Commercial toothpaste from your local pharmacy or grocery store will
likely contain one or more of the following ingredients: synthetic
chemicals, preservatives, dyes or artificial sweeteners.
Although the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers most of these ingredients
safe to use in small doses, chemicals such as titanium dioxide, the
white pigment in toothpaste, merit concern. The International Agency for
Research on Cancer classifies titanium dioxide as possibly
carcinogenic.
The easiest way to avoid potentially harmful ingredients
is to make your own toothpaste with organic and natural ingredients. Here is how:
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 1/4 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide (food-grade!)
- A dash of cinnamon or a drop or two of peppermint oil (for flavour)
- (Optional: a packet of stevia; a natural sweetener)
Mix these together until they form a paste. If you need a bit more liquid, add a tiny bit more peroxide. If you need more solid for a thicker paste, add a bit more baking soda.
For dispensing it, a small empty travel squirt container or a dispenser may be used. The toothpaste can actually be prepared right in the container, stirring it with a small (chop)stick. Make sure that you store your homemade toothpaste away from the sunlight because hydrogen peroxide breaks down very quickly in the presence of UV light.
The hydrogen peroxide naturally disinfects your mouth and will also help whiten your teeth.