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Learn how to make naturally whitening Homemade Charcoal Tooth Powder with bentonite clay! It's simple, quick, and only requires a handful of ingredients.
If you're anything like me, a new DIY challenge is always welcome. If I had the time and means, I would make just about everything myself.
Thankfully, this Homemade Tooth Powder only takes a few minutes to make and is much cheaper than buying store-bought. One purchase of the ingredients will yield many batches of Tooth Powder, and since this Tooth Powder shouldn't be used every single day, one batch can last quite a long time.
Tooth Powder Ingredients & Benefits
Bentonite clay is the base of this Charcoal Tooth Powder. It's mineral-rich, mildly abrasive and can bind to bacteria and toxins in the mouth, helping to cleanse, alkalize and remove plaque and tartar. It is important to source quality bentonite clay, as some brands are found to have a high amount of heavy metals.
Activated charcoal is great when it comes to keeping your mouth clean and your teeth white! It has absorbent properties that can remove toxins, bacteria, plaque, tartar and food particles, leaving a squeaky clean mouth and the pearly whites shining bright.
Aluminum-free baking soda is mildly abrasive, which can help to remove plaque, tartar, and lift stains. It also neutralizes acids in the mouth that cause tooth decay.
Ground cinnamon contains natural antimicrobial properties that can help prevent tooth decay as well as bad breath.
Natural mineral salt contains trace minerals that help to remineralize teeth by boosting mineral levels in your saliva.
Wintergreen essential oil adds that minty freshness and has antibacterial properties that can help prevent tooth decay. It also has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce inflammation and tooth sensitivity.
Additional Ingredients for More Benefits
Ground cloves are great to add to Powder since they are rich in eugenol, which is a natural antiseptic and analgesic that can help to reduce tooth aches, reduce inflammation and fight bacteria that cause tooth decay.
Calcium powder can help to remineralize teeth, strengthen enamel and alkalize the mouth.
Xylitol can prevent bacteria from fermenting into sugars that cause tooth decay. It also stimulates saliva production, which can help to remineralize, wash away food particles, and neutralize acids.
How to Use Homemade Charcoal Tooth Powder
Use occasionally instead of every day. Since this Tooth Powder has abrasive and whitening qualities, it can wear down enamel and the dentin layer. So, although it is full of remineralizing and antibacterial properties that can help protect the teeth, it is best used for a week at a time or a few times a month.
Use on adult teeth only. Babies, toddlers and children should not use this Tooth Powder. They do not need the whitening qualities and likely will not enjoy the abrasive texture. It can also be a choking hazard if the powder is not mixed well enough with water or coconut oil.
Use dry by wetting your toothbrush with water, and then dip it in the Tooth Powder, coating the bristles. Then, brush your teeth gently as normal. This Tooth Powder does not foam. It will feel a little gritty rather than a foamy paste.
Mix with coconut oil by mixing a teaspoon of Tooth Powder with up to a tablespoon of unrefined coconut oil. Brush your teeth gently as normal. This method will be a little less abrasive, but it still will not foam as a regular toothpaste. Coconut oil adds additional antimicrobial properties and can help pull toxins and bacteria from the mouth.
How to Store Homemade Tooth Powder
This Tooth Powder is best stored in a glass jar or container to prevent the charcoal and bentonite from absorbing toxins that can leach out of plastic or metal. Keep it well sealed in an airtight container to prevent moisture from getting in.
More Natural Living Recipes & Tips
Recipe Highlights
No synthetic ingredients and fluoride-free. This Tooth Powder is made with all-natural ingredients that are free of harmful synthetic ingredients and fluoride.
Remineralizing. This Tooth Powder is made with mineral-rich ingredients.
Antimicrobial. This Tooth Powder is full of ingredients that fight bacteria that can cause tooth decay.
Quick and easy to make. This Tooth Powder only takes a few minutes to make, and no special equipment is required.
If you make this Homemade Charcoal Toothpowder, let me know how it turns out by leaving a comment and rating below! Also, make sure you're following along on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Flipboard for more wildly nutritious recipes!
Homemade Charcoal Toothpowder (with Bentonite Clay)
Print RecipeEquipment
- Glass Jar
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon Bentonite Clay (good quality)
- 3 - 5 capsules Activated Charcoal
- 1 tablespoon Aluminum Free Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Himalyan Salt (or Other Natural Mineral Salt)
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 15 - 30 drops Wintergreen Essential Oil (Food Grade)
- teaspoon Ground Cloves (optional)
- 1 capsule Calcium powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Xylitol (optional)
Instructions
How to Make Tooth Powder
- Add the bentonite clay and charcoal powder to a jar, followed by the baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add any of the optional ingredients (ground cloves, calcium powder or xylitol). Mix until well combined. It should turn to a gray colour as pictured above. If you see any white or black patches, keep stirring until all the ingredients are evenly combined.
- Slowly add the Wintergreen Essential Oil drops while stirring to prevent clumping. If there are clumps that won't mix in, you can blitz the Tooth Powder in a small food processor or smoothie blender for 30 seconds or so. However, I find stirring well and giving the jar a good shake once it is tightly sealed usually does the trick.
- Store in a glass jar or container to prevent the charcoal and bentonite from absorbing toxins that can leach out of plastic or metal. Keep it well sealed in an airtight container to prevent moisture from getting in.
How to Use Tooth Powder
- Use dry by wetting your toothbrush with water, and then dip it in the Tooth Powder, coating the bristles. Then, brush your teeth gently as normal. This Tooth Powder does not foam. It will feel a little gritty rather than a foamy paste.Mix with coconut oil by mixing a teaspoon of Tooth Powder with up to a tablespoon of unrefined coconut oil. Brush your teeth gently as normal. This method will be a little less abrasive, but it still will not foam as a regular toothpaste. Coconut oil adds additional antimicrobial properties and can help pull toxins and bacteria from the mouth.Use occasionally instead of every day. Since this Tooth Powder has abrasive and whitening qualities, it can wear down enamel and the dentin layer. So, although it is full of remineralizing and antibacterial properties that can help protect the teeth, it is best used for a week at a time or a few times a month.Use on adult teeth only. Babies, toddlers and children should not use this Tooth Powder. They do not need the whitening qualities and likely will not enjoy the abrasive texture. It can also be a choking hazard if the powder is not mixed well enough with water or coconut oil.
Neysa says
Is this safe for toddlers?
Michelle McCowan says
Thank you for the question, Neysa! Unfortunately, this toothpowder is not suited for toddlers. I would avoid using activated charcoal, bentonite clay and strong essential oils like wintergreen. Also, a gentle paste recipe might be more suitable than powder. Toddlers most likely would not need or enjoy the abrasive texture. The powder could also be a potential choking hazard if it is not mixed well enough with water or coconut oil.
This is a great question and I will update the post to make it clear that it is best suited for adults.
I hope you find a toddler safe recipe. Thanks again for the comment!