Big thanks to the Health Extremist for her simple homemade toothpaste recipe! It was easy to make and to scale up since the primary ingredients are in a 1:1 ratio. I'll definitely make it again! I made a small batch so I can test it out before committing to a larger one. I used 2 tablespoons each of baking soda and melted coconut oil. Melting the oil makes it easier to mix. Then I added drops of mint until I liked the taste. The taste is no surprise: coconuty, oily, salty, essence of mint. Some people add stevia or other sweetener to make it more palatable for children. All the packaging of the ingredients I used are recyclable in my area so this qualifies as a zero waste solution. Toothpaste tubes are generally not recyclable in most areas unless you have access to a TerraCycle drop off or similar program. I'm not a dentist or a chemist so do your own research if you have concerns. My dentist was entertained by the concoction but recommends fluoride so I plan to switch between the two: my homemade paste and store-bought Tom's of Maine with fluoride.
