make tooth powder

Ayurvedic tooth powders are sold as powder for a reason – with no water or liquid in the formula, there’s no need to add preservatives.

Simply wet your toothbrush and then coat it with powder. Ayurvedic tooth powders can now be readily purchased online and most contain some or all of the following: cinnamon, ginger, salt, neem, holy basil, sage and clove. All have impressive anti-bacterial & anti-inflammatory properties – so are naturally protective and cleansing.

This is our favourite, simple at-home recipe, for DIY Tooth Powder that is a great alternative to shop-bought, plastic-encased pastes. If you can only find the herbs in their leaf form, you can use a pestle and mortar to grind them into a fine powder, or you can mill/blend them. We'd also suggest that you adapt & adjust the flavours according to your own palate and preferences. I love mint & fennel as a base to my tooth powder, and sometimes leave out the sage (which can be quite strong for some people). You can begin by mixing just a small pinch of a few of the below ingredients together until you find a flavour you like. I would encourage you to keep the clove & cinnamon in there, as both traditionally used in Ayurvedic tooth powders, alongside the Neem, which is important as it is highly anti-bacterial, and great for gum health & overall oral hygiene.

Ingredients
1/2 tablespoon dried Neem Leaf Powder
1/2 tablespoon dried Tulsi (holy basil) Leaf powder
A big pinch of dried clove (fine powder)
A big pinch of dried peppermint (fine powder)
A big pinch of dried cinnamon (fine powder)
A big pinch of dried sage (fine powder)
A big pinch of dried fennel (fine powder)
A 1 tablespoon very finely ground sea or rock salt

OPTIONAL
1 teaspoon dried Spirulina (powder) for anti-inflammatory & cleansing benefits
or
1 teaspoon Baking Soda, for a brighter, deeper-feeling clean
or
1 teaspoon Natural Charcoal (powder), for a deeper clean, and brighter teeth

Mix all of the ingredients together until well-combined, then store in a clean, dry, airtight jar. To use, apply to a damp toothbrush, and gently brush the teeth as usual, before rinsing the mouth thoroughly with water.