Bentonite Clay Toothpaste

This zero waste toothpaste recipe with bentonite clay changed my life. A few years ago, I had a wake up call about my oral hygiene. Without dental insurance I had to come up with quite a chunk of change to fix some of the issues I had ignored for years. But it brought a more interesting issue to the surface. Why was the standard oral care routine not enough? What could I be doing differently? That’s when I learned about oil pulling and Bentonite clay toothpaste. This combination didn’t completely reverse the cavities I had, but so far it has prevented additional decay. So I wanted to share my research and zero waste toothpaste solutions with you.

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Benefits of Homemade Toothpaste

What is Bentonite Clay?

First, let’s go over the main ingredient in this zero waste toothpaste: bentonite clay.

Bentonite clay consists “Montmorillonite,” which is aged volcanic ash. The largest known source of bentonite clay is in Fort Benton, Montana, hence the name.

This clay is an odorless grey/cream color with an almost soft, very fine consistency. It doesn’t stain and is easy to work with in beauty and natural remedy recipes.

The high concentration of minerals including silica, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, and potassium, is what contributes to the healing properties in the clay. It also absorbs and removes toxins, heavy metals, impurities, and chemicals.

Because of it’s healing properties, benonite clay is often used in poultices, mud packs, detox baths, and skin care recipes. This, along with many other health benefits, is also why it’s the base for our zero waste toothpaste.

Organic Toothpaste with Essential Oils

Another feature of this zero waste toothpaste is essential oils. Essential oils are natural oils obtained from seeds or plants. Many claim they have healing properties, and I have found this true in the case of oral hygiene. Using essential oils helped bring the benefits of this bentonite clay toothpaste to the next level. My mouth felt fresh and any tooth pain disappeared. My favorite essential oils to use in this toothpaste are tea tree oil for it’s anti-fungal and bacterial properties and clove oil, to help with inflammation and tooth pain. You can also add any essential oils that you wish.

Caution

If you have metal fillings, bentonite clay is not the best toothpaste alternative.

Bentonite is very unusual in the fact that once it becomes hydrated, the electrical and molecular components of the clay rapidly change and produce an ‘electrical charge’. When it becomes mixed with water it rapidly swells open like a highly porous sponge. From here the toxins are drawn into the sponge through electrical attraction and once there, they are bound.”

It is for this reason that bentonite clay should never be stored in a metal container or stirred with a metal spoon, since the clay absorbs the metals and becomes less effective.

Homemade Natural Toothpaste Recipes

Here is a couple natural toothpaste options. I prefer the bentonite clay recipe, but some people might prefer a softer toothpaste, so I’ve added a coconut oil toothpaste below, too.

For more environmental and health conscious beauty product ideas. Check out the posts below:

Switch to Non-Toxic Deodorant – Eco Anouk

Shower Vapor Tablets– Little Sprouts Learning Garden

Don’t forget to pin these recipes for later!