Making baking soda toothpaste takes about two minutes and requires as few as two ingredients. The simplest version is just baking soda and water, mixed to a paste. But a few adjustments to the ratio, base liquid, and storage method will give you something that actually feels pleasant to use and holds up for more than a few days.
The Basic Recipe
The fastest approach: combine about two-thirds of a cup of baking soda with small amounts of filtered water, stirring gradually until you reach a smooth, paste-like consistency. Add the water a little at a time so you don’t overshoot into a runny slurry. The result works, but it tastes salty and dries out quickly.
A more usable version swaps the water for coconut oil. Mix three tablespoons of baking soda into half a cup of slightly melted coconut oil. The oil gives the paste a smoother texture, a milder taste, and a longer shelf life since there’s no water to encourage bacterial growth. Stir thoroughly until the mixture is uniform, then transfer it to a small jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Why Baking Soda Works
Baking soda dissolves easily in saliva, which lets it penetrate the film of bacteria on your teeth and neutralize acids quickly. After you eat sugar or starchy food, bacteria in your mouth produce acid that drops the pH on tooth surfaces. Baking soda reverses that pH drop, creating a less hospitable environment for the bacteria that cause cavities.
It also removes surface stains effectively. Clinical reviews have found that baking soda toothpastes outperform some commercial pastes at whitening, even pastes with higher abrasivity scores. That sounds counterintuitive, but baking soda is actually one of the gentlest abrasives you can put on your teeth. Its Relative Dentin Abrasivity (RDA) score is just 7. Commercial toothpastes range from 30 to 200 on the same scale. So baking soda scrubs stains without grinding down enamel.
Flavor and Texture Adjustments
Plain baking soda paste tastes like, well, baking soda. A few drops of peppermint or spearmint extract (the kind sold for baking, not essential oil concentrates) can make it more tolerable. If you want to use essential oils, be cautious. There is no reliable scientific evidence that ingesting essential oils is safe, and highly concentrated oils can be harmful. Since you inevitably swallow small amounts of toothpaste, food-grade extracts are the safer choice for flavor.
For a thicker, more commercial-feeling paste, some people add a small amount of bentonite clay. It absorbs moisture and gives the mixture more body. Bentonite contains trace minerals like calcium, iron, and zinc, and natural toothpaste brands often include it for this reason. However, the FDA has flagged certain bentonite clay products for containing lead or other heavy metals, so sourcing matters. If you use it, look for food-grade bentonite from a reputable supplier, and keep the amount small: one to two tablespoons per batch.
What Baking Soda Toothpaste Lacks
The most significant thing missing from any homemade toothpaste is fluoride. Fluoride strengthens enamel and is the single most evidence-backed ingredient for preventing cavities. No DIY recipe can replicate what fluoride does. If you switch to homemade toothpaste full-time, you lose that protection. Some people offset this by using a fluoride rinse separately, but that’s a personal decision worth discussing with your dentist.
Homemade pastes also lack foaming agents, which don’t clean your teeth but do help distribute the paste evenly across surfaces you might otherwise miss. You can compensate by brushing a bit more deliberately, making sure you cover every area.
Storage and Shelf Life
Without preservatives, homemade toothpaste is vulnerable to bacterial contamination. Research reviewing dozens of DIY toothpaste recipes found that almost none addressed this risk or provided guidance on container sterility. Storage recommendations across recipes varied wildly, from five days to six months.
A reasonable rule of thumb: water-based baking soda paste should be refrigerated and used within one to two weeks. Oil-based versions (coconut oil as the base) last longer because oil doesn’t support bacterial growth the way water does. Stored in a clean, airtight jar at room temperature, a coconut oil paste typically holds up for three to four weeks. If you notice any off smell, discoloration, or separation that doesn’t remix easily, toss it and make a fresh batch. Small batches are better than large ones.
Use a clean spoon or spatula to scoop the paste rather than dipping your toothbrush directly into the jar. Every time a used brush touches the paste, it introduces mouth bacteria into the container.
People Who Should Be Careful
If you have braces, permanent retainers, or other bonded orthodontic hardware, baking soda deserves some caution. Soaking metal retainer components in baking soda water regularly can damage soldered joints over time. For removable clear retainers (like Essix-style), toothpaste of any kind can scratch the plastic. Baking soda’s low abrasivity helps, but using it directly on clear plastic appliances isn’t ideal.
People with sensitive teeth or exposed root surfaces may find even baking soda’s mild abrasiveness uncomfortable. The RDA of 7 is very low, but root surfaces are softer than enamel and more susceptible to wear. If your gums have receded noticeably, a gentler approach (or sticking with a commercial sensitivity toothpaste) is worth considering.
Putting It Together
Here’s a practical starting recipe that balances taste, texture, and longevity:
- 3 tablespoons baking soda
- 3 to 4 tablespoons coconut oil, softened but not fully liquid
- 5 to 10 drops peppermint extract (food-grade baking extract, not essential oil)
Mix until smooth, pack into a small glass jar with a lid, and store at room temperature. Use within three to four weeks. Dip a clean spoon to load your brush. You’ll notice it doesn’t foam, the flavor is subtle, and the texture is grainier than commercial paste. That graininess is normal and fades as the baking soda dissolves in your saliva during brushing.
Brush for a full two minutes, same as you would with any toothpaste. Baking soda’s acid-neutralizing effect kicks in quickly, but you still need time and coverage to physically clean every surface.