Oral care… for most of us it is an afterthought. We rationalize that these are the products I grew up using so this is what I will continue to use. Or we might say, “These products are what I have used since being on my own, so I will just stick with what is comfortable. We use these products without ever investigating the globs of tubed gelatinous gunk that we shove into our mouths multiple times a day, hold it while we brush our teeth, and, by the time it is all done, swallow enough that it warrants a closer look. However, the industry has made modern toothpaste and oral care the only known option on the market, so it has become a comfortable place to hang your hat. Let me share the story of how I came to investigate “standard” toothpaste and oral care and what I uncovered there.
After needing some extensive dental work as an adult when I had strong teeth all my life, I investigated the ingredients of toothpaste and oral healthcare products and began to read up on the different arguments for differing kinds of oral health concepts. I have always been a believer in the most natural ways are the best because our bodies are created to heal ourselves, if we can just get out of the way. However, toothpaste and oral care products were something I had never questioned…until now. It turns out that the more I learned, the more I realized the majority of what is in modern toothpaste is adverse to the way our bodies function, at best, and are downright destructive at the worst. I will list 7 such ingredients and the reason for this option.
Detergents:
Simply put, detergents are that substance which makes your toothpaste foam. The most common of which is sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) which is commonly be found in…
- Grooming products such as shaving cream, lip balm, hand sanitizer, nail treatments, makeup remover, foundation, facial cleansers, exfoliants, and liquid hand soap.
- Hair products such as shampoo, conditioner, hair dye, dandruff treatment, and styling gel.
- Bath products such as bath oils, bath salts, body wash, and bubble bath.
- Creams and lotions such as hand cream, masks, anti-itch creams, hair-removal products, and sunscreen.
- Dental products such as toothpaste, teeth whitening products, and mouthwash.
SLS is not a product specific to or even designed for oral care, but is it safe? Well, even the own FDA’s safety assessment study that was first published in December 1983 says that it is not harmful IF used briefly and rinsed from the skin thoroughly, as with shampoos and soaps. They never even cover internal use (or ingestion) of this product.
Humectants:
Humectants are sweet tasting, alcohol derivatives that are used as additives to trap in water and keep your toothpaste from drying out and becoming crumbly. These can include sorbitol, propylene glycol, glycerol and other man-made chemicals that can have serious side effects and long-term consequences to the body. These consequences range from damage of the central nervous system, liver and heart(2)(7) to side effects that include nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, black or tarry stools, weakness, dizziness, and even influence or modify our immune system reactions.
Abrasives:
The abrasives in toothpaste are often far too harsh. Some baking soda and some charcoal infused bristles on your toothbrush and you are good. Many of the abrasives used are petroleum and/or synthetic based and completely foreign to the body. The excessive abrasion in many toothpastes can strip enamel and cause a recessed gum line – potentially causing a whole host of problems and sometimes even requiring a surgical graft to correct.
Fluoride:
It turns out that the body does not need added fluoride to keep teeth healthy and, in fact, research over the last decade has shown fluoride consumption has serious detrimental effects on the neurological and endocrine systems and may even be detrimental to the full development of the human brain(2)(6). Fluoride has also been linked to low-grade chronic inflammation which is a common cause of chronic diseases including cardiovascular and bowel diseases, diabetes, arthritis, and cancer(8).
Triclosan:
Triclosan is a synthetic chemical first patented in 1964 in Sweden. This chemical’s only purpose is to be an antifungal and antibacterial agent in toothpaste.
Diethanolamine (DEA):
DEA is used to adjust the pH of products. It is a known carcinogen also found in antifreeze and brake fluid. This chemical can also cause organ-system toxicity.
Parabens:
This chemical has been shown to mimic estrogen in the body when we are exposed to it and causes reproductive issues in both men and women and increases the risk of certain cancers.
Well, it turns out that all the detergents, alcohols, abrasives, fluoride and antibacterial agents in modern day toothpaste prevent the mouth’s micro-flora from ever stabilizing to produce a healthy oral environment. Just as the gut needs a healthy microbiome to digest your food properly, so also the mouth needs a natural state of living flora that protects the mouth (see more on building a healthy gut microbiome). And the mouth is the gateway to our internal health. If we have a healthy microbiome in our mouth, then it feeds the sinuses, the lungs and the gut a beneficial down-stream product to aid in overall health. Our Natural Toothpaste can help your body build just such an oral micro-flora environment. It is comprised of just 3 simple ingredients, Baking Soda, Coconut Oil, and Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). The baking soda provides your abrasive, the ACV provides both the flora boosting microbes from the natural cider process, the acidity to keep your toothpaste fresh and the natural cleaning action of the two products together. The coconut oil acts as the lubricant for the mild abrasives to work against the teeth and provides a base material to store the combined ingredients. Additionally, coconut oil provides the following oral health benefits…
- Eliminates harmful bacteria through its antimicrobial properties, largely due to the high concentration of lauric acid.
- Reduces bad breath through the action of benefit #1.
- Prevents plaque build-up through the action of benefit #1.
- Prevents cavities through the action of benefit #3.
- Improve Gum Health through its anti-inflammatory properties.
- Supports oral microbiome balance by reducing the harmful bacteria and allowing the beneficial bacteria to grow.
- Pull toxins from the mouth and gum tissues.
- Strengthens tooth enamel by providing a regular supply of essential fatty acids.
- Reduces tooth sensitivity through its anti-inflammatory properties and through the action of benefit #8.
- Promotes healing after dental procedures.
- Natural whitening agent.
- Soothes a dry mouth.
Along with this Natural Toothpaste, I like to use EveEvo bamboo toothbrushes with soft charcoal-infused bristles. They provide soft bristles to minimize gum damage from brushing, but the charcoal-infusion of the bristles provide just the right amount of abrasiveness for the teeth – assuming you are a brush and go kind of person like me. If, on the other hand, you like to dwell when you brush then the charcoal-infused bristles might provide too much abrasive. Let your gums do the talking. If they feel raw or sensitive after brushing, you have too much abrasive action going on in your oral care products. As a bonus, the EveEvo toothbrushes are made of bamboo which cuts down on the amount of plastic toothbrushes in the landfills and, additionally, the bamboo brushes are antimicrobial and inexpensive. Not a bad way to go.
Peace be with you,
Thomas Storey
Sources:
- Colgate webpage on Most Common Toothpaste Ingredients
- Gold Coast Holistic Dental Care webpage Find out the 7 toothpaste ingredients you should avoid
- Pure Holistic Dental webpage Which 9 Ingredients Should You Avoid In A Toothpaste?
- Experience Life webpage How to Avoid Toxins in Your Toothpaste: 12 Ingredients to Ditch Now
- Natural Remedy Ideas webpage 15 Benefits of Coconut Oil for Teeth and How to Use it
- Impact of fluoride on neurological development in children. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/fluoride-childrens-health-grandjean-choi/
- Propylene Glycol Toxicity in Children. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4341412/
- Inflammatory responses and inflammation-associated diseases in organs (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5805548/)