The Best Toothpaste for Your Toddler

Finding a safe, natural toothpaste for toddlers can seem like a next-to-impossible task. Even the “kid-friendly” versions of toothpaste have ingredients that either you can’t pronounce or are considered poisonous by the FDA (yeah, we’re looking at you, fluoride).

 

We know that our kids (especially the younger ones) are not in the habit of spitting things out of their mouths, so we know that they’re swallowing, at least some, of the toothpaste we give them. Is it wrong to want to make sure that the toothpaste isn’t going to hurt them? Resoundingly, NO!

 

We’re supposed to teach our children the healthy habit of brushing our teeth but are trapped by what’s available at the grocery store. So what do you do if your grocery store is limited and you really don’t feel comfortable with any of the options there?

 

I am here to let you know of the one, simple option that you probably already have in your kitchen cupboard: virgin coconut oil.

 

Yeah, you heard me. I said coconut oil! That big Costco-sized jug in your cupboard has so many uses–for cooking and bodies alike–and using it for our dental care is one of them!

 

I’m sure you’re thinking, But it’s a food. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of brushing his teeth? How is it going to clean his teeth when I use the same thing to cook? Well, the AMAZING thing about food is that it has the power to heal, including killing harmful bacteria in our mouths. Food can heal. Crazy, right?

 

The first obvious bonus of using coconut oil as a natural toothpaste for toddlers is that it is antimicrobial and antifungal, which is the very purpose of toothpaste. You are trying to kill the bad bacteria in your mouth that feeds on the food, so antimicrobial is what you need!

 

Secondly, coconut oil is edible. That means that, while learning how to brush and spit (and even long after), your child can swallow the oil without you fearing he’s being poisoned.

 

If you’re sitting here thinking, if it’s so good for my toddler, it must be good for me to, right? RIGHT! You can use coconut oil for your dental health too! Spice it up with some peppermint and enjoy the “clean” feel peppermint leaves in your mouth. Coconut oil has such amazing benefits for our mouth that oil-pulling has become a more prevalent (though certainly not new) and effective way for people to help solve tooth decay issues. To learn more about oil pulling, check out this information from  Dr. Josh Axe. 

 

Other bonuses of brushing with coconut oil: it also has vitamin E, is effective against candida and digestive disorders, improves circulation, and fights tumors.

 

If you’re looking for DIY toothpaste recipes for adults, we’ve got you covered! Check out our Activated Charcoal Toothpaste recipe here.

 

You can also check out our Bentonite Clay Toothpaste recipe by clicking here.