Why You Should Make Your Own Non-Toxic Toothpaste (& Our Easy DIY Recipe)

by Genesis Tallow
There are a ton of reasons we started looking for alternative toothpaste options. And fair enough, commercial toothpastes often contain ingredients that might make you a little hesitant to use them: synthetic surfactants like sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), artificial sweeteners, non-recyclable plastic packaging, and, in some formulations, microplastic abrasives... never mind the questions of whether or not fluoride is a necessity or an added risk.
Whether your concern is ingredient transparency, reducing single-use plastic, or simply wanting to know exactly what goes in your mouth twice a day, making your own toothpaste is such a great option, and incredibly easy!
I will say, this isn't about fear-based ingredient avoidance, more so about understanding each component's real function and choosing a formulation that works!

A note on expectations: Homemade toothpaste is not a replacement for professional dental care. Regular checkups, flossing, and a good brushing technique remain the most important factors in oral health. This recipe is designed as a thoughtful, evidence-informed complement to those habits.

Instructions

  1. Gently melt tallow and coconut oil together over low heat or in a double boiler. Do not boil.
  2. Remove from heat and allow to cool until warm but not hot (about 40°C/104°F—still liquid).
  3. Whisk in calcium carbonate, xylitol, baking soda, and sea salt until fully combined with no lumps.
  4. If you’re using it, stir in the hydroxyapatite powder now.
  5. Add peppermint and clove essential oils. Stir well.
  6. Pour into a clean, wide-mouth glass jar. Allow to set fully before use (1–2 hours at room temperature, or 30 minutes in the refrigerator).
  7. Use a clean spoon or spatula (never a wet finger or toothbrush) to scoop a pea-sized amount onto your brush.
  8. Keep it in a sealed jar on your bathroom counter

Yield: approximately ½ cup (about 6–8 weeks of use for one person). Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

 

DIY Toothpaste Ingredient: What and Why?

Calcium Carbonate (CaCO₃)

Calcium carbonate is one of the most widely used and well-researched abrasives in commercial toothpaste. If you’re not sure what it is, it looks like a fine white powder and is the same compound found in chalk, limestone, and the active ingredient in TUMS antacid tablets.
Abrasiveness in toothpaste is measured on the Relative Dentin Abrasivity (RDA) scale, a standard established by the American Dental Association (ADA) and the International Standards Organization (ISO), and it matters because you don’t want anything too abrasive, or it will damage your teeth! Any toothpaste with an RDA of 250 or lower is considered safe; calcium carbonate-based toothpastes consistently test at low RDAs. Studies have found that they are less abrasive than hydrated silica, the most common abrasive in commercial whitening toothpastes, making this a great ingredient for sensitive teeth! (Priyam et al., 2023; Researchgate, 2001).
Beyond mechanical cleaning, calcium carbonate provides free calcium ions to the oral environment, as calcium is a primary mineral component of tooth enamel. Research has shown that the limiting factor for natural enamel remineralization is often an insufficient supply of calcium rather than phosphate (Jackson Avenue Dental, 2023). The compound also acts as an oral pH buffer, helping to neutralize acids produced by bacteria in dental plaque.

Compatibility note: Calcium carbonate is chemically incompatible with sodium fluoride; the two can form insoluble complexes (meaning they bind together), reducing the amount of available fluoride. This recipe doesn't contain fluoride, but if your preference is to have fluoride in your toothpaste, use sodium monofluorophosphate, which remains stable with CaCO₃ (Hara & Turssi, 2017).

Xylitol: Cavity-Inhibiting Sweetener

Xylitol is a five-carbon sugar alcohol found naturally in many fruits and vegetables. It is not fermented by oral bacteria the way sucrose is, which is one of the reasons why it's so supportive to oral health! Habitual use of xylitol has been shown to decrease the primary cavity-causing bacterium in our mouths (Streptococcus mutans) in both children and adults (Söderling & Pienihäkkinen, 2020). 

Fun fact: A separate systematic review found that, across 12 of 14 studies, xylitol chewing gum significantly decreased mutans streptococci counts compared with controls (Söderling, 2025). Research has also shown that daily xylitol use for 12–40 months is associated with a decrease in the incidence of cavities in children (Tanila et al., 2024).

An important nuance: the most robust evidence for xylitol comes from chewing gum (4–10g/day) and lozenges, not from toothpaste, where contact time is shorter. That said, xylitol in toothpaste is a well-established, evidence-informed inclusion for its anti-S. mutans action and its safe, mild sweetness.

Safety note: Xylitol is great for humans but toxic to dogs. Don't use this recipe for pets.

Coconut Oil: Antimicrobial Base + Texture Agent

Coconut oil is solid at room temperature (it melts at approximately 24°C/76°F), and the ratio of coconut oil to tallow in this recipe controls the final texture of your paste, a little more coconut oil will produce a softer product. Depending on your climate or in the hot summer months, you may want to slightly reduce the coconut oil and increase the tallow to maintain a workable consistency. Approximately 45–50% of coconut oil's fatty acid content is lauric acid, a medium-chain fatty acid with documented antimicrobial properties, which makes it a perfect base for our recipe!

Beef Tallow (Rendered): Emollient Base + Binding Agent

Rendered beef tallow is primarily composed of oleic acid (a monounsaturated fat), palmitic acid, and stearic acid, saturated fatty acids that give it stability and a firm texture. It’s this amazing structure that makes tallow so compatible and highly effective for skincare! These fatty acids are well-characterized for their biocompatibility with human skin and mucosa, and a 2024 scoping review of 19 studies confirmed what our ancestors have known forever: that tallow's lipid profile supports barrier repair and hydration in human skin (Theppitakpong & Pathomcharoensukchai, 2021).
Saturated fatty acids, such as palmitic acid and stearic acid, have demonstrated antimicrobial effects by disrupting microbial cell membranes, including those of fungi (Fat Cow Skin, 2024; Tuttofare, 2022). However, it is important to be transparent: there is currently no peer-reviewed clinical evidence specifically studying tallow as an oral care ingredient in toothpaste. Its inclusion in this recipe is based on its historical use as a base for oral preparations, its fatty acid profile, and its biocompatibility… not on direct clinical trials in oral health.
Tallow is also a low-waste choice: it is a byproduct of the meat industry that would otherwise be discarded, making it a genuinely sustainable option for those who consume animal products.
Sourcing note: For the best-quality product, source grass-fed, grass-finished suet and render it yourself, or purchase it from a trusted supplier! Grass-fed tallow contains higher levels of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and conjugated linoleic acid compared to grain-fed sources, and as we have gone into great detail to explain that not all tallow is created equal, it’s important to know why before you put it in or on your body!
By the way, as a reader of our blog, you can get 15% off all our tallow products! Use the code READER15 for a one time discount! Shop here.

Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate): Mild Abrasive + pH Neutralizer

Baking soda is one of the most thoroughly studied ingredients in oral care. It has one of the lowest RDA values of any toothpaste abrasive, making it a gentle and supportive ingredient for sensitive teeth. Commercially, baking soda-containing toothpastes show RDA values as low as 7–35, compared to silica-based toothpastes, which often measure between 70–150 (JADA, 2017).
Being alkaline (pH ~8.3), sodium bicarbonate neutralizes acids produced by bacterial metabolism in dental plaque, meaning its value in oral care not only extends to our entire oral microbiome, and goes well beyond just abrasion, but it also proves to be a great tool for disrupting plaque biofilm by penetrating the plaque structure itself!


Fine Sea Salt: Oral Environment Support

Salt (sodium chloride) has a long history of use in oral hygiene! Saline rinses remain a standard recommendation after dental procedures for a reason: salt creates a supportive oral environment that helps reduce bacterial load and soothe gum tissue.
The scientific evidence base for salt as a toothpaste ingredient is thinner than for other ingredients in this recipe, yet it has strong ancestral roots in holistic medicine practices. A pinch in this recipe is a small addition that does not meaningfully change the taste profile and is consistent with traditional oral hygiene practice! But, don’t add too much! Large quantities unnecessary and could be irritating.

Peppermint Essential OilAntimicrobial + Breath Freshener

Peppermint oil's active compound, menthol, has been documented to have antimicrobial properties against a range of oral pathogens, including S. aureus and Candida albicans (Shinde et al., 2014). A 2024 pilot study also found that a mint oil blend reduced oral pathogens over seven days without disrupting beneficial bacteria (Hamad et al., 2024). Most of the evidence is lab-based rather than large clinical trials, so think of it as a well-informed addition. We use it because we love the taste, and it earns its place for its antimicrobial action, fresh breath, and stimulation of saliva production, which is genuinely useful for oral health.

Clove Essential Oil: Analgesic + Antimicrobial

You may or may not know that clove oil has been used in dentistry since the 19th century, and eugenol (its primary compound) is an active ingredient in over-the-counter toothache products to this day (Science Insights, 2025). Its mechanisms are well-understood: it numbs pain by blocking nerve signals, reduces inflammation via COX-2 inhibition, and disrupts bacterial cell membranes. In the in vitro study mentioned above, eugenol actually showed the strongest antimicrobial activity of all five essential oils tested (Shinde et al., 2014), and a systematic review confirmed clinically relevant efficacy in dental pain applications (Reddy & Ramachandra, 2025).
At just 5 drops per batch, you're not getting a therapeutic dose; we’re simply using it here for the antimicrobial support and a little warmth, not to treat a toothache. If you have a genuine toothache, please go see a dentist.

References

Hamad, H., Shafik, S., Donia, A. A., Shafik, I., & Shafik, A. (2024). Effects of mint oils on the human oral microbiome: A pilot study. Microorganisms, 12(8), 1538. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12081538

Hara, A. T., & Turssi, C. P. (2017). Baking soda as an abrasive in toothpastes: Mechanism of action and safety and effectiveness considerations. Journal of the American Dental Association, 148(11S), S27-S33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2017.09.006

Priyam, S., Sankeshwari, R., Jalihal, S., et al. (2023). Comparative evaluation of abrasiveness among three dentifrices: An in vitro study. International Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry, 16(2), 264-269. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10373766/

Shinde, P., et al. (2014). Antimicrobial efficacy of five essential oils against oral pathogens: An in vitro study. European Journal of Dentistry, 8(Suppl 1), S71-S74. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4054083/

Söderling, E., & Pienihäkkinen, K. (2020). Effects of xylitol and erythritol consumption on mutans streptococci and the oral microbiota: A systematic review. Acta Odontologica Scandinavica, 78(8), 599-608. https://doi.org/10.1080/00016357.2020.1788721

Wallace, R. J., et al. (2020). The effect of oil pulling with coconut oil to improve dental hygiene and oral health: A systematic review. Heliyon, 6(8), e04789. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7475120/

Zero, D. T. (2017). Evidence for biofilm acid neutralization by baking soda. Journal of the American Dental Association, 148(11S), S10-S14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2017.09.003


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