How to Make Baking Soda Toothpaste

Medically reviewed by Cristian Macau, DDS

Last Updated: October 8, 2021 References

According to The Journal of Clinical Dentistry, toothpastes that contain baking soda are nearly twice as effective as toothpastes that don’t contain the ingredient.^{[1]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} If you’re looking to make homemade toothpaste, it only makes sense to include baking soda in the recipe! Additionally, the ingredients used to make a batch of baking soda toothpaste will be much cheaper than a tube of toothpaste—potentially reducing your costs by as much as 500%!^{[2]
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Research source} You can also personalize the size and flavor of each batch of homemade toothpaste, and add ingredients to help polish your teeth or improve your health.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Baking-Soda Based Toothpaste

1
Start with baking soda. Acidity in the foods we eat is the main culprit in damaging our teeth. Baking soda is one of the best defenses because it helps to neutralize acids, encouraging healthy bacteria and protecting your teeth’s enamel. Further, it is also much less abrasive than many commercially available toothpastes, while still capable of providing enough abrasion to clean your teeth.^{[3]
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- Baking soda stimulates saliva and minerals, which helps the natural process of remineralization. This creates a stronger cohesion with the enamel.
- To make a roughly 5 oz batch of baking soda-based toothpaste — about the size of a standard toothpaste tube — start with 2/3 cup of baking soda in a medium-sized bowl.
2
Include some sea salt. Though it may sound like an unpleasant component of toothpaste, sea salt provides minerals that can help your teeth remineralize and rebuild. Go with fine sea salt. Add 1 tsp directly to the baking soda.^{[5]
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- Enamel is the only protection that coats the surface of our teeth and acts like a shield against bacteria, temperature, or abrasive factors. As an organic tissue, enamel is constantly suffering from trauma of all types. Minerals are the only "ingredients" that can help a fast recovery of the enamel's surface.
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3
Add peppermint to taste. You can use either peppermint extract or peppermint essential oil to improve the toothpaste’s effectiveness and flavor. Other essential oils, such a spearmint, will also help you combat plaque and gingivitis when featured in a consistent brushing and flossing routine.^{[6]
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- If opting for extract, add 1 or 2 tsp.
- If using essential oil, add 10 to 15 drops.
- You can pretty much use as much flavoring as you like. Add the flavoring little by little and taste your toothpaste along the way to find your ideal amount of flavor.
- Keep in mind that you are not supposed to swallow toothpaste.
- If you're making a batch of toothpaste that will be used by children under ten, do not include essentials oils.^{[7]
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4
Mix the ingredients with filtered water. The amount of water you use is up to you. Shoot for a consistency that’s comfortable for you to use.^{[8]
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Research source} Don’t worry about it being too thick, as the drier it is, the longer it will last. If it begins to dry out too much, you can always add more filtered water.
- Start by mixing in about 1/2 a cup of water.
- If the paste is too thin, add a bit more baking soda until you reach the desired consistency.
- If the paste is too thick, add a bit more filtered water.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Storing and Using Your Toothpaste

1
Use an airtight container for storage. Once you’ve achieved the desired consistently, store the paste in a glass or plastic receptacle that you’re able to close. A glass jar with a screw-on lid are ideal, especially if you included essential oils in your batch.^{[9]
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- Keep your toothpaste away from excessive heat or direct sunlight.
2
Brush your teeth correctly. Next time you want to brush, simply wet your toothbrush, slather on as much of your baking soda toothpaste as you wish, and brush as you normally do. A dollop the size of a miniature M&M is likely plenty, though it doesn’t hurt to use more.^{[10]
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Trustworthy Source
American Dental Association
World's largest dental professional organization and advocate for proper oral health
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- Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your gums.
- Brush gently, in short, back and forth strokes. Gently brush your gums as well.
- Get the outside, inside, and all chewing surfaces of every tooth.
- Use up and down strokes to get the inside of your upper front teeth. Try to do at least 10 per surface.
- Brush your tongue too! This will remove bacteria from your mouth that causes bad breath.
3
Floss every day. Don’t just brush: floss once a day as well. It doesn’t matter whether you brush or floss first, just make sure you’re removing all of the plaque that’s gathered on your teeth since your last brush. You can use plaque-disclosing tablets to check your teeth-cleaning abilities. These are available at pharmacies, and should be used if your doctor has mentioned that you need to do a better job brushing.^{[11]
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Trustworthy Source
American Dental Association
World's largest dental professional organization and advocate for proper oral health
Go to source}
4
Opt for a soft-bristled toothbrush. Firmer bristles risk removing the enamel that protects your teeth. Rinse your toothbrush immediately after using, and store it upright and uncovered. Replace your brush every three to four months, or whenever the bristles become noticeably disfigured.^{[12]
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Trustworthy Source
American Dental Association
World's largest dental professional organization and advocate for proper oral health
Go to source}
5
Go with just baking soda and water. In a pinch, you can also simply blend baking soda and filtered water to the consistency you desire and call it good. You’re still getting the alkaline and odor-fighting components of baking soda with the added comforts of an undeniable simplicity. This approach, however, will give you a toothpaste that only lasts about a week.^{[13]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Including Other Ingredients

1
Add some coconut oil. Many personalized recipes for baking soda toothpaste call for a bit of coconut oil as well. Coconut oil is a worthy addition because it can help fight certain infections of the mouth. Further, it will improve texture, and has the added benefit of helping to boost your digestive health.^{[14]
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- It has also a slight whitening effect, is a good pH-neutralizer, and is an effective antibacterial substance.
- Do not replace flossing and brushing with coconut oil mouth rinsing. Though some recommend the practice, coconut oil alone is insufficient to keep your mouth clean and healthy.
2
Consider other healthy supplements. If you drink primarily water that is purified via reverse osmosis, trace mineral drops can provide some of the beneficial minerals that you may not be getting in the water you drink. Consider adding a dash or two of xylitol to sweeten your toothpaste, as well as boost the anti-cavity properties of the paste as well.^{[15]
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3
Crush up some cacao nibs. You’re likely familiar with the common toothpaste flavors: various sorts of mint, an aggressive grape, maybe a variation of tutti-frutti; however, arguably the best re-mineralizing compound around is cacao — which works even better than fluoride, without the dangers.^{[16]
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- If you’re tempted to add cacao to your toothpaste, talk to your dentist about the degree to which you should grind the nibs, as this will affect their abrasiveness.
4
Polish with bentonite clay. Like baking soda, bentonite clay is alkaline, so it helps fight the acidity that destroys your teeth. Clay has the additional capacity to serve as a natural polishing agent without being too abrasive. The bacterial balance in your mouth that clay promotes also helps you fight illness and boosts remineralization of your teeth.^{[17]
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- Simply add a small amount of bentonite clay to your toothpaste.
5
Test the pH of your toothpaste. You want to ensure that none of the ingredients you add to a homemade batch of toothpaste are acidic. In fact, it’s likely a good idea to get some pH test strips to test for acidity.^{[18]
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Research source} Make sure all readings have a pH of seven or higher.
- If you toothpaste has a pH lower than seven, dispose to the batch and make a new one, perhaps removing any ingredients that may have contributed to the acidity.

Warnings

You should not use this type of toothpaste daily because baking soda is abrasive and can cause enamel loss, which leads to cavities and sensitivity.

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Do not include glycerin in your homemade toothpaste. Though glycerin is not toxic, you should not add it to homemade toothpaste recipes. It risks detrimentally affecting the healthy bacterial environment in your mouth. Further, it may also coat the teeth, and obstruct the remineralization that is otherwise encouraged by baking soda toothpaste. This remineralization is the way your teeth fight the emergence of cavities!^{[19]
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