all I know it could be packaged in plastic. But there are tooth soap recipes on the ‘net as well. Me, I can use Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap. Yes it is dispensed in plastic containers, but when I think of how long it will take to use up the contents of the container, the amount of plastic per unit of time ratio is very low.

38. It’s official! My dentist says that I’ve got less staining, my gums look healthy, and I noticed less sensitivity to the water “drill” at yesterday’s cleaning. This after six months of:

    1 – mornings – a mix of equal parts of baking soda, salt, bentonite clay, and powdered sage, with a few drops of peppermint essential oil for flavor. (These provide the abrasiveness necessary, according to my hygenist, that simple brushing w/water doesn’t give us)
    2. dry brushing after lunch/snacks (well, when I remember)
    3. evenings – Dr. Bronner’s peppermint castille soap

    And, I refused (politely) the goody bag of brush, floss & mini-toothpaste. Yay! Plastic free smiles!!!

39. Hi, long time listener, first time caller. I love your blog and am especially sympathetic to your search for plastic free tooth care. I use a mix of soap and homemade baking soda based tooth powder, but I run into trouble when trying to find something to floss with. I saw that the family of the zero waste home blog uses rubber tipped gum simulators rather than floss (http://zerowastehome.blogspot.com/2010/01/zero-waste-bathroom.html). I don’t know if this would work as well as floss or not, but I have a dentist appointment coming up soon and I intend to ask about it. I’ll let you know what I find out.

    • Hi EthelQ — for me, the gum stimulator does not work as well as floss. It doesn’t get all the way between my teeth, and I don’t think it’s meant to substitute for floss. I’d be interested to hear what your dentist has to say about that.

40. I think it is great that you were curious about something and then experimented to get your answer. I wouldn’t of been as brave as you. It is a wonderful concept of using something other than toothpaste to brush your teeth and you really enlightened me on the possibilities. Thank you so much and what a wonderful blog.

41. Interestingly enough, my Dentist’s office has a children’s book that instructs to brush first without toothpaste since it dulls your tongue to the feel of your teeth (or something like that) then says to proceed with toothpaste. I’m thinking that toothpaste etc. may be a vehicle to get us to brush. Flossing and brushing may be enough. But I do prefer to use something. I like plain baking soda sometimes, but I may try some of these other suggestions. Thanks.

42. a dentist told a friend that her allergic-to-toothpaste daughter could get her teeth just as clean without toothpaste. but that she must be sure to brush LONGER.

43. Hi Beth. I just discovered the same thing this weekend! I started cutting them in half with a pill cutter. I haven’t tried to do a quarter yet, so thanks for letting us know your experience.

44. Late to the game here, but I’ve just tried the Lush toothy tabs, and you definitely don’t need a whole one per brush. Half is more than enough . . . I’ve actually moved to using about 1/4 tab per brush, which makes it less expensive and packaging intensive per use.

45. As I said, each to their own. The internet is a wonderful thing.

46. @ Jay

    “Most of us drink fluoridated water, and for a reason. Our dental health as a society is stunningly better than pre-fluoride. It was a public health decision. I know some communities are reconsidering, and dosing levels are debated, but until dental care is universal, some treatment would still seem to be a good idea.

    Not really! if it’s what you think you should inform yourself better:

    http://www.drmomma.org/2010/06/ten-fluoride-facts.html

    Here is a excerpt:

    “No difference exists in tooth decay between fluoridated & unfluoridated countries. While water fluoridation is often credited with causing the reduction in tooth decay that has occurred in the US over the past 50 years, the same reductions in tooth decay have occurred in all western countries, most of which have never added fluoride to their water”

    and that is also true for low-income families.

    “AS Beth said, even water can kill you if ingested inappropriately”

    Yes, but the difference is that we NEED water. Nobody need fluoride.

47. First I tried 50/50 baking soda & salt, but it was too hard on my gums – at least they felt tender to me. So I tried a mix of equal parts baking soda, salt, bentonite clay and powdered sage and I LOVE how it works and doesn’t seem to have the same effect. We’ll see what my dentist says on my next visit. For even better consistency & blending I whirred them all together in my spice grinder (hint – do NOT remove the lid too soon – let the powders settle down – achoo!).

48. we as consumers have been brainwashed into thinking that we need a lot of froth and foam to have a “clean” home, body and yes teeth :)

49. Thought you might be interested in this:

    It’s an umbrella. 70% of the frame is recycled and 100% of the canopy is recycled. Plus, it comes with a lifetime warranty.

50. Great post Beth-thank you! I focus most of my efforts on flossing and then brushing -toothpaste doesn’t seem to make much of a difference aside from fresh breath. Finding floss that is Teflon free is challenging-but they’re out there. We use a reverse osmosis water filter and it removes the fluoride. I’ve never supplemented with fluoride and my kids don’t have any cavities. I’m still using Toms and plan to shift to one of your other suggestions once we run out. Great toothpaste discussion!

51. Julie,

    I am so glad to hear it worked for you! Yay!

52. What about miswak? http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=video&cd=1&ved=0CDgQtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DuwomQ7v1bN0&rct=j&q=miswak&tbm=vid&ei=WURHTrn5H-eLsgKuvpmUBg&usg=AFQjCNEwS3wiryk96K61W89RKTnNcf3AGw&sig2=x5tb80scsbJWy8ZzZntPYg&cad=rja

    • Hi, Rua. I actually mentioned miswak here:

      http://myplasticfreelife.com/2011/06/verdict-on-neem-chew-stick-toothbrushes/

      and linked to that very video.

53. Thanks so much for this post! I’ve been thinking about ditching the toothpaste, wanting to do something greener and healthier. I actually skip it about half the time, but sometimes need it to help my teeth feel clean.

    So while I was at the store yesterday, I bought a bar of 100% olive oil soap. I’ve brushed with it a few times. I can barely taste it at all, and it doesn’t taste bad, just weird. And like Fonda mentioned in her blog post, my teeth feel all slippery and clean, even though I’ve been eating popcorn and ice cream since I last brushed. I love how the crud doesn’t stick!

    I don’t blame you for skipping anything that makes you gag, but for those who haven’t tried it, you might be pleasantly surprised!

54. I’ve stopped using toothpaste except for about once a week. At least once a day I brush with water and massage my gums with my brush. I should floss, but…I’m lazy! From what I have read, people tend to brush at least as well without toothpaste, if not better because they are being more conscious of what they are doing. After reading this, I’m going to try making my own paste with coconut oil and baking soda, it sounds interesting!

55. Thanks for the cleaning tips!

    For “my” store, I fear it’s a very local one and you will not find it where you live.

    Their web site is in French only but you can always look at the pictures, you will see the barrels!

    http://www.produits-lemieux.com/index.php

56. Sorry for being off-topic but I find it really sad Beth how your “bulk” store isn’t a real bulk store.

    Where I live the liquid soap is stored in huge barrels. I don’t know the actual capacity but I would guess about 40 gallons? Anyway, those are in permanence in the store and are being refilled with stuff that comes from the head office where the stuff is actually made. Maybe because it’s all the same company it makes sense for them not to throw plastic AND money in the landfill?

    I bought a one gallon and a 250 ml the first time I visited and I go to the store only once every 6 month to refill my gallon. I have a problem though, my 250 ml bottle that I’ve using for years now because I don’t want to buy new plastic is starting to grow mold because I let it sit in the shower 24/24. Have you a solution to that? I guess even non-plastic solution can grew mold. I’ve tried to just wash it away but I can’t because it’s inside the nozzle.

    By the way I know that an easy and greener solution is a solid bar soap but I don’t have access to that where I live (granted, I’m really picky with my soap) and I don’t want to buy that online.

    Thanks and sorry for being off-topic!

    • Yuki, wow. Will you please tell us the name of the store? Do they have a web site?

      Have you tried cleaning the nozzle with vinegar? Soaking it or spraying vinegar through it? You can usually find vinegar in a glass bottle. Also, tea tree oil kills mold like crazy, but it has a very strong smell, and your liguid soap might end up smelling like tea tree oil — which wouldn’t be bad if you like that smell. This article also lists grapefruit seed extract as a mold killer. I’ve never used it or even seen it, so I don’t know. https://www.care2.com/greenliving/three-ways-to-kill-mold-naturally.html

57. Ironically, I recently ordered a bulk supply of Uncle Harry’s. After that, I’ll be trying something else, just to see. I was sad to see Tom’s plastic tubing, as well. Gah. That said, I wasn’t thrilled about aluminum, due to its toxic polluting nature from manufacturing. Not sure why it took me SO LONG (until plastic was introduced!) to stop using Tom’s.

58. You’re not supposed to SWALLOW fluoride as used in dental treatments or in your toothpaste, which is why many dentists don’t recommend fluoridated toothpastes or fluoride treatments for babies, etc. Toothpastes should also be kept away from little kids and pets.

    Most of us drink fluoridated water, and for a reason. Our dental health as a society is stunningly better than pre-fluoride. It was a public health decision. I know some communities are reconsidering, and dosing levels are debated, but until dental care is universal, some treatment would still seem to be a good idea. AS Beth said, even water can kill you if ingested inappropriately.

    Each to their own, though. BTW, our kids (lotsa water, spotty toothpaste use, 6 mos cleaning & fluoride txs), now adults = NO cavities.

59. My dentist is very conservative and still recommends fluoride for my kids! So, I smile and send them home to brush with Weleda calendula toothpaste instead. I swear by Weleda salt toothpaste-I love the clean, fresh feeling although it did take a bit of getting used to-it doesn’t foam and I swear it makes my teeth whiter. Looking at the ingredients, it is just a bicarb toothpaste. It comes from Germany so not too much of a problem as I live in Portugal. Aluminium tube which goes in the recycle bin, plastic lid, cardboard box. I just couldn’t brush my teeth with tooth powder, so if I made my own toothpaste it would be a coconut oil variety. Liquid stevia (powder not available) is very expensive here and affordable coconut oil is imported from India. So it’s Weleda for us for now. If I made our toothpaste my kids would never brush their teeth! It took a month of coaxing to get my four year old to switch to the pleasant liquorice/fennel taste of Weleda calendula toothpaste. My gran used to pack bit of bicarb for her kids when they went on holiday for their teeth-it was part of the holiday fun my mom tells me-funny tooth powder. My dentist thinks we are a bit nuts to brush with Weleda-he says it is a good choice for teeth but what about the fluoride….AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGhhh.

60. Yes. Gotcha. We were saying the same thing differently.

    At some places, I have seen them where they are dispensed from something similar to a beer tap, but not sure what was going on behind the scenes. Likely more plastic.

61. So they don’t have a pump that you can refill your own jar from? Or are you saying that the pump that you refill from is plastic and since that plastic isn’t being reused that you won’t use it.

    This is sooo confusing to explain in a sentence….

    • Mike, let me describe it. There are shelves with rows of big gallon plastic jugs with pumps. Some might be a bit bigger than a gallon. You can pump the product into your own smaller container. Or you can buy the entire jug. But those jugs are not refilled once empty; they are just tossed in the recycle bin. Do you guys have something different?

62. I always felt very sick after a visit to the dentist , This made me look into fluoride and what it really is, https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/how-safe-is-fluoride/

    I do not get a fluoride treatment at the dentist any more , the last time I had my teeth cleaned I asked what the paste was, she said toothpaste and baking-soda.

    Do some googling on fluoride and inform yourself.
    Backing-soda and water does the job for me.

63. I brush with water and follow with a rinse of peroxide. You could do a baking soda peroxide mix maybe… I tried brushing with peroxide and my gums were too sensitive like yours but the peroxide rinse works well I think.

64. After stopping using shampoo and conditioner I’m glad to read your post because now I’m really thinking about stopping the toothpaste. I have no issue with fluoride because I use fluoride-free toothpaste for over 2 years and I actually get better teeth ha! My problem is taste, and I don’t talk about your homemade recipe or other strange black powder, I have issues with the taste of ANY toothpaste! I will be very glad if I can do without it!

    Thanks a lot!

65. I am hesitant to try any non-fluoride toothpaste, because after a year of brushing nearly exclusively with baking soda, flossing regularly, etc, I had shiny white teeth and FOUR CAVITIES. I have a fabulous, clean, healthy diet, so I don’t think that was the problem. I was told by my dental hygienist that it has a lot to do with oral pH, which is greatly dependent upon genetics and the water you consume. She said that those who are prone to tartar — which baking soda does a great job of removing — tend to get no cavities but brittle teeth. I, apparently, am not the tartar type.

    That said, I am still intrigued by the different options and recipes here.

    Also, Burt’s Bees makes toothpaste in an aluminum tube. It does have a (fairly large) plastic lid, though.

66. beth, i so was hoping the berkeley bowl was refilling those gallon jugs that i fill my dr bronners from. and how can i be so oblivious about all bulk bins in all stores being filled from plastic bags…i’ve seen them do it a million times and totally went into vision denial. damnit everything is in plastic. yesterday at the bank i saw a clerk get a stack of paper pads and each one was wrapped in cellophane. : (

    yep, we just draw the line whenever we can.

67. Beth – Is there anywhere close to you that you could buy the liquid soap in bulk? I can get it from my local co-op and bring a mason jar to refill.

    • Mike, we do have bulk liquid soap, but I choose not to buy it because it comes in plastic containers that are not returned to be refilled. The companies don’t take them back. I had this revelation a few years ago when I bought a gallon of Dr. Bronner’s and then went to refill it and was told that that WAS the biggest size. That was the size that the smaller bottles were being refilled from. (Awkward sentence, but you know what I mean, right?) And Dr. Bronner’s wouldn’t take it back to refill, so it just got tossed in the recycle bin. So I don’t buy liquid products in bulk anymore.

      That said, buying liquids that way is DEFINITELY better than buying multiple small sizes. And I also realize that much of the food sold in bulk bins comes from large plastic bags. It’s a personal decision, I guess, how much plastic to avoid.

68. (For people concerned about fluoride, you actually get very little of it from toothpaste. You can compensate for the lack of toothpaste by asking your dentist to give you a professional fluoride treatment whenever you go in for a cleaning. Most dental insurance won’t cover it, but it’s usually only about $30 a treatment.)

69. My dentist has also told me that you don’t really need to use toothpaste. I mean, it’s helpful? But not mandatory. It’s the action of brushing that does most of the work.

70. Hey Beth,

    I am on my last tube of Tom’s Of Maine and this post inspired me to make up some of my own toothpaste. Taste is a huge factor for me, so I was hoping these solutions would taste ok. Solution number 1 was super scratchy and the saltiness made me gag. Then, I tried solution 2 since I have calcium carbonate tablets (in a plastic container) which I bought previously from the drug store. The paste was very “sandy” and again the salt made me salivate and gag. I think the calcium carbonate and baking soda ratios need to be adjusted. And I will leave out the salt because it’s really gross for me. I will post an update when I’ve found a good mix!

    Thanks for this post!

71. Beth – DO NOT use plain cotton thread as floss. I have done this a bunch of times in the past when floss was not available… most of the time, with no ill effect. I guess the last time I did this – perhaps 2 yrs ago, with a lovely navy thread – a piece of the thread became lodged very deeply in my gums/teeth, UNBEKNOWNST to me. Fast forward, I was getting dental work done, had a filling in a very strange place in between 2 upper/side teeth. A couple of days later, the thread, now almost unrecognizable, became dislodged. Yes – even after dental work, professional teeth cleaning, and regular oral hygiene, this thread was still stuck in the Narnia of my mouth for probably a year and had definitely caused a weird cavity. I had not felt the thread at all. So, it may be kind of a gross story, but SRSLY – do not use ANY regular thread for floss. I will never do that again.

    • @monkeyjen, Oh god oh god oh god. Thanks for the story. Rethinking…

      @EcoCatLady Water can kill you too. It’s all about the dose and how you ingest it. No idea about fluoride in green tea.

      @Carol, thanks for the toothpaste tube recycling info.

      @Shannon, I’m glad the Dr. Bronner’s works for you. I’ve only experimented with bar soap so far because it comes plastic-free. I wonder if liquid soap would taste different to me since, as we discussed in the liquid soap post last week, it’s made using potassium hydroxide instead of sodium hydroxide. But what keeps me from trying it is the plastic bottle. I can’t get liquid soap without a plastic bottle. Even the bulk stuff comes in a huge unreturnable plastic bottle, which is definitely better than a bunch of small bottles, but for the purposes of my plastic-free project I’m skipping those too.

72. OH… and one more thought. Doesn’t green tea contain a lot of natural fluoride? Can’t remember where I got that one… but I think it was an actual informational source as opposed to late night channel surfing.

73. Oh, and while I’m thinking of it. I heard somewhere that oil of wintergreen can kill you. Actually, I think it was an episode of Cold Case, where the evil drama/voice coach offs her student with a vile of oil of wintergreen. I’m not actually advising taking medical advice from bad crime drama shows, but it did give me pause…

74. Awesome. I’ve been looking for info on this lately. Great one stop spot. Now off to make my own tooth powder…

75. For anyone who is thinking of going pasteless, may I suggest oil pulling. I do this daily(When I remember) I try to do it every morning. It’s great for your teeth, It’s not completely plastic free, but it really is the best thing I do for my teeth.

    I do still use toothsoap, but not as often. :)

76. There’s also at least two “new” [to me] shower flosser/dental irrigators that you attach to your shower head. The concept is interesting, sure fits the bill for multitasking, and potentially eliminates toothpaste AND floss. :-))
    Unfortunately there is plastic, so, sadly, probably not be an option.

77. I use Dr. Bronner’s liquid baby soap. Yes, it’s in a plastic bottle, and when it runs out, I’ll just buy a bar. It doesn’t taste bad at all. Maybe you have to get used to it. I just put a drop on my toothbrush.

78. I bought Tom’s because I thought it came in the returrnable aluminium, and was really disappointed when it didn’t. We’re moving home to South Africa, where tubes come in aluminium but the recycling system is not well developed so I doubt I could recycle the tube or cap.

    But I’ve been hearing dentists suggesting recently that toothpaste is NOT necessary, particularly if you’re drinking a lot of fluoridated water. I’ve also been taught that flossing is actually more important than brushing (if I were to pick one, which I probably shouldn’t). But all to say, brushing with water may well be fine for your teeth, if you floss and drink a lot of water.

79. Hawaiians had beautiful teeth. They used edible hibiscus sticks; and other indigenous cultures also used different sticks and bark. Seems to me it would be easier to carry around a stick than a toothbrush. One could add a pencil clip to it and put it in a shirt pocket :)

    Remineralization is the key and where we need to have more discussion. Weston Price has a book on that recommends meat/fat. I wonder how the teeth of vegetarians are? I know I have a remineralization issue, where my ex didn’t. I had more cavities despite more brushing.

80. I send my plastic toothpaste tubes (along with chips packets and ring pulls from drinks cans) to the Philippine Community Fund http://www.p-c-f.org/. The women their project supports make them into all kinds of products which they sell and can then send their children to school. The fund has recently built a school so the kids no longer scrounge from the rubbish tip. Although their website says they no longer accept toothpaste tubes they do if you can put up the cost of shipping. I collect from my church and the 25 it costs me to ship a 2-3 cubic foot box to the Philippines is part of my contribution to their work.

81. OMG… I gotta say… this whole post pretty much makes me want to puke. First of all, I just have to ask… why oh why oh why do they insist upon making such vile flavors for teeth cleaning products. Licorice has got to be the most disgusting thing on the planet, well, next to wasabi… and now I find out there are people making wasabi tooth products too?!? Do these people have no taste buds? And stevia… oh… major yuck… talk about puke flavored aftertaste. And bentonite clay? That sounds a bit like brushing with kitty litter to me. Charcoal?!? OK… sorry, but I can’t get past the black part.

    OK, sorry for the rant. I have no great solutions to offer. I have very few choices when it comes to teeth cleaning because I am violently allergic to many of the common ingredients in toothpaste and tooth powders (especially anise or anise flavoring).

    But… when I had hives every day for a year, I had to systematically remove EVERYTHING that I might inadvertently be ingesting, so that meant no toothpaste. I just brushed with water for a few months and my mouth felt just as clean as it did with toothpaste. Don’t know how that works out long term though.

82. Jay-

    As for the dentist. I have not been either, but my sister started with me on the tooth soap in the beginning of the year. She is a teenager and around this past Christmas developed a cavity in her tooth. She went to the dentist and they said she would need to have it filled. Due to finances and the dentist schedule, she had to wait a few months.

    So in June she went back to the dentist, there has been much talk about if this soap and re-enameling healing’ stuff worked in our family, we have had our fingers crossed hoping it was so, so she could save her adult tooth in whole. So my dad decided to no tell the dentist their new practice till the end, he wanted a non-bias appointment. So here is the good news the dentist actually refused to fill her tooth, saying that it was healing and doing great. He said she had great levels of phosphorus (I think it was this?) and calcium in her saliva and her teeth were looking great and to keep doing what she was doing. At this point, my dad and sister did tell the dentist what they were doing.. and of course he had to get all doctor on them saying that it was not good to do,and they should basically use chemicals haha, I had to laugh when my dad told me this since the dentist had just told them whatever they were doing was working great!

    So I think that if you are taking a non-conventional approach that the dentist will be bias, since most of them are reviving money from toothpaste companies and they feel they need to stand with what the ADA recommends.

83. Sarah – I saw a silk floss the other day at Whole Foods.

    Thanks Beth! I tried using soap about a month ago (Kiss My Face’s pure olive oil soap), and gagged a little, but not too much, so I might give it another shot. I just had a filling (only the second in my whole life!), so I’m hesitant to not use fluoride. I have no idea if my city uses fluoride (I’ve been meaning to look at their latest report anyways for a water-related post), so if they do, maybe I’d be comfortable sans toothpaste.

84. When I do oil-pulling (most mornings), I follow it with gargling with warm salt water, brushing with 1 drop of peppermint castile liquid soap (purchased in bulk at Dr. Bronners), and flossing via our oral irrigator in the shower.

    I tried brushing my teeth in the evenings with just the peppermint castile liquid soap. At the time, I was using 2 drops after oil-pulling and knew to cut it down, so I used a scant drop. ICKY!!!!!!

    What I learned from the experience is to try only one drop after oil-pulling to see if it would still do the job and reduce usage amounts (not that 2 drops is a lot, but still waste is waste). One drop is sufficient for me.

    I made my own toothpaste this week (sample test amount) and it has passed muster with my family. Here’s a copy and paste from my facebook page:

    I scraped the inside of an aloe “leaf” (tentacle…LOL) with a 1/2 teaspoon and it took two times. Used the same amount of coconut oil and half that amount of arrowroot powder and a smidgen of lecithin powder. Stir. I added 4 drops of peppermint essential oil. Stir. Brush front teeth as test for flavor. Awesome! Clean, smooth, minty fresh!

    It LOOKS just like regular toothpaste! It tastes like peppermint and a tiny bit like coconut. It feels a little odd while you are brushing, but once you rinse…WOW! Very clean and minty fresh!

    I purchased the arrowroot powder and lecithin powder in bulk locally. I used Nutiva VCO, which was purchased in bulk from amazon, but we also have a glass jar of Spectrum VCO from a local health food store (crazy price difference).

    I used little 2 ounce stainless steel condiment cups (one for each bathroom) for the trial run and the first night it was a little on the thin side. By morning, it had firmed/gelled to the perfect consistency. By the next morning, though, it was a little off consistency-wise. I didn’t cover the containers and left them out on the counter on purpose so everyone would remember to use the homemade toothpaste. I need to find a better packaging plan….

85. I’m going to have to look into the whole glycerin and tooth enamel thing. A basic search really didn’t answer much. Any time I see a claim like that, I like to do some research into the scientific claims. Google scholar had nothing except patents.

    Funny thing is I just learned about saponification in my organic chemistry class. Fight Club was right, you can make soap from any type of fat.

    I’ have Dove soap right now and surprisingly enough, it doesn’t have any glycerin in it. I know I have a bar of aromatherapy all natural soap somewhere, I’ll have to check it’s ingredients.

    Beth, do you have a plastic free alternative to floss?

    • @Sarah, the first rule of saponification is you do not talk about saponification. I believe that’s the second rule as well. As for store-bought dental floss, right now there are no plastic-free alternatives. The silk floss (Radius, I believe) comes in a plastic container, and the floss in a cardboard container (Eco-Dent) is made from Nylon. Here’s my post about floss:

      http://myplasticfreelife.com/2010/04/plastic-free-dental-floss-not-quite/

      I have been meaning to try plain cotton thread and see how that works, as several people have recommended it. But I haven’t gotten around to it yet.

      @EcoCatLady: WASABI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

86. I agree that the act of brushing is the biggest thing. I’ve heard that drinking water is the next most important thing!

    I make toothpaste and powder and package in a glass jar and refill etc, but I describe my toothpaste as “hardcore”. I use dead sea salts. It tastes weird until you rinse and then you are all clean! Yum.

    Beth, you are right about the calcium carbonate – you don’t know what it might be contaminated with and it wasn’t packaged by food handlers for consumption. But I suggest talking to the people who package it. It may simply be transferred from a 100lb paper sack of calcium carbonate USP#1 to smaller paper sacks. Or it may be mined crushed and sifted, but not tested for purity, in which case it could contain bad stuff. I have encountered both scenarios when I have looked into my supplies.

    In the meantime, bentonite clay is sold all sorts of places for consumption, but only sometimes in glass.

    As an aromatherapist, I disagree with using cinnamon essential oils because it’s a skin and mucous membrane irritant. Try 3 parts lemon to 1 part peppermint.

    Thanks Beth, for a thorough go at the alternatives. I am thinking, inspired by you, of expanding my ingredients list for my next DIY dental care lab.

87. Impressive sampling! Curious if your dentist had any thoughts, especially whether you really NEED toothpaste at all. Ours says no, but only because we get regular fluoride treatments.
    BTW, there’s a LUSH on Bay Street in Emeryville (or so the store locator says).

88. I use Rose of Sharon Acres tooth chips. Took me about a week to get used to the taste, but I LOVE the way they clean! Sooooooooo good feeling, so much better than toothpaste! :D

    • Kristie, I’m glad the tooth chips work out for you. Maybe some of us are more sensitive to that soap taste than others. Maybe it’s genetic. Jay, I haven’t asked him yet. :-)

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