Homemade Anti-Plaque Toothpaste

This blog took me a good 3 months to produce. First, it was to work on the recipe, secondly the test trial. So the result is brilliant! A little background of why I look into the homemade alternative to make my toothpaste. It was because earlier this year I was diagnosed of having periodontitis. No, it was not due to poor oral hygiene. It was unfortunately due to the change of hormone after the pregnancy. I had done the descaling and what is necessary to take care of it. But because of the sensitive gum and periodontitis, the plaque will likely still build up very quickly if I am not careful. So when I made this toothpaste, I do have anti-plaque as the objective in mind. So here it is my homemade anti-plaque toothpaste.

Ingredients of Anti-Plaque Toothpaste

What is not in my homemade toothpaste

• Fluoride [source, source]
• Triclosan [source, source]
• Propylene Glycol [source]
• Artificial Sweeteners
• Diethanolamine (DEA)
• Parabens. [source, source]

I am not going to elaborate one by one why I don’t include them in my recipe. But if you are interested, please have a look on the source next to the ingredients to understand more.

What is in my homemade toothpaste

In my formulation table, I include both INCL (International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient ) and the trade name of the ingredients as some ingredients may have different trade names from the supplier. A typical toothpaste needs a whitening & cleaning agent, humectant to let it stays moist, a thickening agent to keep the texture of the toothpaste, an anti-bacterial agent, and a surfactant in its formula. And when there’s water in the formula, there is also a preservative to keep it microbe-free. Lastly, there’s also fragrance. But if you don’t mind having a neutral and bland taste toothpaste, the fragrance is actually optional. I find peppermint essential oil very refreshing and helps my breath stay fresh and odor-free.

Zinc citrate is in my formula as it is efficient in tackling plaque bacteria. A toothpaste with 2%of zinc citrate significantly reduced the total acid produced for at least 3 hours after product use (source). We need calcium carbonate in our homemade toothpaste as this common abrasive helps remove plaque, debris, and surface stains. Abrasives, combined with the scrubbing motion of your toothbrush, clean the surface of your tooth. They’re the reason your teeth feel so smooth and clean after brushing. They can also help make your smile whiter!

anti-plaque toothpaste formulation:

(Links to purchased are embedded in the trade names.)

The pH of this toothpaste is somewhere between 7.5~8.5.

DIY Tools

• Mini inox whisk [US /Europe] / Mini electronic whisk [US / Europe]
• Electronic balance precision 0.01g [US / Europe]

Packaging

• 50ml Airless pump tube / bottle

As you can see in the photo, I am using an airless pump bottle. I vouch for this type of packaging, as you won’t be having the never-finished toothpaste problem, one like the traditional packaging. It is easy to use and clean up for the next use.

Homemade All-Natural Anti-Plaque Toothpaste

Recipe by CalleighCourse: Household RecipeDifficulty: Easy

Yield

50

ml

Prep time

30

minutes

Ingredients

• 61g calcium carbonate (phase A)

• 36.5g water (phase A)

• 40g plant-based glycerine (phase A)

• 1.5g sodium & benzoate (phase A)

• 1.2g xanthan gum (phase B)

• 7g SLS (phase C)

• 1.8g zinc citrate (phase C)

• 1g or 38drops peppermint essential oil (phase C)

Directions

• Weigh and transfer all the phase A ingredients into a mixing bowl. Mix it until a homogenous state is achieved.
• Add in phase B ingredient. Continue mixing until a gel-like texture is formed.
• Continue mixing. Until all the ingredients are totally incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
• Add in phase C ingredients. Continue mixing.
• The mixture should achieve a totally smooth, thick, and toothpaste-like texture in a homogenous state.
• Transfer to your packaging.

Notes

• You will not need a pH meter if you follow strictly my instruction to prepare this homemade toothpaste.

The bottom line is oral hygiene is important, two times of teeth washing per day is the minimum. And not to forget visiting our dentist at least two times a year for a check out!

What I like about making my own toothpaste is knowing what is inside, secondly all the ingredients I ordered comes in a biodegradable package. So in the process, I don’t generate single-used rubbish. The satisfaction of creating my own toothpaste is beyond words. Coming up I would like to experiment more in making a solid toothpaste without SLS. Stay tuned for the recipe. Cheers!

Want to learn more environmental friendly household recipe? Check this out:

• Homemade dishwasher detergent powder & tabs
• DIY lemon liquid dish soap
• How to make your own moisturise hand sanitiser gel

If you like this tutorial and what I am doing, please consider donating a cup of cappuccino. As caffeine is my source of inspiration. =)

Calleigh

Hi, I am Calleigh, MEng Chemical Engineering and a process engineer, and I'm here to show you how to DIY your skincare and household products with the correct formulation and using only natural ingredients. I believe that eating good food (Yes I have cooking recipes too!) and living in a chemical-free environment are the keys to having a healthy lifestyle. And that doesn't need to be expensive.