How to Make Homemade Toothpaste With Bentonite Clay
This simple homemade toothpaste recipe from bentonite clay and a few other natural ingredients will clean your teeth and freshen breath without toxic ingredients. Affordable and zero waste too!
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been sewing, cooking and whipping up crafts of all sorts. This craftiness certainly has had its advantages – saving money (why buy when you can make?), impressing friends (homemade gifts!) and generally keeping me out of trouble.
On the flip side, I’ve spent countless dollars on supplies for short-lived hobbies (hello metal-working and pottery classes) and have amassed large collections of things like fabric, beads and buttons that are currently collecting dust.
If any of this sounds familiar to you, then you’ll understand how someone like this would eventually be the kind of person who makes her own toothpaste.
It was bound to happen. First it was simple scrubs and masks. Then lip balms and body creams. Now homemade toothpaste. And it’s not because good natural toothpaste is not available – it is! But once a maker, always a maker and toothpaste was on my bucket list.
Is homemade toothpaste is on your bucket list too?
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How to Make Homemade Toothpaste
Just so you know – I tried a lot of variations before I came up with a homemade toothpaste recipe that I liked. I knew I wanted to use bentonite clay as the base because of its ability to draw out toxins and deposit minerals on teeth – plus it is the primary ingredient in Earthpaste, a natural toothpaste I like a lot.
Variations using baking soda were a bit too harsh for me. The consistency of a version using only bentonite clay and essential oils was a bit odd. It was only when I added in a bit of coconut oil to the mix that I got the flavor and consistency that I liked.
Feel free to mess around with this recipe to find your favorite combination!
About the ingredients
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One of the biggest advantages of making your own toothpaste is knowing what’s in it. This toothpaste recipe has only 5 natural ingredients – plus a bit of water to bind it all together. Don’t worry – you won’t go broke making this – these ingredients are inexpensive and could even save you money on toothpaste in the long run.
- Bentonite clay – draws out toxins, reduces acidity in mouth, non-abrasive polisher and is full of minerals like calcium and magnesium that are good for teeth
- Coconut oil – anti-bacterial and anti-fungal
- Essential oils – anti-bacterial and fights plaque (I chose a blend of orange and peppermint)
- Sea salt – natural cleanser and whitener
- Stevia – natural sweetener
What’s not in this toothpaste? Fluoride, glycerin, sodium lauryl sulphate, triclosan, propylene glycol, carrageenan, saccharin, polyethylene, titanium dioxide and artificial colors and flavors.
Learn More: How to Buy Non-Toxic Beauty & Personal Care Products
Orange Peppermint Homemade Toothpaste Recipe
Homemade toothpaste is super easy to make. Just mix all the ingredients together in a bowl – no need to heat anything up. Use the back of the spoon to break up any clumps of coconut oil. (Note: bentonite clay reacts with metal and loses its effectiveness, so it is best to use a non-metal bowl and spoon for this project.)
As for flavor, the combination of orange and peppermint essential oils, along with a smidge of stevia give it a slightly sweet taste, along with that fresh mintiness you expect from toothpaste. Feel free to choose your own essential oil combination – cinnamon, clove, spearmint and lemon are popular toothpaste flavors too.
Because there are no preservatives, it is best to make a small batch that will be used up in about a month.
Store your homemade toothpaste in a small glass or plastic jar. I save and reuse jars from food and beauty products especially for my DIY concoctions – but Amazon sells 2-oz glass jars that are the perfect size for a batch of this toothpaste. Personally, I love that this is an affordable and zero waste toothpaste recipe!
And if you’re wondering where that wooden toothbrush is from – it’s a MABLE bamboo toothbrush – love it!
Whether you’re a DIY addict or newbie, I have a feeling this toothpaste will make you smile!
Orange Peppermint Homemade Clay Toothpaste
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons powdered bentonite clay
- 4 Tablespoons water
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
- 1/4 teaspoon stevia powder
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 10 drops peppermint essential oil
- 10 drops orange essential oil
Instructions
- Mix powdered clay with water in a small, non-metal bowl, with a non-metal spoon.
- Add remaining ingredients and mix until well blended.
- Store in a glass or plastic jar.
- Shelf life about 1 month.
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Do you love making stuff? What’s the most unusual DIY you’ve done?
Wow! I’m impressed. Pinning.
I’ll have to try that and maybe replace the baking soda only habit.
I don’t think it’s good to use baking soda on teeth everyday. It’s abrasive. I swapped out the orange essential oil for clove oil though.
Has anyone used on guard oil instead of clove and orange? Would that work?
I’m not familiar with that oil – sorry!
Is it calcium bentonite or sodium bentonite that you use?
Hi Mala – Redmond brand bentonite clay is high in BOTH calcium and sodium. http://www.redmondclay.com/2012/is-redmond-clay-a-calcium-bentonite-clay/
I have read that you should never put coconut oil down the drain as it will build up over time and cause major plumbing issues. Has this been an issue for you or do you expel the used toothpaste in another manner?
Good question Fran. Since there is so little coconut in this toothpaste recipe, and you use so little at a time, I wouldn’t think it would be a problem. As a precaution, running very hot water down your sink periodically, should help clear out anything that is building up!
Hi Fran.
I oil pull with coconut oil, and have always been cautious about this, so I spit the oil into little paper bathroom cups instead of my sink. It could be a method here as well, just double your trash bags to prevent leakage.
I learned a lot here. I was wondering how much it costs in total to make 2 oz of this recipe?
Hi Della – The cost would depend on how much you paid for your ingredients. If you live near a food co-op or natural foods store, you can probably get just a small amount of the bentonite clay, instead of buying a whole bag. All the ingredients are fairly inexpensive!
Is the salt necessary? I’ve read a lot of recipes for homemade toothpaste, and though a lot of them call for baking soda as an added ingredient, others dis it because it’s too abrasive. Now, I would think that if baking soda is too abrasive for teeth, then salt – even super fine sea salt – would be just as abrasive, if not more so.
Hi Tiffany – You can definitely make this toothpaste without the salt – it’s not necessary but helps as a cleanser and whitener. There is such a small amount of salt in the recipe that I don’t think the abrasiveness is a problem. Weleda has a very popular salt toothpaste that’s been around for ages – so it’s not a new concept to use salt in toothpaste. Hope that helps!
Is the water necessary? What is its purpose in the recipe? I thought water decreased shelf life.
I can’t get the essential oil taste or smell to last any more than 5 days after making and using. Any tips?
Hmmm…I haven’t had that problem. I would try adding more essential oils – maybe 5 extra drops at a time?
I’ve heard that bentonite clay can cause damage to tears when it is not ground finely enough. Why did you decide to link the clay that you did. Is it at all gritty? Have you found that you experience any tooth soreness after using this product?
Redmond Clay is a trusted brand – I’ve never experienced any problems with their products! You can read more about them on their website: https://redmond.life/redmond-clay/
I’m making this for the second time today. It’s SO much better than my store-bought toothpaste! My teeth feel do clean after every brushing. Thank you!
I’m so glad to hear that Marti!
Hello is Redmon edible bentonite clay that can be swallowed if it happens while brushing cause there are 2 types of bentonite clay one is external and one internal.
My understanding is that if you swallow a little bit of it, this will not be a problem.
Hi. I just made the toothpaste but it’s very watery. If it sits will it thicken or have I added too much water? Can I just add more clay until I get the right consistency? Thank you!
Yes, I would try adding a tiny bit more clay until you get the right consistency. Hope that helps!
Hi Micaela,
I just made some of this toothpaste. I’m wondering if the coconut oil will plug sink drains over time as it hardens. I’ve heard this can happen.
Thanks.
You should be OK if you run some hot water down the drain after brushing.
Hi there,
Can this be put into little pellet molds and dehydrated like the chewables?
Good question Morgan. I’ve never tried that.
This recipe came out very watery. It doesn’t look like the photo.
Sorry you had trouble with the recipe. I suggest adding a bit more clay. Hope that helps!
Bentontie Clay is not safe for those who have certain fillings – such as mercury – correct?
I’ve never heard that concern.
won’t the clay clog up the sink?I really want to make this just concerned about the clay.
I’ve never heard about it clogging up the sink.
Hi there. Is Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay okay for this recipe. It is calcium bentonite. Should I purchase Redmond’s since it has calcium and sodium? Are both needed for the benefits of the paste?
I’ve never tested it with Aztec Secret but it would probably be ok
Is there something else I can use besides stevia powder???
Not sure what it is and dont have onhand
I haven’t tested out the recipe with any other sweetener.
Hi, I made his recipe yesterday and I chose to substitute out the stevia and use monk fruit & erythritol extract instead. Monkfruit/erythritol sweeteners are the crystallized extract from monk fruit and it has health benefits as well as its 300x sweeter than sugar, so it adds sweetness and medicinal benefits! It turned out well I absolutely love the toothpaste and it makes my mouth feel cleaner than ever. The oily nature of the toothpaste is a bit weird at first try, but it grows on you once you reealize how well it works to clean your teeth. Thanks for sharing this recipe! – Erica
Glad you like the toothpaste recipe!
Great recipe. I was unsure of the consistency and felt it needed baking soda. I added it and it turned into a science experience that as it bubbled and overflowed slowly like a muffin in a muffin tin baking. Anyone else do this too? Is it safe to use?
Remade it correctly and love it!
I’m glad you love the toothpaste! It’s fine to experiment with the recipe but I can’t guarantee the results!
I just made this for the 6th or 7th time. It’s runny! The only difference is the brand of clay. I’m lost. Could the clay be ground finer? Or? Advice please!
Hmmmm…I really don’t know because I’ve never had that experience. I would probably add a bit more clay.
Do you spit out the toothpaste in the sink or in the trash?
I spit it in the sink.
Hi there! I am wondering with all the precautions to use metal with bentonite clay, would it be safe to assume this toothpaste should then not be used by someone who has metal fillings?
I’m afraid I’m not an expert in that area. Maybe reach out to the Redmond Clay company?
Do you use just stevia powder or stevia leaf extract powder?
Unfortunately, your link is not working for that product.
Sorry about the broken link – it is fixed now! I used pure, organic stevia powder (also called stevia leaf leaf extract).
Hi! I just made this and the coconut oil is not mixing with the clay. Any suggestions?
It could be a temperature issue. Let it warm up a bit?
What brand of bentonite clay do you recommend?
The brand I link to in the post is Redmond Clay.
Trying to reduce toxins from my house. I need to make this.