What’s in the toothpaste? What exactly is toothpaste?

Just when I thought I had reviewed most of the products I use to improve and maintain my health, I realized that I had never asked myself this question: about a substance that I have been using twice a day for more than 35 years. I’ve certainly asked those questions about just about everything else I put in my mouth. How did I manage to bypass this one?

Even though I gave up fluoride toothpaste a few years ago, I never stopped to ask, “What’s in toothpaste?” Little did I know about the other ingredients in toothpaste, ingredients that actually contribute to dental problems!

Take glycerin for example. Glycerin actually coats the teeth and prevents enamel. Good strong enamel is what prevents teeth from developing cavities. Glycerin is difficult to remove: it takes about twenty rinses to remove it.

Other ingredients in toothpaste include fluoride, silicates (sand), chalk, sugar, acid, colorants, stabilizers, and mixing agents. These chemicals can contaminate the teeth and also prevent enameling. The abrasives in toothpaste can actually remove more enamel. The reglazing process is an important way to reduce plaque buildup and prevent cavities.

Last year someone I met at a conference asked me if I had ever heard of tooth soap. There was not; but due to his avid recommendation, I decided to look it up some day. It turns out that this fascinating natural product cleans teeth much better than any other toothpaste.

Toothsoap is an all natural liquid soap and a wonderful alternative to abrasive toothpaste. Use your abrasive toothpaste to scrub your sink, but don’t wear it down on your tooth enamel.

Toothsoap is made from saponified organic extra virgin olive oil, coconut and palm oils, distilled water and pure essential oils. It does not cover the teeth and rinses perfectly, leaving teeth clean and smooth as porcelain. And because you only need a few drops of Toothsoap to clean your teeth, a two-ounce bottle lasts for months, making it very cost-effective to use.

Don’t wait as long as I did to do the research yourself. If you put something in your mouth on a regular basis, get into the habit of researching exactly what it is and stick with it.

“What is toothpaste?” This may seem like an obvious question: the free online dictionary seems to think so, defining toothpaste as “a paste used to clean the teeth, applied with a toothbrush.” But if you Google “number of toothpaste brands,” you’ll get twenty-six pages of results. Protecting your health is your responsibility – in this age of ‘advancement’ more than ever. Never stop asking questions, your well-being depends on it.