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6 Reasons To Start Using Coconut Oil As Toothpaste

Nathan Wiebe
Author:
April 12, 2015
Nathan Wiebe
By Nathan Wiebe
mbg Contributor
Nathan Wiebe is a Holistic Nutritionist and Founder of Level Up Superfoods Inc.
Photo by Stocksy
April 12, 2015

Coconut oil is one of those foods that seems to have endless uses. One use you may be unaware of is that it's a fantastic base for toothpaste. Often, conventional toothpaste can be full of harmful chemicals and agents, but the alternative natural toothpastes are pricey. So why not try making your own coconut oil toothpaste as a health, inexpensive alternative? Here are six reasons you should make the switch.

1. No harmful chemicals.

One of the biggest downsides to traditional toothpastes is the harmful chemicals they contain ... so much so that they have to put a warning on the label that tells you to call poison control if swallow some. If it’s not safe enough to swallow, why would you be brushing your teeth with it?

The beautiful thing about coconut oil is that there are no harmful chemicals in it and since it’s incredibly health to eat, if you happen to swallow some it would actually be beneficial to your health.

2. Anti-Bacterial

Coconut oil is anti-bacterial and has shown to be very effective at killing the bad bacteria in your mouth. Think of it as Mother Nature’s mouth wash! Swishing the coconut oil in your mouth after you brush will give you the same effect as traditional mouth wash. minus the harness.

3. No foaming agents

A common ingredient in toothpaste is a soap called sodium lauryl sulfate. SLS is used as a foaming agent because it gives people the illusion that the toothpaste is cleaning their teeth simply because it’s foaming up. But SLS has been linked to canker sores, a painful oral problem you probably don't want to deal with.

4. Inexpensive

Using a few tablespoons of coconut oil is incredibly inexpensive and will last you months, making it the most inexpensive toothpaste you've ever used!

5. Your dog can use it

Coconut oil isn’t just for humans; it’s incredibly health for dogs as well. Although I'm sure our dogs really enjoy getting their teeth brushed with chicken flavoured toothpaste, coconut oil is just as effective and safe for their teeth and health as it is for ours.

6. Easy to make

Aside from all the health benefits, coconut oil toothpaste is incredibly easy (and fun!) to make. All you need is an empty jar and a few ingredients:

  • Baking soda: helps with whitening, acts an abrasive to help clean your teeth
  • Essential oils: will give your toothpaste a distinct flavor
  • Erythritol, xylitol or stevia: natural, tooth friendly sweeteners that will enhance the flavor of your toothpaste (don’t use xylitol if you're planning on using it for you pets — it's toxic to them)

Once I made the change from regular toothpaste to making my own, I realized I'd never go back. There's nothing but positive benefits in making the switch, so why not give it a try?

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