What are the pros and cons of homemade toothpaste?

Baking soda can be used on its own or as a base for tooth powder.

The idea of ​​making homemade toothpaste may seem strange to some, but it can be a viable way to save money and avoid some of the controversial ingredients in brand-name toothpaste. There are several possible pros and cons to consider. For example, depending on the recipe, homemade toothpaste typically costs less than store-bought toothpaste and does not contain fluoride, detergents, or other chemicals found in traditional toothpastes. On the other hand, time must be spent researching recipes, the appropriate containers must be found and purchased, and a certain amount of work must be done to mix up your chosen toothpaste recipe.

Homemade toothpaste may not be as good at preventing certain dental conditions as commercial toothpaste.

Homemade toothpaste is usually about half the price of the cheap store-bought variety. Many people who make their own homemade toothpaste do so because of the potential health concerns associated with some brand-name toothpaste ingredients. Fluoride, in particular, is beginning to be viewed as having more harm than good and has been banned from drinking water in many countries in Europe and Asia. Other ingredients of concern include detergents such as sodium lauryl sulfate, water softeners such as tetrasodium pyrophosphate, bleaches such as sodium carbonate peroxide, and stabilizers such as polyethylenes.

Some homemade toothpastes can damage tooth enamel.

With the peace of mind of knowing what’s in your homemade toothpaste comes the responsibility of taking the time to research the safety and efficacy of the ingredients. A wide variety of recipes can be found, many with similar ingredients, but some require herbal extracts or abrasives that can cause an allergic reaction or be very damaging to tooth enamel. A recipe that needs careful scrutiny calls for honey and crushed charcoal. Honey obviously contains a lot of sugar, which could cause more acidity and bacterial growth than toothpaste is designed to prevent, and charcoal can be very abrasive and difficult to pulverize. Some recipes list spices and essential oils that may or may not have any real benefit to your teeth like myrrh, clove, thyme, sage, and orris root.

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Store-bought toothpaste can contain fluoride, detergent, and other chemicals.

While each batch of homemade toothpaste is very inexpensive, buying the ingredients the first time can add up quickly, especially if the recipe you choose calls for multiple essential oils. While some of the common ingredients in homemade toothpaste recipes can be found in most grocery stores, others may require a visit to a specialty store. For example, many recipes call for glycerin; It can be found at drug stores in small quantities or at grocery stores by the gallon.

Homemade toothpaste may lack essential ingredients needed to promote healthy teeth.

Finding good airtight containers, preferably ones that make dispensing homemade toothpaste easy, can be a challenge and another expense. Some common options are putting portions of the toothpaste in plastic bags with a small hole so the container is disposable, using plastic pots or cups with lids, or buying store-bought toothpaste-like refillable tubes. camping items. You can expect toothpaste preparation to take about ten minutes; Measure the ingredients, mix them and fill the chosen container with the mixture.

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