We’re talking teeth and natural toothpaste today. Toothpaste is a sneaky little personal product with loads of convincing marketing behind it. Whether its “Remove Stains!”, “Whiten!”, or even the “Maximum Whitening!”, toothpaste companies know they’ve got us all by the teeth (pun intended) when it comes to our concern over how our pearly whites are presented. It’s easy to be convinced that something is needed to keep them clean, fresh and looking their best, for example: the ingredient Sodium Flouride – an additive in most conventional toothpastes. It’s said to help remove bacteria and reduce plaque build-up which sounds like a great thing right? But after a bit of research it’s easy to see that it might not be all it’s cracked up to be and replacement alternatives might do just a good of a job if not better in the teeth cleaning department. Specifically, there is a lot of debate out there regarding whether Sodium Fluoride is safe to ingest or not and to be honest it left me scratching my head for a while. Many people say that it’s not harmless because you’d need to ingest a much higher quantity than that of the daily teeth-brushing. Other’s point out that Sodium Fluoride is a lab-created synthetic substance (which I’m never a fan of) and is most certainly is toxic. Regardless of your stance, I’d argue that avoiding something that has such a strong debate behind it is never a bad idea just to be on the safe side, especially when other options are readily available.

The main concern that really tipped the scale for me is that fluoride was found in research to be an endocrine disruptor (research from 2006 found here) . This means that it can impair the normal function of certain hormones produced by the endocrine system. Hormones are required for so many things throughout the body most importantly to me thyroid regulation and in turn fertility. The study points out that fluoride (even at relatively low doses) was found to suppress regular thyroid function by interfering with it’s messengering system. I personally have thyroid issues that I need to be concerned about so even though I’m citing just this one study presenting the information, I’d still rather not risk it.
So it’s obvious that fluoride has a bit of a bad rap, but I can’t forget to mention some of the other questionable ingredients in conventional toothpastes too:

• Triclosan – an antimicrobial, possibly linked to cancer
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate – a cleansing agent, an irritant that has been shown to accumulate in the body’s organs
• DEA – foaming compound, also a possible endocrine disruptor and carcinogen
• Propolene Glycol – unsure of why it’s an additive, but possibly causes certain abnormalities within the body
• Artificial Sweeteners – an artificially created substance that is hard for the body to process and poses potential health concerns.

So based on my research I decided that I’d just really rather be on the safe side and choose a more natural toothpaste going forward. There are so many options readily available from places like Whole Foods and Amazon that there’s not excuse not to give one a try. I’ve only tested a few so far but I landed on Jason Sea Fresh Toothpaste early on and have stuck with it. It’s SLS-Free, fluoride-free, gluten-free and only uses gentle polishing ingredients. It strengthens teeth with the featured ingredient, Blue Green Algae, which is rich in calcium, proteins and antioxidants. Spearmint and parsley extracts help to keep breath fresh make the taste appealing.

My initial reaction to natural toothpaste was that it didn’t seem to give that uber-fresh cool feeling that other toothpastes do. It didn’t take long for me to forget that false feeling of fresh and focus on the fact that even though I wasn’t getting that cool blast anymore I still had a clean feeling mouth that was low on plaque and buildup. I even got a glowing review from the dentist when I recently visited after having used this toothpaste for a good 6 months. They said my teeth looked great and they barley had to do that unbearable scraping thing with that little metal pick (I hate the dentist). I didn’t even confess I’d switched to natural either. That will be our little secret! 😉

While I’m on the topic of teeth, I also wanted to mention my favorite sustainable toothbrush brand that I’ve found so far – Brush with Bamboo. Their website states that they are the world’s first plant-based toothbrush. The entire product was created sustainably from plants – the bristles, handle, wrapper and box. As the name says, the handle is made from bamboo, organic bamboo in fact so no pesticides or fertilizers go into growing it. Once you’re done with the brush you can remove the bristles and compost or reuse for other purposes (like a plant marker as suggested on their website!) so it’s fully sustainable and environmentally friendly. Millions of plastic toothbrushes are thrown away annually accumulating in landfills only to sit for millions of years since their breakdown rate is next to non-existent. Even though toothbrushes are small, they add up so even a small switch can make a big difference over time. There are no gimmicks with this toothbrush like an ultra-grip handle or micro-scrubbers but you don’t really need those things. Just a solid handle and bristles that don’t turn too soft after one use will do the trick and this brush has that covered.

I’d highly recommend giving both products a chance since it’s something that’s pretty necessary to use everyday and can make a big difference for you and the environment too!

I’d love to know, what are your favorite natural tooth care products??