A WOMAN who invented her own toothpaste and launched a business has won an award.

Marisa Battrick received the Enterprise Award from the Prince’s Trust for her brand of natural mineral paste, called Truthpaste, which started life in her kitchen six years ago.

The 31-year-old was suffering from toothache after having a filling, and decided to have a go at making her own paste to soothe the pain.

She said: “I had a look in my cupboard and took out coconut oil, clove oil, tea tree and neem oil, which is full of antibacterial properties.

“I just mixed it all together, and it really did stop my toothache.

“I went out to buy some peppermint oil to make it more palatable, and started experimenting with all sorts of formulas.”

Ms Battrick, who lives in Whippingham Road, Brighton, had just finished education and was looking for work.

At a job centre appointment an adviser recommended she take her business idea further.

They referred her to the Explore Enterprise

course, run by the Prince’s Trust.

After completing the course, Marisa juggled work as a teaching assistant with getting her business off the ground.

She said: “I was always going to the post office before work to send all my orders – it was very full on.”

Since making her first sales online and at Waste Not in Brighton’s Open Market, Truthpaste has taken off, and Marisa quit her job last summer to focus on the business full time.

The brand is now stocked in health shops in Brighton and Hove and also ships to Europe and Australia.

Marisa said: “I was amazing to win the award.

“I never thought I would be running my own business, but I’m really glad.

“I just want to keep experimenting.”