Soap-based tooth cleaning stuff

Recently, a reader asked me to share my soap-based tooth cleaning stuff recipe. I hope you all aren’t disappointed, it’s almost too simple to bother writing out!

Christy, my next-to-youngest daughter started breaking out with mouth sores several times a month when she was about 6. The dentist had no idea what might be causing it or what to do about it. I did my regular research and found that they can be caused by so many possible triggers that the only sure-fire way to get rid of them was to start trying different things to see if they were made better or worse. Over the next year, we tested (by eliminating then returning to her diet) acid foods, citrus, grains, mushrooms, eggs and chocolate. There didn’t seem to be a dietary trigger. I kept records of the seasons, but there didn’t seem to be an environmental trigger. The sores weren’t brought on by visits to the dentist, either. My records were extensive, but inconclusive. I was at the end of everything I knew to do.

One day while browsing at the health food store, I saw some toothpaste labled “No SLS” and asked about it. What is SLS and why does this toothpaste not have it? The first words out of the salesperson’s mouth were golden: “Some people get sores in their mouths from SLS.” Could it be I’d found something new to test?

SLS is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, an ingredient that helps break up oily stains. SLS can also stand for Sodium Laureth Sulfate, which is used in soaps because it makes a nice, foamy lather.

I did some more reserach, this time on other options. What do people use if they want to avoid SLS? I’ve heard of people who use baking soda and salt, but it was unlikely I could get a finicky nine-year-old to go for that. There were also some warnings that this formula could be abrasive, something a young one didn’t need just starting out. I also found some resources on something called “oil pulling,” which involves swishing coconut oil around your mouth for 20 minutes a day. Interesting, but also unlikely. I finally found a relatively good recipe and modified it a little for our use. What I finally came up with was:

Melt 1/2 cup coconut oil over very low heat, allow to cool to barely warm but still liquid. Add 2 tablespoons of liquid castile soap and a few drops of flavoring extract or essential oil. Stir well, pour into a pump dispenser (like you’d use for liquid hand soap) and you’re done! My “usual” formulation includes peppermint castile soap and peppermint extract, but I’ve also made it with cinnamon, orange, lemon and vanilla. The coconut oil firms a little in our bathroom, but flows well through the pump. If you keep your house very cold, giving the pump bottle a quick dunk in warm water loosens it right up. We follow the brushing with our homemade tooth rinse at night.

Since we have started using this formula, Christy hasn’t had any mouth sores. We also haven’t spent any money on toothpastes, not even $5 tubes of SLS-free toothpaste. Our teeth aren’t getting cavities at a faster rate, if anything we are getting fewer than before, but credit our improved diet for that.