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I’ve posted my recipe for remineralizing homemade toothpaste before, and a reader recently shared her adaption that allows it to be squeezable (many thanks to Melina!) It also combines the bentonite clay of the toothpowder recipe with the remineralizing recipe for a double dose of minerals.
The addition of water to this recipe makes it squeezable, but also shortens the shelf life. I haven’t been able to test it past a few weeks because we use it so quickly, but it has lasted at least that long at our house. A reader suggested adding vodka in place of the water.
The squeezable tube also offers the advantage of making a toothpaste that is easier to share without having to dip multiple toothbrushes into the same container.
If you’d rather use a water-free homemade toothpaste recipe with an indefinite shelf life or a toothpowder recipe, my entire list of oral health recipes is on my Oral Health Resource Page.
Squeezable Homemade Toothpaste Recipe
Equipment
Materials
- 5 TBSP calcium carbonate powder
- 3 TBSP xylitol powder (optional)
- 4 TBSP coconut oil (room temperature)
- 1 TBSP baking soda (optional)
- 2 TBSP bentonite clay (or additional calcium carbonate)
- 3 TBSP distilled water
- 30 drops essential oils (such as peppermint, cinnamon, etc.)
- 20-30 drops trace minerals (optional)
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients except clay in a mini-food processor and mix well to incorporate.
- Once smooth, slowly add in the bentonite clay and mix by hand with a plastic utensil (bentonite clay should not come in contact with metal). If you don’t have a food processor, you can use an immersion blender or even a whisk/fork in a bowl. Do not use an air-tight blender like a magic bullet as this create too much pressure
- Store in a small jar or a squeezable tube like this BPA free GoTube.
- Use as you would regular toothpaste.
Notes
- Due to the nature of the coconut oil, this homemade toothpaste will be thicker when cooler and thinner when heated, but should be a squeezable consistency at normal room temp (70-75 degrees). If it is too runny or too thick, try adding more water or calcium to get desired thickness.
- Adjust essential oils to taste.
Homemade Toothpaste FAQs
Q. What is the best type of calcium/calcium magnesium to use?
After trying a lot of different types of calcium and calcium magnesium powders and getting reader feedback from dozens of readers… the consensus is that Calcium Carbonate is the best option and that certain types of calcium magnesium can cause reactions. (I use this brand)
Q. I had an explosive reaction while making this… what happened?
Likely, you used calcium magnesium in a closed container, which apparently can cause a pressure reaction in certain situations. I recommend mixing by hand or in a container that is not airtight. Magic bullets seem to be the culprit in most cases.
Q. Is this okay for sensitive teeth/fillings/veneers/children/etc?
Always check with a dentist before changing a dental routine especially if you have any dental conditions. I personally use this on my kids and on my own teeth with a couple of non-amalgam fillings (before I knew about remineralization). Again, check with a dentist, but since all ingredients are generally considered safe for consumption, I feel comfortable using it.
Q. What are some common reactions in the first few weeks (heightened sensitivity for some)?
I personally didn’t have any reactions, but it seems that some people do experience sensitivity for the first couple of weeks of using homemade toothpaste, especially if they’ve been using commercial products for a long time or have had recent fluoride treatments as the clay can bind and pull out toxins. This seems to be less of an issue with calcium powder and seems to resolve itself within a few weeks, but again check with a dentist.
Q. Xylitol vs. stevia, which is better?
This is largely a matter of opinion. Some studies show that xylitol is good for the teeth, while others show it can be dangerous. It is dangerous to animals, so be very careful to keep it out of the reach of any pets! We use this brand which is not derived from corn and which is not GMO.
Q. Vodka vs. Water?
This recipe works just fine with water, but many people have successfully used vodka in its place to extend the shelf life (it lasts pretty long either way.)
Q. Why NO Glycerin?
There is some evidence that glycerin can coat teeth and prevent them from absorbing minerals. The research definitely seems mixed on this one, but there is no evidence that glycerin is needed or beneficial to the teeth, so it is best avoided. On a personal level, I’ve seen relatives’ teeth turn brown after using glycerin-based toothpaste and return to normal once switching to different brands.
Q. Other than yourself and your family, has anyone else used this for a while?
I have received dozens of emails from people who have used this toothpaste or my regular remineralizing toothpaste and had good results. One reader, Jennifer, backed the idea of using calcium and not calcium magnesium:
I’ve always made it with calcium powder and love it. We bought the calcium magnesium powder this time and it tastes and feels like tingly, bitter metal – and not tingly in a good way. We will stick with the regular calcium carbonate powder.
Tina offered these changes:
I started adding a bit of hydrogen peroxide to mine. That made it squeezable. I do not use the bentonite clay. Instead I use baking soda. I also add a few drops of grapefruit seed extract to mine. There is still the fact that coconut oil is more firm in cooler temps. Thanks for sharing the container information! I have tried using pastry tips with disposable plastic bags.
Melinda adds:
I love this toothpaste recipe and have been using the original but my paste always dries up. I’ll have to play with it more. This recipe really does make my teeth look and feel fantastic. I love it! May have to get a squeezable tube and see how that goes.
Q. I had bleeding gums the first few times I used this, is this normal?
I didn’t experience this personally, but have heard from many readers that they had this for the first few days and up to two weeks but from their experience, it seemed to resolve itself. If in doubt, ask a dentist!
Q. What type of container is best for this?
I personally use goToobs which are medical grade silicon and great for re-using, traveling and squeezing without worry of plastic leaching in to the toothpaste or metal deactivating the bentonite clay. I’ve had one of these and it has lasted a year and is still going strong. I also use them for my oil cleansing blend when traveling since they don’t leak.
Ever made your own toothpaste or oral health products? How did it go? Share below!
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Lovin’ this recipe, can’t wait to try it. Has anyone done a cost saving analysis? We currently buy sensodyne which is a ridiculous $4.59 per 4.5 ounce tube. Surely the homemade has to be cheaper and from reading this post will be much healthier. BTW I love your website!
It works out to between $1.50 to $2 a tube depending on the size of the tube and how big of quantities of the ingredients I get (bulk is cheaper)
I tried this but when I added water it got fizzy and puffy. And idea why? I didn’t see that listed as something the should happen.
I had the same problem! I followed the recipe exactly, except that I put fewer drops of EO in. After water — fizzy and puffy. Then after bentonite clay — this weird fluffy airy grit mixture. I can’t even really stir it, it fluffs up too much. It doesn’t taste awful, but the texture is something like wet concrete in zero gravity. What am I doing wrong 🙂
It’s undoubtably because the calcium and magnesium combo is a citrate, which is effervescent, so it foams and bubbles when combined with water, kind of like combining baking soda and vinegar. That being said, this is why you should be careful if you’re mixing this in a food processor or blender with a lid on it. Sounds like it was an explosive experience for some people. I forgot to add the water the first time I made this in my food processor and added the water after the fact and just blended it with a fork before adding the clay, didn’t use metal after adding the clay. My second batch I just mixed in a bowl and it all blended well, so I think a food processor is unnecessary. The foam calmed down a lot after continued stirring and then letting it rest a while before pouring into the silicone tubes. Love the tubes, love the recipe. I might just get calcium carbonate next time. That won’t foam because its not a citrate. I don’t know if there’s an issue with ph if you use a citrate, which I’m guessing off the top of my head is somewhat acidic. Correct me if I’m wrong please!
Anyways, after using this toothpaste, my teeth feel like I just came from the dental hygienist! I see one in a couple of months, so we’ll see how my teeth are then. I was being pushed to buy the super fluoridated toothpaste, so i did ($25/tube!), but I’ve done my research into flouride since then and don’t want anything more to do with it!!
Oh, I personally added a bit of peppermint e.o. and also lemon e.o., which are good antibacterial and antifungal e.o.’s. be careful with peppermint e.o. A little goes a very long way!! I’ve also made the tooth powder from this website with some modifications from a couple of different recipes I found-mainly for the whitening effects. I still use this paste but then I dip the brush into the powder too. But I only do that maybe 5 times a week. There is activated charcoal in my concoction, and I need to do a bit more research on how often that should be used. Thank you for the wonderful recipes and your awesome website, Wellness Mama. I have recommended your website to many of my friends!
If you use cold water you shouldn’t have a problem with fizzing. It is usually activated with warm or hot water.
Could I use more bentonite clay in place of the calcium/calcium magnesium? Would the effect be similar, or would I be missing one of the most important components to remineralize my post-pregnancy, not-so-healthy teeth? (I can’t ship the calcium/calcium magnesium to where I live in Europe, and I can’t find it here. I do have a big jar of bentonite clay, though!)
It might not work exactly the same ratio wise with the liquid but it is good for teeth so it shouldn’t hurt…
Hi can I replace the trace minerals with Celtic sea salt?
Yep!
Do you think it would make it unsqueezable to add baking soda? Would the clay be swallowable? (Sharing toothpaste with a toddler.)
Clay is ok to swallow, but better to spit if possible. You could add baking soda and just up the water if needed to make it squeezable.
I followed the link to the clay and in the description it says ” For external use only.” I am assuming by this statement it should not be swallowed?
I’ve actually used their clay internally before but i wouldn’t swallow the toothpaste because it could contain toxins that have been pulled from the mouth…
What do you think about using BS in place of the “additional 2 tbsp of Calcium Magnesium Powder” and Peroxide in place of the “distilled water for thinning”? And also, would this combination be kid-friendly? Thanks SO much for posting this! I’m so excited to finally have an idea of something else to use besides a Tupperware container 🙂
It should be kid friendly. The hydrogen peroxide would lose effectiveness over time but you could definitely use it…
Thank you 🙂
Just a word of caution, clay can be explosive when combined with hydrogen peroxide. Nearly had my eye out this evening with a ballistic lid. After a bit of research I discovered this was the case. I used Rhassoul clay instead of Bentonite. They are both volcanic ash clays so thought it would be ok. Maybe Bentonite is more reactive. That aside I love this toothpaste many thanks for the recipe 🙂
I tried this recipe substituting the water with hydrogen peroxide to make it last longer. I DO NOT ADVISE anyone to do that. It is a huge quantity for the amount of the other elements and it really burned my mouth, I had serious injuries of gums and under tongue.
ConcenTrace Minerals contain mercury and arsenic.
Organic trace minerals are esssential to good health!
“An apple contains 3-5 mg of aluminum and trace amounts of lead, arsenic and mercury? Micro or trace minerals are essential for good health if they come from an organic or plant source. In contrast, if they come from an inorganic or metallic source, such as heavy metals, they are toxic. For example, iodine in an organic form is necessary for health. Non-organic or metallic iodine in the same amount can kill you.” -Dr. William J. Saccoman
Instead of calcium powder could I use ground up eggshells? Or even calcium plus vitamin D tablets, I’ve got some left over I need to use 🙂
Yep 🙂
How about maybe eggshell water as taught on the Bulk Herb Store website under “How to”? Although now that I am thinking about it I wonder if the eggshell water might go bad too quickly? Maybe the ground up eggshells might be a better solution. :0)
Would this work in a pump?
I don’t think so because it is still thick.
Why can’t bentonite clay come into contact with metal?
I wonder why no answer to this question? I have a permanent retainer in my mouth, so I guess I cannot use this recipe.
It just activates when it does so you don’t want it to do that before you use it. I’d check with a dentist, but I don’t think there is a reason you couldn’t use this…
Thanks!
When the companies dig for the clay they use metal, when crash it and dry it also. Tha only way to have metal untouched healing clay is to go and dig it yourself with wooden tools. Just my two cents….
found this on a site that sells the clay.
Braces/retainers?
by PJ on May 13, 2013
I would like to know if it is okay to use bentonite clay to brush your teeth if you have braces or a permanent retainer? What about fillings?
Re: Braces/retainers?
by Bulk Herb Store on May 14, 2013
Yes it is safe to use with any fillings and or retainers.
Where can you buy the calcium powder and the bentonite clay?
I hope you found them, but if not, you could look for your local pottery supplies company. They will usually have raw materials that potters use for glaze formulation, and this includes Bentonite Clay and Calcium Carbonate (also known as Whiting). Hope this helps. 🙂
The metal deionizes the clay, however apparently stainless steel is fine.