Homemade Dog Toothpaste: Safe Recipes and What Actually Works

Yes, you can make a safe homemade dog toothpaste at home, as long as you leave out xylitol, fluoride and human toothpaste entirely. A simple mix of coconut oil, a small pinch of baking soda and a little low-sodium broth is gentle and swallow-safe. The honest catch: the paste itself is the minor player. It is the mechanical friction of the brush that removes the sticky plaque biofilm before it hardens into tartar, so any DIY recipe is really just a flavored vehicle to get the bristles moving.

Quick answer: A homemade dog toothpaste can be made safely from coconut oil, a pinch of baking soda and a touch of broth — never human toothpaste, which often contains xylitol and fluoride that are toxic to dogs. But the paste is not what cleans the teeth: brushing friction removes plaque, and homemade blends are not proven plaque-reducers. Recipes, a safe-vs-unsafe ingredient table and a no-brush option are below.

Can I use human toothpaste on my dog?

No. This is the one rule with no exceptions. Dogs cannot rinse and spit, so they swallow everything you put on the brush, and human toothpaste is formulated to be spat out. Two ingredients make it genuinely dangerous. The first is xylitol, a sugar-free sweetener found in many "whitening" and sugar-free pastes. In dogs, xylitol triggers a rapid insulin release and a dangerous drop in blood sugar, often within 10 to 60 minutes, and larger amounts have been linked to acute liver injury; the Merck Veterinary Manual notes hypoglycemia can develop at doses above roughly 100 mg/kg and hepatic damage above roughly 500 mg/kg.¹² The second is fluoride, which is safe when spat out but not meant to be swallowed in repeated doses. Foaming agents such as SLS add stomach upset on top. If your dog has eaten human toothpaste, especially a sugar-free one, treat it as a potential emergency and call your vet or a pet poison line right away.

What can I use instead of dog toothpaste?

Here is the part most recipe pages skip: you need far less "toothpaste" than you think. In a controlled trial in dogs, brushing daily or every other day produced significantly better control of plaque, calculus and gingivitis than brushing weekly — the benefit tracked with the friction and the frequency, not a magic paste.³ That means a damp dog toothbrush or a soft finger brush, used consistently, is already doing the heavy lifting. A safe flavored paste simply makes your dog cooperate. So "what can I use instead of dog toothpaste" has a reassuring answer: a brush plus a dog-safe flavour (broth, a smear of coconut oil), or — for dogs who refuse the brush — a no-brush option like a dog toothpaste vs dental powder approach that works as your dog eats.

How do you make dog toothpaste at home?

Keep it simple, keep it swallow-safe, and make small batches fresh. Here are three straightforward recipes.

Recipe 1 — Basic coconut paste

1. Soften 1 tablespoon of virgin coconut oil until spreadable (not liquid-hot).
2. Add a very small pinch of baking soda — roughly 1/8 teaspoon or less.
3. Stir in 2–3 drops of low-sodium, onion- and garlic-free bone broth for flavour.
4. Mix to a soft paste. Load a pea-sized amount on the brush per session.

Recipe 2 — Herbal fresh-breath paste

1. Start with 1 tablespoon softened coconut oil.
2. Add about 1/4 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, which is often used to help freshen breath.
3. Optional: a tiny pinch of turmeric (it can stain fabric and fur, so go light).
4. Combine and use a pea-sized amount. Refrigerate and use within a few days.

Recipe 3 — No-baking-soda pumpkin paste (for sensitive stomachs)

1. Blend 1 tablespoon plain canned pumpkin (100% pumpkin, not pie filling) with 1 teaspoon coconut oil.
2. Add a few drops of broth if your dog needs extra convincing.
3. Skip the baking soda entirely — the pumpkin adds palatability and gentle fibre without the abrasive.

Whatever you mix, treat homemade paste as a gentle, better-than-nothing helper rather than a proven treatment. Store it in the fridge, make it in small amounts, and never add sweeteners of any kind.

Is baking soda safe for dogs' teeth?

In a tiny amount, occasionally, baking soda is usually tolerated and acts as a very mild abrasive. But it is not the hero ingredient DIY pages make it out to be, and there are two honest caveats. First, it is alkaline, and a dog's stomach is strongly acidic by design; swallowing a meaningful quantity can disturb that balance and cause digestive upset. Second, its abrasiveness is a blunt tool — it can help scuff off soft plaque but does nothing for hardened tartar, and overuse risks being harsh on enamel and gums. If you use it at all, a pinch is the ceiling, and many owners reasonably skip it (see Recipe 3). Baking soda is a supporting act, not a reason the paste "works."

Does coconut oil actually clean dogs' teeth?

Coconut oil is the star of most homemade recipes, and the fair answer is: it is safe and palatable, but the dental evidence in dogs is limited. Its lauric acid has antimicrobial activity in laboratory settings, which is the basis for the claim that it may help discourage some plaque bacteria.⁷ What is missing is solid clinical proof that brushing with coconut oil measurably reduces plaque or tartar in dogs over time. So use it for what it reliably offers — a dog-friendly texture and flavour that makes brushing easier — and do not expect it to dissolve existing tartar. It is a helper for the routine, not a treatment. For persistent odour, our guide to dog bad breath covers the causes worth ruling out.

What if my dog won't let me brush?

Plenty of dogs simply will not tolerate a brush — and a paste you cannot apply does nothing. That is the gap a no-brush option fills, and it is where a food-based approach becomes the realistic path rather than a compromise. Our dog dental powder is built exactly for this: it is a kelp-based, 12-ingredient scoop you sprinkle on food once a day, so the actives mix with saliva and coat the teeth while your dog eats — no brush, no paste, no wrestling. Alongside the studied Ascophyllum nodosum that competitors rely on, it adds hydroxyapatite (the mineral enamel is made of) and a natural glucose-oxidase/lactoperoxidase enzyme system, the same antibacterial pairing found in saliva. The point is not that powder beats a well-brushed mouth; it is that the best routine is the one you will actually keep up. Compare the formats honestly in our dog toothpaste alternative collection or the best dental powder for dogs breakdown.

When should I see a vet?

Homemade toothpaste and daily brushing are prevention tools, not treatments — and they cannot fix disease that has already set in below the gumline. Periodontal disease is among the most common conditions in adult dogs, with veterinary reviews reporting it affects a large majority of dogs over three years of age.⁵ No paste, powder or brush reverses established periodontitis; that requires a professional cleaning under anesthesia. Book a veterinary dental exam if you notice persistent bad breath, red or bleeding gums (gingivitis), visible brown tartar or calculus, a reluctance to chew, pawing at the mouth, loose teeth or facial swelling. Think of your home routine as what keeps a clean mouth clean — and the vet as the one who resets the baseline when tartar has already hardened. For the full at-home system, see our dog dental care guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make my own dog toothpaste at home?

Yes. A simple, safe blend is coconut oil with a small pinch of baking soda and a few drops of low-sodium broth. Never add xylitol or use human toothpaste, and remember homemade paste is not a proven plaque-reducer — the brushing does the real work.

Can I use human toothpaste on my dog?

No. Many human toothpastes contain xylitol and fluoride, both toxic to dogs when swallowed. Xylitol can cause a dangerous blood-sugar crash within an hour and, in larger amounts, liver injury. Always use a dog-specific or safe homemade paste.

Is baking soda safe for dogs' teeth?

In a tiny pinch, occasionally, it is usually tolerated as a mild abrasive. It is alkaline, though, so swallowing more than a trace can upset the stomach, and it does nothing for hardened tartar. Using little or none is perfectly reasonable.

Does coconut oil actually clean dogs' teeth?

It is safe and palatable, and its lauric acid is mildly antimicrobial in lab tests, but strong clinical proof that it reduces plaque or tartar in dogs is lacking. Use it to make brushing easier, not as a stand-alone treatment.

What can I use if my dog won't let me brush?

A no-brush dental powder you sprinkle on food, a brushless enzymatic gel, VOHC-accepted dental chews or a water additive are the practical options — then reintroduce a brush slowly if you can. Look for the VOHC seal on store-bought products.

Is homemade dog toothpaste as effective as store-bought?

For proven plaque and tartar control, no. Homemade paste has no clinical testing behind it, while enzymatic pastes and some powders and chews carry evidence and VOHC acceptance. Homemade is a fine budget flavour-vehicle for the brush; it is not an equal to tested products.

Veterinary disclaimer: This article is for general information and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice. Daily brushing with a dog-safe paste is the home-care gold standard, but consistency matters more than the recipe. Professional cleanings remain necessary for tartar below the gumline. If you suspect your dog has ingested xylitol or human toothpaste, contact your veterinarian or a pet poison control line immediately.

Sources & references

1. Merck Veterinary Manual. Xylitol Toxicosis in Dogs. merckvetmanual.com
2. Harvey CE, Serfilippi L, Barnvos D. Effect of Frequency of Brushing Teeth on Plaque and Calculus Accumulation, and Gingivitis in Dogs. J Vet Dent. 2015;32(1):16-21. PMID: 26197686. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3. Gawor J, Jank M, Jodkowska K, et al. Effects of Edible Treats Containing Ascophyllum nodosum on the Oral Health of Dogs: A Double-Blind, Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Single-Centre Study. Front Vet Sci. 2018;5:168. doi:10.3389/fvets.2018.00168. frontiersin.org
4. Wallis C, Holcombe LJ. A review of the frequency and impact of periodontal disease in dogs. J Small Anim Pract. 2020;61(9):529-540. doi:10.1111/jsap.13218. onlinelibrary.wiley.com
5. Veterinary Oral Health Council. VOHC Accepted Products. vohc.org

Related reading

• Dog Dental Powder: Complete Brushing-Free Guide
• Enzymatic Dog Toothpaste: What It Is and How It Works
• Dog Toothpaste vs Dental Powder: Honest Comparison
• Best Dental Powder for Dogs: Plaque, Tartar & Fresh Breath

Keep reading

• what to look for in a dental powder — the criteria we use to separate formulas, useful if a DIY paste is not keeping up.
• our 12-ingredient dental powder — the no-brush option for dogs that refuse a toothbrush.