Personal hygiene is an important aspect of our personality. Personal care products, such as toothpaste is a necessary part of hygiene. We brush our teeth regularly so that our mouth will no longer taste and smell like the food we eat. It’s gross not brushing our teeth. It can taste like putrefied skin, or like tongue cheese, or that last potato chip you’ve had during snacks, or a chocolate bar. We don’t want that.
Most consumers purchase toothpaste and other personal hygiene products without even bothering to read the list of ingredients. Dental hygiene products that you and your family use every day may contain toxins that have been linked to cancer, blindness, and even death.
Many name-brand toothpastes and mouthwashes contain potentially harmful ingredients, which are made up of very small molecules that may penetrate through the tissue of your mouth, enter the blood stream, and build up in the liver, kidneys, heart, lungs, and tissues. The following common ingredients were found to be harmful to humans.
- Abrasive particles. Most toothpastes use hydrated silica as the grit that polishes teeth. Depending on the size and shape of the particles, silica is the whitening ingredient in most whitening toothpastes. But whitening toothpaste cannot get your teeth any whiter than a professional dental cleaning, because it only cleans the surface.
- Desensitizers. Teeth that are sensitive to hot, cold, sweets, or a combination can benefit from the addition of potassium nitrate or stannous fluoride to a toothpaste. This is more of a palliative treatment, when the pain is the problem.
- Fluoride. Over time, a fluoride toothpaste can improve the strength of teeth, but the fluoride itself does nothing to make teeth cleaner. Not using fluoride-containing toothpaste is a choice since fluoride was probably the first additive to toothpaste that brought it under the jurisdiction of the Food & Drug Administration and made toothpaste part drug, part cosmetic.
- Foam. Toothpaste contains Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS). However, in toothpaste, there is not enough surfactant to break up the goo that grows on your teeth. If these bubbles scrubbed, you’d better believe that they would also scrub your delicate gum tissues into a bloody pulp.
- Tartar control. In order for tartar control toothpaste to work, it has to be dissolved in a stronger detergent than usual, which can affect people that are sensitive to a high pH.
- Triclosan. This antimicrobial agent may pose a risk to both human health and the environment. Scientists categorize triclosan as a chlorophenol, which is a type of chemical suspected of causing cancer in humans.
The next time a patient innocently asks me, “What’s the best toothpaste to use?” Have you checked out the ingredients in your toothpaste or mouthwash lately? If not, go get your toothpaste right now and see if any of these ingredients are in your toothpaste. You’ll see they are loaded with dangerous toxins and chemicals such as sodium fluoride, triclosan, sodium lauryl sulfate, and hydrated silica.
A BETTER KIND OF CLEAN: REVIIVE TOOTHPASTE
Reviive Organics personal care products are packed with all-natural and certified organic ingredients.
Reviive Organics personal care products do more than clean—they are packed with all-natural and certified organic ingredients that provide health benefits from head to toe. Our formulas contain naturally cleansing and conditioning ingredients that keep you looking and feeling your best.
Reviive Organics™ personal care products cleanse away impurities without introducing new ones through your skin. Our formulas contain naturally cleansing and conditioning extracts straight from Mother Nature, including purifying white tea, nourishing shea butter, and beautiful fragrances from pure essential oils.
Reviive Toothpaste cleans gently with calcium carbonate and hydrated silica, naturally mild abrasives that keep your teeth sparkling and gums healthy. It contains no harsh or toxic substances—such as sodium lauryl sulfate, fluoride or artificial flavors. Its clean taste comes from certified organic vanilla and peppermint essential oil, to leave your breath naturally refreshed.
