Ditch & Switch Toothpaste
Oral health is SO important! Not only for tooth and gum health, but for overall health. If you take a lot of supplements or medications, you might be familiar with being told to put it under your tongue. There are a ton of capillaries there which means it’ll hit our blood stream faster. That also means that whatever we’re using for toothpaste, mouthwash, and floss is also absorbed directly into our bloodstream.
In conventional toothpastes and mouthwashes you can find a ton of toxic ingredients like:
In toxin free toothpastes, a common ingredient is glycerin. There are claims that glycerin essentially coats the teeth and prevents tooth remineralization. The original claim seems to originate back to a chemist, Gerald F. Judd. Judd never provided any evidence to support this belief. If you’re familiar with glycerin at all, you know that glycerin actually dissolves pretty easy because it’s water soluble. Glycerin also prevents bacteria from reproducing which is great.
Carrageenan is another controversial ingredient in toothpaste. It can cause intestinal issues if ingested so if it’s on the ingredient label for your toothpaste, be extra diligent to avoid swallowing. I avoid Carrageenan all together.
You might be thinking, okay, but what on earth could be wrong with floss?!
Dental floss is commonly coated with Perfluorinated Polymers (PFCs), a Teflon-type chemical. The PFCs are added to help the floss glide smoothly between teeth. Human exposure to PFCs have been linked to immune system damage, ADHD, thyroid disease, hormone imbalances, fetal development problems and more. I’m sure you can guess that traces of those PFCs can be left in your mouth to be absorbed and swallowed.
Nylon is the most commonly used material for the actual floss. Derived from petroleum and can use a number of toxins in the manufacturing process. The majority of floss labels don’t even have a fully disclosed ingredient label so who knowssss what else they could be hiding. Floss also has a pretty hefty environmental impact. Like I stated above, the majority of floss is made from nylon which decays very slowly. Not to mention when floss is thrown away, whatever PFCs didn’t transfer to your mouth, will now be transferred to the environment via whatever landfill or waterway the floss ends up in.
Just because it’s toxin free, doesn’t mean it performs well.
One of the biggest ingredients I look for in toothpaste is Hydroxyapatite. Hydroxyapatite is a mineral that makes up 97% of our tooth enamel and 60% of our bones. When it’s used in toothpaste it’s able to bind to teeth and act as a barrier. Hydroxyapatite can also repair small holes on the surface of the enamel.
I have tried many different toothpastes, but my favorite is Dr. Brite. Dr. Brite is a one stop shop for all your oral care needs, at a super reasonable price. They’ve got a great selection of flavors for adults, kids and hydroxyapatite options. They’ve got the only toxin free mouthwash that I’ve liked and whitening pens too. You can use code SAVENOW to save 10% off your purchase.
If you plan to order Dr. Brite, I would so appreciate it if you could shop directly through the link above. I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support my mission while still being able to best serve you and my family.
For more safe swaps, check out my safe swap guide here.
Disclaimer: this information is for educational purposes only. Consultation with a licensed health care practitioner is recommended for anyone suffering from a health ailment.