\nI haven\u2019t purchased toothpaste in years, and y\u200bes – \u00a0I brush my teeth!\u200b\u00a0How is this possible? I make it myself.<\/p>\n

When I transitioned to a Zero Waste lifestyle over four years ago, toothpaste was the first product I stopped buying and started making. The ingredients are simple and easy to find at almost any store: baking soda, organic coconut oil, and organic essential oils. It takes no more than 2 minutes to combine these three ingredients, and the toothpaste leaves my mouth feeling so incredibly fresh\u2014 way fresher than store\u00adbought toothpaste. Psst, you can find my Zero Waste toothpaste recipe here<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>\n

But let\u2019s take a step back… why<\/em> did I make the switch from \u201cconventional\u201d packaged\u00a0toothpaste to one that I make myself?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Packaging:<\/h2>\n

For starters, I live a Zero Waste lifestyle and toothpaste tubes are totally wasteful. They are\u00a0typically sold with not just the tube, but a box as well. While the box is recyclable, the tube is\u00a0very difficult or impossible to recycle and will most likely end up in a landfill. The benefit of\u00a0making my own toothpaste is that I can put it in a glass jar or stainless steel container<\/a> that I can wash and reuse infinitely.\u00a0No plastic tubes, no trash, no landfill.<\/p>\n

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The Ingredients:<\/h2>\n

I like to have control of what I am putting on and in my body. There has been a lot of\u00a0controversy around the ingredients that are in conventional toothpaste. Two that I will focus\u00a0on are triclosan and sodium lauryl sulfate, but conventional toothpaste also contains fluoride,\u00a0propylene glycol, and sodium hydroxide, all of which are controversial because they are linked\u00a0to cancer and a long list of other ailments.<\/p>\n

Triclosan:\u200b\u00a0<\/em>A chemical added to many products to reduce bacterial contamination which\u00a0is also used in toothpaste to prevent gingivitis,\u200baccording to the FDA and toothpaste\u00a0manufacturers.\u200bIn addition, it has been said to be potentially carcinogenic and have negative\u00a0effects on the endocrine system in animals. It is banned in certain applications in Europe and\u00a0in 2011, some of Colgate\u2019s soap products were reformulated without the chemical, but not\u00a0their toothpaste. The ecotoxicology of the ingredient is still under heavy scrutiny and EWG\u00a0rates it to have a moderate\/high health hazard. That\u2019s all I needed to hear to make the\u00a0decision to stay clear of it for good.<\/p>\n

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS):<\/em> \u200bIs a surfactant (a foaming agent that lowers the tension\u00a0between two liquids or a liquid and a solid) used in toothpaste to evenly disperse the\u00a0ingredients and help with effective rinsing and removal of mouth debris. It also promotes\u00a0foaming. Many studies on SLS show that it is contaminated with 1,4 dioxane, a byproduct of\u00a0the manufacturing process, which is also a possible carcinogen. SLS is also said to aggravate\u00a0gums. No, thank you.<\/p>\n

If something has a supposed risk, I will avoid it until I have concrete evidence that it is\u00a0safe. This is why I choose to make my own toothpaste with just three ingredients that I trust\u00a0and buy package\u00adfree: baking soda, organic coconut oil, and organic essential oils.<\/p>\n

The Savings:<\/h2>\n

Toothpaste can cost anywhere between $1\u00ad-$8 for a 6oz tube depending on the brand you are\u00a0buying and where you are purchasing it from. In my experience (purchasing ingredients in\u00a0NYC), I have spent at most $.60 for 6oz of toothpaste. All aside, the cost savings alone are\u00a0worth it.<\/p>\n

With so much to gain and not much to lose, making your own toothpaste makes sense! It\u2019s\u00a0cheaper to make, tastes better, feels better in your mouth, and<\/em> is better for you.<\/p>\n

See for yourself – learn how to make my Zero Waste toothpaste by checking out this video<\/a> or by following my favorite recipe<\/a>.<\/p>\n