Is your Toothpaste Toxic? What is non-toxic toothpaste?

A few years ago, I developed a toothpaste allergy. How do you develop an allergy at the age of 38 I don’t know. I just randomly got sores in my mouth like I used acid as a mouth wash. So, I did saltwater rinse throughout the day for two days. It would get better then get worse. One night I remember brushing my teeth then getting in bed. I looked at my husband and told him my mouth was burning. I wonder if I’m allergic to toothpaste. One would think I would have got up and rinsed my mouth out. The next day I stopped using toothpaste all together. Just used water. Then I upgraded to water with a little baking soda. I needed to find a toothpaste that was free of synthetic chemicals, but also wanted a toothpaste that would clean the bacteria out of my mouth as well as whiten my teeth. So, the search began. I never did find out what ingredient(s) was causing the reaction, but I know it isn’t one of the ones in the toothpaste I use now.

Understanding What's Inside Your Toothpaste.

Here's a summary of my toothpaste rabbit hole findings…

-        Fluoride compounds are synthetic chemicals

-        SLS sodium lauryl sulfate is a foaming agent that is known to cause canker sores and irritate mouths (Im wondering if this was the culprit)

-        Artificial sweeteners – because we just don’t get enough of these, we have them in our toothpaste now too

-        Artificial dyes – no purpose but to make the toothpaste look better

-        Triclosan – antibacterial agent that unfortunately is linked to hormone disruption and banned in many products

-        Parabens – synthetically made parabens

-        Titanium Dioxide – synthetic whitening agent linked to many long-term health risks

-        Hydrated silica – synthetically made abrasive to clean and whiten teeth

-        PEG polyethylene glycol – used to help keep consistency of toothpaste

-        Sodium hexametaphosphate – synthetic tartar control agent

-        Benzyl alcohol – prevents microbial growth in the toothpaste but has been known to cause irritation

Yes, unfortunately most of the grocery store brands have synthetic dyes like Blue 1, yellow 5 and red 40.

The gist of my rabbit hole research is do not use synthetic chemicals in or on your body. Non-toxic toothpaste is available and can be affordable.

All this info about something as simple as toothpaste PHEW! If you are still with me let’s review what is in a good toothpaste and why I choose to not make my own.

I know it is important for me but mostly my family to have a toothpaste that serves their first line of defense to ensure the bad bacteria doesn’t get into the rest of their body. I don’t want to overlook their oral health. Plus who doesn’t want white teeth. So, I need ingredients that first are not synthetically made chemicals but that also will kill of bad bacteria and whiten our teeth. Also, a toothpaste that has a decent taste, so I don’t have to fight my kids to brush more than we all normally do. You can make toothpaste from baking soda and peroxide which I have done but I wasn’t able to get as good of brushing in through the gaps between teeth and it left my gums and lips very dry.

The toothpaste I chose for my family has fights plaque and tartar, freshens breath and whitens teeth without damaging tooth enamel. Pro-radiant technology, xylitol, t40-c3 essential oil and targeted coconut-based cleansers, and papain. They developed a proprietary formula called Pro-Radiant technology. No compromises, no dyes, no synthetic additives, no artificial preservatives.

Papain is a natural enzyme from papaya. Non-toxic natural alternative.

I was sold when I learned what papain was. If you are still with me papain is a natural enzyme from papaya. Papain is great for toothpaste because it is gentle, helps whiten and remove stains. Not cover up stains but remove them. The enzyme breaks down proteins in dental plaque.

We can’t talk about toothpaste without mentioning fluoride. I personally prefer fluoride free toothpaste. It is definitely a personal choice. We choose to avoid fluoride in our toothpaste because it is in so many of our other products. There's also the risk of neurotoxicity with over exposure. What is too much exposure? That again is a personal decision and depends on who you ask. Personally, I choose to follow ancestral when trying to determine what to use and what to not use. Fluoride wasn’t ancestrally in our toothpaste, so we opt for a cleaner more natural option.

Some believe that fluoride helps strengthen our teeth to help prevent cavities and such. We focus on cleaning our teeth and mouths to remove as much bad bacteria as possible. As well as include ancestral products that help to strengthen our teeth. We do drink raw milk. The nutrient-richness of raw milk is associated with better teeth and overall dental health. The nutrients in raw milk such as calcium and phosphorus help build strong teeth with strong enamel helping prevent cavities. These nutrients are either pasteurized out of grocery store milk or not as easily absorbed but the body after they have been pasteurized. K2 is one of the vitamins that help calcium absorption which during pasteurization is removed. There are also enzymes and probiotics that aid in oral and gut health by removing bad bacteria and supporting good bacteria (also known as microbiome). Plus plus plus we know there aren’t any artificial or synthetic chemicals or sugars or dyes or anything like that added.

This is where my rabbit hole ended. I completed my research when I found a toothpaste that met all of our qualifications and was actually very affordable. In addition to removing fluoride from our toothpaste and daily hygiene routine. Adding raw milk for the additional health benefits following our ancestors and their knowledge.

Teeth are the first line of defense. Gateway to everything inside of you. Including a strong immune system. The bad bacteria will move from your mouth to the rest of your body. your overall health. Oral health is often overlooked. Some of the ingredients used to bleach teeth are eroding your teeth making them weak and leaving bacteria behind. some just mask discoloration and don't even remove the stains. The chemicals in the toothpastes then gets absorbed by your gums and tissues in your mouth. Carefully select a non-toxic toothpaste without harsh chemicals. Exceed tooth polish is the one we chose. Fights plaque and tartar, freshens breath and whitens teeth without damaging tooth enamel. Pro-radiant technology zylitol, t40-c3 essential oil and targeted coconut based cleansers. proprietary formula. No compromises. no dyes, no synthetic additives, no artificial preservatives.

Exceed by Melaleuca: A fluoride-free, essential oil tooth polish meeting high family standards.