Have you ever read the ingredient list on your tube of toothpaste? There are a lot of unpronounceable words in that list, but they can be broken down by function: binders, abrasives, sudsers, humectants, flavors (unique additives), sweeteners, fluorides, tooth whiteners, a preservative, and water.
If you look online, there are a lot of websites that discuss toothpaste and what goes in it. Some people believe that conventional toothpastes are perfectly acceptable, while other people think they are toxic and shouldn’t be used. There are artificial dyes, artificial sweeteners, and a variety of other additives.
Recycla is personally not a fan of conventional toothpastes. She doesn’t like the taste, nor does she like to put unpronounceable chemicals in her mouth. Instead, she uses Tom’s of Maine, which is the best known natural toothpaste on the market in the U.S. Tom’s uses real flavor oils instead of saccharine, and in fact of all the ingredients are naturally derived. Beyond that, Tom’s of Maine uses recycled packaging and gives 10% of their pre-tax profits to nonprofit organizations.
Other natural toothpastes for you to consider:
- J/A/S/O/N Power Smile All Natural Whitening Tooth Gel
- Kiss My Face Triple Action Certified Organic Toothpaste
- The Natural Dentist Healthy Teeth and Gums Toothpaste
- TheraNeem Herbal Neem Toothpaste
- Weleda Salt Toothpaste
As for toothbrushes, Recycla’s hands down favorite is the Preserve. These toothbrushes are actually made from recycled plastic, including Stonyfield Farm yogurt tubs. Later one, when you’re finished with your toothbrush, you can send it back to the company so that it can be recycled into plastic lumber.
Recycla has also heard good things about the RADIUS toothbrush. Replaceable heads save 80% of the material used by standard toothbrushes. The renewable resource bio-plastic handles are made from recycled wood or flax mixed with post-consumer polypropylene.
So that’s a brief round up of teeth-related matters. If anyone reading this has used baking soda as a toothpaste or has some other recommendations, Recycla and Enviro Girl would like to hear from you.
