{image}Toothpaste can also cause tooth sensitivity, since with time, tooth enamel is worn away. Many toothpastes are also too abrasive and actually strip away the tooth enamel, and are typically full of sugar ,promoting the growth of bacteria that causes tooth decay.
Scientific research has supported the benefits of fluoride treatment in preventing tooth decay. However, many people question its safety and effectiveness. There are some interest groups who say increases in dental fluorosis and fluoride levels in water are exceeding optimal levels. These groups say fluoride treatments are unnecessary and more dangerous than originally thought. Just a thought....but still.
If you are interested in considering a natural toothpaste, which are good for your teeth and gums, there are some great ones on the market. Natural toothpastes use:
- Zinc Citrate: a natural occurring mineral that helps control the calcification of plaque into tartar.
- Natural Silica: which improves cleaning and whitens without harsh abrasives or bleaching ingredients.
- Xylitol: removes plaque.
{SLS and fluoride-free}, and Jason Natural Toothpaste Powersmile Vanilla Mint
{contains three natural whiteners to whiten and polish your teeth}.Happy Wednesday! I hope you are having a great day ;)
wow. i never knew!! thank you for posting. :)
ReplyDeleteXylitol also kills bacteria, specifically the kind that cause bad breath/halitosis. (Trident gum has xylitol in it, too!)
ReplyDeleteI am def prone to canker sores, and maybe my toothpaste is the culprit?? Never even considered it as a possibility... I always blamed diet or my lame immune system :P
ReplyDeletexoxo J
wow, good tips, i never swallow anyway but good to know about better alternatives
ReplyDeleteThanks Iva!
Doesn't it also have flouride in it? which is bad for you..
ReplyDeleteWhoa! That's...kind of disturbing-- that the stuff in toothpaste can actually damage one's mouth. Good to know!
ReplyDeleteYes, Jenny DB...I did mention that in the post linking to an article questioning flouride ;)
ReplyDeleteWow, I never knew that. I get bad canker sores and never thought it could be because of my toothpaste. I will have to make that switch. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWow! I totally learned something new today! Thanks, Iva!
ReplyDeleteWow thanks for this. My daughter has major dental issues and she has always been real good at brushing. So toothpastes can be bad. Wow! She does get sores too. I wonder if they sell tooth pastes without this stuff in it.
ReplyDeleteARGH!!! nothing is safe! it is driving me bonkers!!!
ReplyDeletei recently saw a movie that talked about a zillion problematic things in our food, and then it mentioned that all the old silver fillings that a zillion people have (INCLUDING ME) include MERCURY, which is toxic. and THEN they said that mercury in fillings off-gases in your mouth and it is poisonous. AND THEN THEY SAID that removing it can be dangerous! ARGH!!! so frustrating! so i had one removed recently, it cost a fortune and was a stupid experience, and i have been feeling shittay lately wondering if i have mercury poisoning. fertheloveofgod! everything is suspect!
and i am pmsssssssing and ranting today, so please forgive if i sound psycho!!!
Oh my! There'll come one day when we'll be living like the cavemen because every man-made thing has a side-effect.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Iva! You're a gem! ;p
Thanks for the info! The amazon page for the Tom's toothpaste says it -does- have flouride though--just a heads-up.
ReplyDeleteAlso, to J-Diggety and whomever else might be interested, another reason you're having a lot of canker sores could be an excess of acidic food in your diet. More acid can = more canker sores.
On the other hand, sometimes what people are calling "canker sores" is actually oral herpes, or cold sores. That is a completely different issue, and is very contagious. Cold sore info: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/cold-sores-topic-overview
Canker sore info: http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/canker-sores
i've used tom's natural toothpaste before and it's fine, i just wanted something with a stronger mint flavor. now you're making me think if i need to re-think my toothpaste habits. i don't know if that makes sense but i hope you know what i mean. knowing about this stuff is so important. thanks for sharing the awareness and offering great alternatives.
ReplyDeleteI did a research paper on Flouride my senior year of high school and have been scared of it ever since...high levels of it can cause brittle bones and are a common cause of hip fractures in elderly women. Water and toothpaste has flouride in it, as well as those treatments they give kids at the dentist. I do have sensitive teeth and I wonder if it's because of toothpaste. Have you tried Sensodine toothpaste? I don't use whitening toothpaste because it's too abrasive I think. I will have to look into those natural ones you listed! Thanks
ReplyDeleteMy mother is a granola girl all the way, so much that she rinses her mouth with all these herbs, uses natural toothpaste, and then once a week brushes her teeth with an all natural soap. Yes, soap. She said the first time she did it huge chunks of plaque fell off. Interesting, huh?
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks! You're an angel! Have a friend who's plagued with cankers...will call her now to pass on the news...who woulda thought it could be the toothpaste??
ReplyDeleteIsn't xylitol what kills dogs in sugar-free gum? I can't imagine that makes it too much better for us in the long run ;-)
ReplyDeleteKinda funny when you think that toothpaste contains fluride which is bad for you in a large dose. Kinda scary actually.
ReplyDeleteoh my. my toothpaste is the devil! and that title was FUNNY!
ReplyDeleteWe use toms natural toothpaste as well! We are really trying to be concious about what goes into our bodies here!
ReplyDeleteYou are so darn smart! Thanks for sharing, lady!! This is so good to know.
ReplyDeleteYUCK. there are so many disgusting chemicals in things we use every day. :(
ReplyDeleteYikes! Good info..thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love Toms of Maine! It's my favorite :)
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful news....nothings safe anymore!
ReplyDeletewww.prettypauperstyle.blogspot.com
Great heads-up post, I didn't really realise that toothpaste was full of so much flavour. I started using Euthymol a while back cuz I fell in love with the really strong taste but it is actually flouride free & naturally antiseptic. The British Army recommend it to their soldiers to prevent mouth ulcers (Im guessing they are what canker sores are?!!).
ReplyDeleteMy cousin tipped me off about toothpaste years ago. Have been on the Tom's bandwagon ever since. I've never really passed the info on though, not so nice of me. Will forward your post today.
ReplyDeleteok i'm freaked out...
ReplyDeletegonna have to switch to tom's now!
Wow! I knew about the flouride...but not about SLS, thank you so much for this information. And thank you for stopping by my blog!
ReplyDeleteMy MIL has all these information and while I can't always escape this. I try to use a little paste as possible.! Now I need to read the ones that say, it's ok to swallow and see what's in it.
ReplyDeleteMy boyfriend has been onto natural toothpaste lately.
ReplyDeleteApparently another standby in a pinch is to rinse with warm salt water to kill the bacteria and deter plaque.
Thanks for the info! I knew about some but not all!!
ReplyDeletehi darling. thanks for stopping by me!
ReplyDeletei had no idea about how dangerous this could be. .
some toothpastes are so yummy too...
i can only imagine children swallowing too much because they like the taste.. thats so dangerous.
hope youve had an wonderful weekend.
xx ediot.