Toxic Toothpaste
May 18, 2023
You pay attention to where your food comes from, choosing organic when you can. But what about the toothpaste you put in your mouth every day?
Turns out that finding a non-toxic toothpaste is harder than you might think. Most big-name commercial toothpaste contains all manner of ingredients that you don’t really want to put in your mouth, including sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), triclosan, formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, artificial dyes, saccharin and more.
The cosmetic industry is exempt from FDA regulations, which means with few exceptions, companies can put just about anything they want in their products.
Considering that the membranes in your mouth absorb chemicals quickly (think of fast-acting, sublingual drugs), it’s a good idea to think twice about the toothpaste you are using.
Too bad you can’t just assume that toothpaste made by a “natural” company is free of toxic chemicals. Remember that part about the cosmetic industry being unregulated? This means that plenty of so-called natural toothpaste contains those chemicals you are trying to avoid.
Arrrggg….what is the health-conscious consumer supposed to do?!
You can make your own using baking soda, sea salt, and other simple ingredients. Google “DIY toothpaste recipes” and start mixing!
Not ready to make your own toothpaste? The best way to find safer options is to search the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Skin Deep Cosmetic Database. EWG does the research on personal care products for you.
To help you get started on ditching toxic toothpaste, here are some options used by Energy Matters staff.
I have used the Eco-Dent tooth powder, which comes in a recyclable plastic container (most city recycling services cannot recycle toothpaste tubes) for years, but just switched to Bite - packaged in a glass jar - to avoid plastic altogether.
I top the toothpowder with three drops of Healthy Mouth, a fantastic essential oil product that we carry at Energy Matters. Since adding this to my oral care routine, my gums no longer get inflamed or irritated and my dentist has been impressed. You can use HealthyMouth with any toothpaste or toothpowder. Contact us to order a bottle and try it out.
Kirstin Lindquist
Licensed Acupuncturist, Owner
PS Take a look at our post from last year about safer deodorants.