Now don’t think I’m bat shit crazy here…K?
Today I want to discuss toothpaste.
YOU KNOW, THE STUFF THAT GOES INTO YOUR MOUTH EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.
Is it weird that I want to discuss this?
I KNOW, I know, you’re probably thinking DAMN this girl needs to get a life.
But no, I assure you, I’m not a psychopath— there’s actually valid claims to my toothpaste weirdness.
Basically I try to pick & choose my battles with chemicals…CAREFULLY.
…& well, toothpaste is ONE I prefer to fight.
Firstly, it’s UM, like in your mouth everyday. If you’re an overachiever, it’s in your mouth THREE TIMES A DAY.
AND there’s gross shit in most drugstore brands.
So after a bunch of online research ( LIKE A BUNCH, call me Doogie Howser M.D. ), I found an interesting list of what the fuck is hiding in your basic toothpaste…& it’s just nasty. SICK, EW. Especially because you put it your mouth everyday…I’ll quote the list:
1. Fluoride
The dangers of fluoride, especially when it is ingested, are becoming increasingly well-known. This byproduct of manufacturing certain metals has been found to have neurotoxic properties, and is linked to raising blood sugar.
Even if you’re not eating it, accidentally swallowing fluoride toothpaste is linked to stomach pain, dizziness, vomiting, headaches and skin rashes.
2. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)
This is the ingredient added to many toothpastes–– and a range of other personal care products – to make them foamy. Along with foam, SLS is linked to skin and eye irritation, genetic mutations, hormonal imbalances and cancers.
3. Triclosan
Triclosan is a common ingredient added to toothpastes for its antibacterial properties. However, this ingredient, which originated as a pesticide, has been linked to allergies and hormonal disruption, and is thought to be contributing to the epidemic of antibiotic resistance.
4. Propylene glycol
Also an ingredient found in antifreeze, propylene glycol is added to some toothpastes to act as a surfactant ( lowers the surface tension between two substances ). Chronic exposure to propylene glycol is linked to liver, kidney and neurological issues.
5. Microbeads
You know those pretty little flecks housed within some toothpaste gels? Those are microbeads, and they not only pollute lake sediment, dentists have found them lodged in people’s gums. A microbead stuck in your gum line can lead to irritation, infection, and even, eventually, periodontal disease.
6. Diethanolamine ( DEA )
DEA is a chemical compound that, like sodium lauryl sulfate, causes personal care products to foam. Unfortunately, DEA has also been linked to skin irritation, hormonal disruption, and a potentially higher risk of certain cancers, including those of the kidney and liver.
7. Artificial colorings
Artificial colorings are often petroleum based, and include other industrial chemicals. Many common color combinations have been linked by research to hyperactivity in children, & a risk of severe allergic reactions. Some have been linked to cancers in lab animal tests.
8. Artificial or natural flavors
If you see the terms “artificial flavors” or “natural flavors” on a label, these could be virtually anything. In the case of artificial flavors, they could be derived from a number of chemical ingredients.
Natural flavors are not as natural as you may think–– raspberry flavor, for example, is a highly processed derivative of the secretions of the anal scent glands of beavers… really.
9. Hydrated silica
This ingredient is added to some whitening toothpastes, to give it a “scrub” quality to remove stains. Unfortunately, this can also wear down tooth enamel, which can lead to a host of dental issues.
10. Sodium saccharin
This compound is the solid state of the artificial sweetener known as saccharin. Artificial sweeteners have serious potential dangers, and some early animal studies on saccharin linked the compound to bladder cancer.
JUST EW, EW, EW.
I found this recipe recently & it’s SO quick if you just leave the stuff by your sink.
EASY, AT-HOME ALL NATURAL TOOTHPASTE
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons baking soda
5 drops pure tea tree oil
I have a little cute pink jar of raw coconut oil, a blue jar of baking soda, & my tiny bottle of tea tree oil ready to rock. Just mix it together. Sometimes I’m a lazy-ass & will just dip my drugstore toothbrush into all three.
According to this source, “coconut oil and tea tree oil offer potent antibacterial properties, while baking soda helps to neutralize acid, whiten teeth, and remove plaque and stains.”
This toothpaste recipe is GREAT…if I have time. If I’m traveling OR just slammed, I use Jason’s ‘Sea Fresh All-Natural Toothpaste. To whiten my teeth, I’ll throw on a Crest Whitestripes ( I know not the best ) OR use all-natural charcoal toothpaste ( remember this post? ). No one’s paying me to say this, this is just what I like. If you have a better option, PLEASE leave it below.
As for a toothbrush, I like just a basic bitch clear toothbrush from the drugstore OR a super gnarly electronic toothbrush ( OBSESSED WITH THIS ONE ). Depends on my mood, LOL. You guys know I had jaw surgery recently so sometimes my mouth is tender, sometimes it’s not. So yes, I have a toothbrush mood.
My last weird, random tip is LIME.
YES OH YES. LIME.
I eat limes ( lemons too ) ALL, ALL the time because they make your breath smell good. BYE ODOR. A little bartender trick for you. Try it, your BF will be getting all kinds of feels.
Does anyone else have any toothpaste/dental recommendations? I feel like you guys always come up with insane advice.
Also, I’m a day late & a dollar short announcing the $1500 beauty giveaway ( <<< do NOT miss entering this one! ) AND the Gary Vee book giveaway. Give me until tonight, promise. It’s on my to-do list ; ).
Anyway, check out the toothpaste for yourself. I mean maybe it’s just me (???) but personally I’m not a fan of brushing my teeth with secretions of the anal scent glands of beavers………?
Chat tomorrow, lauryn x
+ more teeth whitening tippity tips here.
LAURYN’S FAVORITE DENTAL PRODUCTS:
Oh my goodness. I had no idea. This is so awful.. Going to the organic store in my lunch break at work today! Man isn’t it the scariest that something doctors recommend can be so bad for you? Thanks so much for always sharing Lauryn!
Love,
Yara
Hi Yara! SO glad you’re going to switch. I worry about my friends using gross toothpaste! xx
Yes! Fluoride is shit yet we are told how it’s necessary for teeth maintenance.
Must try the coco oil recipe ASAP!
Hi Liz! Let me know what you think if you try it! xx
Interesting read– however lemons and limes are absolutely awful for your teeth. They strip them of all of their enamel and the acidity is too much, if eaten in large amounts, for your teeth to handle. They can lead to stains, and if you have any fillings or something of the sort, lemons/limes damage these as well. Obviously if eaten in small amounts the damage is minimal, but anything more can cause lasting damage.
You only have one set of teeth! Protect them!
Agreed!! Totally should have pointed that out. I probably should cut back, but I can’t stop with lemons and limes. Thanks for reading girl. x
This is such an interesting read! I never would have thought that toothpaste is actually such a toxic substance! I will definitely look up more DIY dental care remedies to reduce the amount of artificial ingredients in my home!
Thanks Cassie! It’s so gross, right? UGH, it’s always something LOL.
Will never use toothpastes again!! This literally had me disgusted! Thanks for sharing and please keep these posts coming because I really like to know whats going in my body, and becoming more aware of things. Thanks!
Yay! So glad you liked this Chantal! x
Okay, so IDK how legit this is, but I read somewhere once that flouride will actually yellow your teeth, and the only thing that can keep them from yellowing is more and more flouride, especially in children…. so it’s just a giant Cartesian circle. Again, who knows how true that is, but enough for me to nix flouride.
I am DEF giving this a go with a lil peppermint oil and some activated charcoal! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe, I’ve never been so excited to brush my teeth LOL
As far as my reccs: I use a tea tree floss which I LOVE from Desert Essence! For travel, I loveloveLOVE Lush’s Toothy Tabs http://www.lushusa.com/Toothy-Tabs/toothy-tabs,en_US,sc.html – soooo up your alley and the flavours are bomb {Aquatic is my favourite!} xx SS
I will check this out asap, thanks for sharing Shannon!
Dental fluorosis is a toxic effect which results in tooth discolouration, and can make them yellow or brown (or white). It is a permanent effect, but also a developmental effect, so once the permanent teeth have erupted there is no further risk of developing dental fluorosis. Topical fluoride in high concentrations (e.g. fluoridated toothpaste) can make teeth excessively white, opaque, and brittle even in people without dental fluorosis, though. Tooth enamel should be off-white and slightly translucent.
OMG…Looking into alternatives now. Gross.
RIGHT!!!
so does this mean you stopped using charcoal toothpaste?
Charcoal toothpaste is fine! I use it to whiten my teeth when they need whitening. I like this one right now: http://bit.ly/1RyubWt. It’s organic & doesn’t taste bad. x
ha – i’m grateful that you recommended the crest whitestrips gentle white (and the colgate charcoal toothpaste/brush)!
Haha, I do love a good CREST Whitestrips. x
Literally shopping for some jars for my new homemade toothpaste as I type. Thanks for posting this!
Yay! Enjoy : ) x
I wish I was disciplined enough to make my own toothpaste because I have the most sensitive teeth EVER! The only brand I have ever found that works for me is Sensodyne ProNamel! It’s probably filled with nasty chemicals but is so gentle on your teeth.
Hi Diana! Try it! I promise you’ll be obsessed. Have your girlfriends over and make it! You can do a spa night with your friends and do facials and make toothpaste? LOL! xx
You should look into LUSH Toothy Tabs– I’m obsessed! No nasty chemicals in them either!
Hi Aryn! Thanks for the recommendation :)) xx
OMG! I am convinced…I am making all natural toothpaste from here on out! And I am eternally staying away from anything raspberry flavored!! – I love that you are always on top of chemicals in products like toothpaste and deodorant, you are helping us all so much!! <3
Hi Lydia, please let me know what you think of the toothpaste recipe. Also let me know how your teeth look after using it for a few weeks. Thanks for reading! xx
What about the all natural toothpaste, like Tom’s of Maine?
Tom’s of Maine is owned by Colgate-Palmolive, which should be boycotted in my opinion.
TOOTH POWDER! It saved my life
You can get it at Whole Foods
Totally trying that recipe and charcoal toothpaste. My teeth are a bitch. Grew up on an island with too much fluoride in the water and it ruined my teeth! No enamel, yellowing without constant upkeep. I’m using an RX toothpaste for sensitivity that I just know is full of gross, gross, GROSS ingredients. My dentist talked me out of Jason’s (sea fresh was my fave) and other natural toothpastes stating they contain abrasives that ruin enamel. UGH. Like, believe him or assume he’s got a deal with the pharmaceutical company? Thanks for the great post, as always!
Check out the website orawellness and their brushing blend and toothrushes. I found that baking soda was too harsh on my teeth because I started having sensitivity after making my own. Cutting out the baking soda and just using coconut oil and essential oils might work for you. My priority is protecting my enamel and there are conflicting studies on fluoride use. I like to swich up my toothpastes/blends so I’m getting a bit of both worlds. Seems to be working, but I’ve noticed the biggest difference since taking vitamin d3! (Oct-April, after that I get it from the sun) So incredibly important as well as avoiding grains and the bad oils (canola, etc)
Obsessed with Desert Essence toothpaste in Wintergreen. the flavor is SO fresh, my fiance now wants to brush his teeth aaallll the time. Lauryn – have you ever had a professional whitening? p.s. new site = major yes!
Wow..I had no idea..gross. I use mostly natural stuff on my face, should have considered my mouth. I am def throwing my crest away. Diy time xo
Lots of good information here! It’s crazy how much we put into our bodies on a daily basis without thinking. I have to say, tough, I’m hesitant to swear off Fluoride. Though it is toxic to ingest in large doses, it’s the most effective chemical out there for protecting your teeth from cavities. So much so, in fact, that many US cities add it to tap water for public health. You nailed it when you said we all have to choose our battles with chemicals. I think I’ll let Fluoride win this one.
There is no credible evidence that fluoridated water has ever prevented a single dental cavity. The forced-fluoridation fanatics often try to claim that the low rates of dental caries in western European countries which do not have artificially fluoridated public water supplies are due to naturally occurring fluoride in water, or some other kind of artificial fluoridation such as salt fluoridation. They are lying.
http://forcedfluoridationfreedomfighters.com/scotland-and-the-netherlands-inconvenient-examples/
i used to brush my teeth with charcoal toothpaste & use crest white strips occasionally, but now i just crack open a tablet of activated charcoal over my toothpaste/tooth brush in the sink. messy, but the results are instant & like 1000x whiter! i’m obsessed! my teeth look like i’ve had them professionally whitened!
Can you not mix together the ingredients before hand? Or do you have to mix it together every time you brush your teeth?
I was wondering this too. ???
OMG, thanks for bringing this up!
i totally got disgusted discusting, Ew!
gotta start using this organic toothpaste receipe that you recommended and find out how it feels. plus, working your whitening tips!
i mean, you cover it all. thanks girl! i really enjoy your posts. keep it up xo
The word “antibacterial” is another word for poison. That isn’t necessarily a problem, but different people have sensitivities to different chemicals, and coconut oil and tea tree oil are probably not suitable for everyone. Fluoride was used as a rodenticide and insecticide before it was marketed as “God for teeth” by the way. I have asked many forced-fluoridation fanatics to tell me how much accumulated fluoride in the body they think is safe. So far not a single one of them has been able to answer the question.
http://forcedfluoridationfreedomfighters.com/a-preliminary-investigation-into-fluoride-accumulation-in-bone/
Ugh I’m so torn on this! I did so much research on fluoride after reading how bad it can be, probably about five or six years ago and stopped using fluoridated toothpaste. But THEN when I was thirty I had my first cavity ever in my life. It was about a year and a half after I had my daughter and I’ve heard pregnancy can do that (all the minerals and such going to the growing fetus, blah blah blah) but it freaked me out. So now I do fluoridated half the time and non the other half… Like maybe it’s a happy middle ground? I do store bought toothpaste but always something like kiss my face or natures gate free from all the other shit. Of course, now my daughter is 4 and her very facprite toothpaste is the Jason’s kids silly strawberry (fluoride free)
I have been making my own toothpaste for myself and my kids for a while! It is sooooo easy and you can flavor it with essential oils like peppermint. I have not tried tea tree oil though…I will try it with my next batch!
so gross. so on point.
http://www.hishannonashley.com
As a dentist I’m going to have to disagree with you on this. I’ve had many patients over the years who’ve stopped using fluoride toothpaste and they’ve ended up with a lot of cavities. Fluoride, in small doses, is very beneficial for your teeth.
Redmond Trading Company’s Earthpaste toothpaste is a game changer! All natural with no chemicals and a clay base. It’s sold at whole foods and seriously amazing.
I like Honest Company’s Mint Toothpaste… I did try Earthpaste for awhile (lemon flavor) but it was hard to get into the non-foaming action, it did taste great though and about as simple & non-toxic as you can get from a tube.
I don’t agree with the dentist above, I stopped using fluoride years ago, and I’m yet to get a cavity… and I had a ton as a teenager… it’s more about your practices in my opinion.
… oh, I also oil pull with coconut oil religiously every morning (then just brush with water after, no paste), even when I travel… that has truly saved my teeth I believe.
Gross..It’s weird for the last few months I’ve had horrible dry mouth/gross throat crap that was progressively getting worse. It all boiled down to the fluoride + a couple other chemicals in the toothpaste, and I used Crest.. It’s supposed to be this all mighty brand. I ended up switching to Jason’s actually! It’s been great, but I have never thought about crafting up my own. I will so be trying this!
Love anything coconut!
It’s funny–my grandma actually told me to ditch the store bought toothpaste years ago and I never did…now I TOTALLY GET IT.
EW?
Also, Grandmas really do know everything.
Wow, had no idea, def going to try the charcoal toothpaste. Thank you for sharing <3
xoxo
http://confusedgirlinthecity.com/blog/
Literally so in love with your blog. 100% trying the tooth paste tip.
Nice Blog ………..
and best beauty collection heading……………..
Thanks for sharing it.
hi love!
why dont you try this?
What do you think?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/huc/view.html?ie=UTF8&newItems=C2L3GLJQ9E4X50%2C1
Hi Lauryn
Great to come by your blog. What’s your snapchat? Mine’s username SusannahMakram
Lauryn,
I wanted to try making the paste myself…however, I see that you keep each item seperate: tea tree, coconut oil and baking soda…Is this necessary? Can I store the baking soda and coconut oil together and then add the tea tree oil as I go?
Thanks!!!
I use the same recipe but swap tea tree oil for peppermint essential oil! Leaves your mouth feeling refreshed, and may be an easier switch for anyone who is used to using drugstore toothpaste (as the taste and “refreshing” feeling is more similar to that of a regular toothpaste).
Wow that was informative. Some tips though:
+Be careful with the limes as the acidity of them can ruin the enamel.
+Whiten with Turmeric. I swear it works! You just brush with it and leave it on for 3-5 minutes or so, then rinse it out and brush as normal. http://www.mommypotamus.com/whiten-teeth-naturally-turmeric/
Wow I never thought toothpaste could be that dangerous. Well explained. Therefore it is best and safer to use alternative natural products.And of course while reading the comments, flouride can contribute to staining or making teeth turns into yellow one. That’s quite frustrating. Honestly, I always visit my arlington va dentist and they really had the best dental service for me. I’ll get information about this information. It’s good to keep an open mind and staying healthy in a positive way.
It’s hard to come by well-informed people for
this subject, but you sound like you know what you’re talking
about! Thanks
try a mixture of 50% apple cider vinegar (one that contains fermenting mother), 25% hydrogen peroxide (3%), 25% water, regular tooth paste and a bit of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Apply toothpaste to brush, then dip brush into baking soda. brush teeth to apply mixture, do not spit out. now add a shot of the the vinegar/peroxide solution. Continue brushing teeth, gums and tongue as usual. You will feel the foaming action working, spit out and rinse. Do not swallow mixture as the peroxide should not be ingested, but is safe to use for this purpose. POW, clean teeth and no dentist!