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Literature Review

Homemade toothpastes: what recipes for what effects?

British Dental Journal volume 240, pages 84–88 (2026)Cite this article

Abstract

Introduction Nowadays, mistrust of industrial products has led to the growing popularity for homemade (or do-it-yourself [DIY]) products, specifically in the field of cosmetics and hygiene products such as toothpastes.

Aims The aim of the present work was to complete the data collection by systematically reviewing DIY toothpaste (DIYT) recipes found online and gather information on composition, measurement units and conservation modalities. Furthermore, a systematic literature review on DIYT was performed.

Methods Four browsers (Baidu, Ecosia, Google, Yahoo) were used to systematically collect DIYT recipes online over the last ten years; for the systematic review, five scientific databases (Cochrane Library electronic, Embase, Google Scholar, PubMed/Medline, Web of Science) were searched (September 2024) with ‘homemade toothpaste recipes' and ‘homemade toothpaste' as keywords.

Results A total of 116 different DIYT recipes and six articles were found over the last ten years. Between 2–11 different ingredients were considered per recipe. None of the recipes contained fluoride. The literature synthesis showed that further research is needed to document DIYT effects, risks and limitations.

Conclusions DIYT may have deleterious effects; dental professionals should be sensitised as well as patients.

Key points

  • There is increasing interest in homemade toothpaste due to concerns over chemicals in commercial products and a shift toward natural, eco-friendly lifestyles.

  • Most do-it-yourself recipes do not contain fluoride (a critical component for caries prevention) and lack scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness or safety.

  • Some do-it-yourself toothpastes include abrasive or acidic ingredients (e.g., baking soda, lemon juice, honey) that may damage enamel, irritate soft tissues, or lead to toxic effects if misused.

  • There is a lack of high-quality studies on do-it-yourself toothpaste. Public awareness campaigns and clinical guidance are needed to prevent the misuse of unsafe or ineffective homemade dental products.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Univ Clermont Auvergne, UFR d´Odontologie, Centre de Recherche en Odontologie Clinique EA 4847, F-63100, Clermont-Ferrand, France; CHU Estaing Clermont-Ferrand, Service d´Odontologie, 2 rue de Braga, F-63100, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Victoire Queneau & Sophie Doméjean

  2. Docteur en Chirurgie Dentaire, Pratique Libérale, Nevers, France

    Anne Bourgeot

  3. Nantes Université, UFR des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, F-44000, Nantes, France; LIEN, UR 4685, F-29200, Brest, France

    Céline Couteau & Laurence Coiffard

Authors
  1. Victoire Queneau
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  2. Anne Bourgeot
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  3. Céline Couteau
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  4. Laurence Coiffard
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  5. Sophie Doméjean
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Contributions

AB collected data and selected articles; SD designed the study and supervised the writing; LC conceived and designed the study; VQ performed the analysis and wrote the article. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Victoire Queneau.

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The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Queneau, V., Bourgeot, A., Couteau, C. et al. Homemade toothpastes: what recipes for what effects?. Br Dent J 240, 84–88 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-025-9102-8

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