Homemade Kids Toothpaste -- Taste and Texture approved!

So chemicals. Not a fan. Not a fan at all.

A while ago I started buying Tom’s supposed natural toothpaste for my kids in an effort to cut down on harmful chemicals in our everyday routine. And then one morning I looked at the ingredients: Hydrated Silica, Carageenan, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Natural Flavors… Umm. Not okay.

And then I found out about Earthpaste. It’s toothpaste that is made from absolutely 100% natural and real ingredients. They make a flavor just for kids, Lemon Twist. Boom, baby. Only problem was the sticker shock. At $6.40/tube (Amazon pricing), it was a little more than what I wanted to spend on a semi-regularly made purchase.

After researching a little more into Earthpaste’s ingredients, along with other recipes I found online, I finally mixed together the perfect combo. It comes together in minutes and couldn’t be healthier, even if swallowed! And the best part is that my kids love it. LOOOOOVE it. My littlest one would brush his teeth all day long if I let him. I think it also has to do with the fact that I let them help me make it. It seems whenever I have my kids help me out in the kitchen, they are more open to trying new tastes/experiences (like gray toothpaste!).

Without further adieu, here are the ingredients for Homemade Kids Toothpaste.

4 T Coconut Oil
2 T Redmond Clay
2 tsp Xylitol
Pinch or 2 of Redmond Real Salt
2 tsp Organic Lemon Extract
20-30 drops Liquid Stevia to taste, vanilla

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix together coconut oil, clay, salt, and xylitol.

When smooth, add in lemon extract and liquid stevia to taste. I seriously just stick my finger in the bowl and taste it. Or have your kids try it. That’s even better, since it’s for them!

Mix well and put in container of choice. Makes enough to fill one 4 oz container. That’s it!

Feel free to experiment with the flavoring. Peppermint, coconut, orange…any flavor of extract would do. High quality essential oils would also work well for flavoring purposes.

I keep my homemade kids toothpaste in a 4 oz glass canning jar and it works great. But you could also use squeezable refillable tubes if you like:

I think these would be perfect for this recipe if you wanted something squeezable.

The softness of this toothpaste will depend on the temperature of your home because of the coconut oil. We keep our home around 70 degrees in the winter and the consistency has been great! Still soft enough that it hasn’t bothered my kids although I’m interested to see what it’s like come summer when things heat up a bit.

Now, let’s talk about the benefits of each ingredient.

Coconut Oil: Gives it the smooth texture similar to other toothpastes, smells great, and has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties to keep your mouth clean.
Redmond Benonite Clay: If you haven’t heard about this stuff, then it’s definitely worth some researching. The clay provides a mild abrasive that won’t harm your teeth while providing some other amazing health benefits. Go ahead and swallow!
Xylitol: Prevents tooth decay by eliminating acidic bacteria and repairs damaged enamel naturally. Also provides a touch of sweetness.
Redmond Real Salt: Another mild abrasive that also provides needed minerals for healthy systems.
Organic Lemon Extract:Flavors safely and kids love it!
Liquid Stevia: Made from the stevia plant, liquid stevia sweetens without the harm of normal sugars. Totally safe for the teeth and healthy too!

So, how does our homemade kids toothpaste price compare to Earthpaste?

Coconut Oil: I buy my coconut oil at Costco at about $22 for 78 oz. This recipe used about $.56 worth.
Clay: My container cost $10 at my local health food store. 2 T is approximately $0.65.
Xylitol: About $0.20.
Redmond Real Salt: Pennies, but for math purposes we’ll say $0.06.
Organic Lemon Extract: My extract cost about $4 for 2 fl oz. Using 2 tsp is approximately $0.66.
Liquid Stevia: Used about $0.20 worth.

Total Cost: $2.33

Our homemade version is more than 64% cheaper than the high quality brand, Earthpaste. That’s a win in my book, folks.

Now some may say $2.33 really isn’t that great of a savings when you compare it to normal, grocery store brands. And they would be right. But with all of the harsh chemicals found in typical toothpaste, it’s not something I would even want to compare to. Apples to oranges, people.