Healthy smiles make the best first impression. We need more of them in this world. They’re the most effective and natural beauty trick, and an indication that you are healthy in all dimensions of wellness. To keep our pearly whites shining their brightest, and feeling great and fresh, it’s important to visit your (holistic) dentist for regular checkups, and develop a good oral routine including brushing your teeth, but…
Not All Toothpaste Is Created Equal
If toothpaste exists to help our mouths feel and be fresh, healthy, and clean then why would so many contain really dirty ingredients? Even if you spit most of it out (we hear this often), much of what you brush onto your teeth and gums enters your blood stream … quickly. And that’s just what it’s doing to you … also consider the harm to those working in the factories, and the materials and pollution to our shared air, water, and soil.
I remember begging for toothpaste with sparkles in it as a kid … it was a bright blue gel … how alarming is that?! There are way too many questionable and downright dangerous ingredients in most commercial toothpastes (like propylene glycol which is an active component in antifreeze, and sodium lauryl sulfates which make your toothpaste foamy is also used to clean garage floors!). One popular toothpaste lists Triclosan as its first active ingredient, a chemical that has been linked to antibiotic resistance, endocrine disruption, and cancer. The second active ingredient is Fluoride, a toxic chemical linked to neurological and endocrine dysfunction. I know this is a super controversial topic, but it’s worth doing your own research … remember the Precautionary Principle. There are healthier ways to care for your teeth and gums!
Choose all natural, fluoride-free toothpaste made with clean ingredients.
What is not in your toothpaste is as important as what is in it. Read ingredient labels, as you do with food, and choose cleaner options, for your teeth and overall health.
Find the toothpastes we use for the whole family in The Wellness Intelligence Collective.
For more of our lessons in Empathy Economics click here.
