Proponents of tooth soap say that it is more natural than commercial tooth pastes, has fewer harmful ingredients, cleans your teeth better and prevents the build-up of plaque. There is no research that confirms these claims, although that doesn't necessarily mean they are not true. Tooth soaps are expensive, but the main ingredients in tooth soap are not expensive and it is easy to make your own.
Soap
Tooth Savior tooth soap contains saponified organic extra virgin olive, organic coconut, and organic palm oils. "Saponified" means that the oil has been combined with lye, either sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, to make soap. Lye and oil are the basic ingredients for many kinds of soap. At the end of the soap-making process, there is no lye left in the product. To make your own tooth soap you can either grate unscented soap and use a few small chips of it on your wet toothbrush, or you can use unscented pure castile soap, which is liquid.
Essential Oils
Manufacturers of tooth soap add essential oils for their flavor and scent, as well as their antimicrobial properties. Peppermint oil is often used, and it has significant antimicrobial action. Spearmint, tea tree, lemon balm and eucalyptus essential oils also are antimicrobial, and so are other members of the mint family. Add 20 drops of essential oil to 4 oz. of castile soap and then test by brushing your teeth with the mixture. Add more essential oil a drop at a time, if needed to add flavor, and test by brushing your teeth, not by tasting on your tongue.
Sweeteners
Glycerin, stevia and xylitol are used as sweeteners in tooth soap. Glycerin is made from oils or fat, and is a natural by-product of the soap-making process. Stevia is an herb in the chrysanthemum family. Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar found in fruit, vegetables and mushrooms. It is also called birch sugar because the commercial product is extracted from the wood of the birch tree. The xylitol molecule has five, instead of six, carbon atoms, so the bacteria in your mouth don't recognize it as sugar. Therefore, it doesn't cause cavities.
Abrasives
Some recipes for tooth soap call for clay, salt or baking soda, which are abrasive and help to scrub any film off your teeth. Pumice is the abrasive used in commercial tooth pastes.
Tools
If you are making your own tooth soap, you'll need a small bowl for mixing soap with the other ingredients. Castile soap is easier to use than bar soap. You'll need measuring spoons and a mixing spoon, and a container for the finished product. A clean soap pump works well, and you should use the tooth soap more sparingly than tooth paste.
