Natural Toothpaste vs Commercial Toothpaste

We continue our look inside what makes up our everyday products and how it impacts our overall well-being.

This month we look at commercial toothpaste vs natural toothpaste or powders and how it impacts our overall health and the environment.

Anything we put into our Temple (body) affects it, whether positively or adversely. Many of the products we use today have trace minerals or chemicals which can impact from our endocrine system to reproductive organs.

Let‘s start with the most popular: Commercial Toothpaste. Around the 1800s, this familiar sweet tasting paste would have been invented with Colgate being one of the first brands to have created such a product.

But even back then, the ingredients used were sketchy and included things such as soap, chalk and betel nut. Today, regular toothpaste contain other ingredients which aren’t always listed on the box and have been shown to contribute to other issues including cancer and reproductive health diseases.

Commercial Toothpaste would usally contain the following:

• Fluoride- has been used to reduce tooth decay however has been linked a number of health effects including endocrine and neurological dysfunction and skin rashes. [source: sdperio.com]
  

• Triclosan- claim to have antibacterial properties to help fight plaque but studies link triclosan to a decrease in thyroid hormones, weakens heart function, cancer and bone deformation just to name a few. [source: beyondpesticides.org]

• Saccharin and Aspartame- used as a sweetener to replace sugar in diet drinks lip balms, toothpaste etc has been linked to cancer. Aspartme has been known to metabolize in your body as a wood alcohol and formaldehyde. Other side effects include birth defects, migraines, epilepsy, Alzhemer’s and more. [source: medicalnewstoday.com]

• Carrageenan - gastrointestinal inflammation, ulcers and even colon cancer when lab tested. While food-grade carrageenan sounds safe, it’s also been linked to insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. [source medicalnewstoday.com ]

• Sodium Laurel Sulphate (SLS) - foaming agent used in toothpast, body bars and body wash that can cause canker sores, mouth ulcers and stomach issues [source: healthline.com]

• Propylene Glycol - mineral oil used in antifreeze to smooth out products (soaps , toothpaste you name it) has been linked to cancer., reproductive issues and skin irritation [source: healthline.com]

After reading this I was stunned and did not want to buy another toothpaste ever again. The side effects out way the benefits with most of the ingredients.

But there is an alternative which has been created since Khemet was the worlds empire.

Natural Toothpaste or Toothpowders however have much more benefits and are usually made with all natural material such as baking soda, activated charcoal, peppermint etc.

This would also be more beneficial to skin since many persons with acne on their cheeks may actually have an oral hygiene issue but that’s a topic for another post.

Not all natural toothpastes are made equal and may include some good ingredients and others which are still traditional like SLS.

But don’t go running to your kitchens or stores as yet. Understanding that too much of a good thing is not a good thing can also help in making better consumer decisions. For example, Activated charcoal should Not be used in high quantities because it’ll eat away at your enamel. So does baking sod

This is why our tooth powder was formulated with just enough so that it can be used daily without stripping you of vital nutrients. It‘s also safe to swallow so it can be used by children of all ages without you having to worry. Like many other natural toothpastes it’s fluoride free, sugar/ aspartame / saccharin free And made with organic ingredients such as turmeric, peppermint, spearmint and activated charcoal.

When purchasing from any brand be sure to know what you’re putting into your body And how it’ll benefit or take away from you. Making more conscious decisions can not only help the environment but life on a whole.