I've been wanting to use a more natural type of toothpaste, and one that that doesn't have fluroide in it. I used a Lavendar Mint Toothpaste from Burt's Bees. It's 100 natural and has no fluroide in it. I had to get used to the consistency at first. It's more 'liquidy' than the common toothpastes, as the common ones use chemicals to make them foam up more. When I ran out of the Burt's Bees Toothpaste, I went to a local health food store, and they needed to order some more of it. So I decided to try a natural toothpaste from Tom's of Maine. They had a fluoride version(I'm not sure how fluoride is natural), and a non-fluoride version. Anyway, I got the non-flouride version.

I still had the box from the Burt's Bees toothpaste, and I noticed that it said there was no Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in it. I looked at the ingredients in the Tom's of Maine toothpaste, and I saw that Sodium Lauryl Sulfate was an ingredient in it. I was wondering exactly what Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is? But I'd also like to get other people's oppinions on some good natural,
non-fluoride toothpastes? Will a non-fluoride toothpaste protect my teeth from cavities just as well as a toothpaste that has fluoride in it? Thanks.

Hi Concerned Male,
I can answer one of your questions...sodium laurel sulfate is a detergent. You'll probably find it in your shampoo too. It's was makes the t-paste foam up, like people are used to. I have sensitivities to sulfates, so I've been looking for natural ones, too.
I couldn't find a Toms of Maine without the s.l.s., but the propo;os & myrhh really makes my teeth feel clean. I alternate with Jasons Healthy Mouth t-paste with tea tree oil & cinnamon. The taste is hard to get used to, but no s.l.s. or flouride in in that I can see on the label.
I was under the assumption that flouride was a naturally occuring substance, although do not know if it harmful with repeated use. I always thought flouride was what protects your teeth from decay.

Me too, I thought fluoride was a good thing unless you have some kind of allergy to it.

The mucus membranes in the mouth are extremely permeable. This means that certain chemicals will go right through those membranes like there is nothing there. Flouride is supposed to help remineralize the tooth. Flouride (Sodium Flouride) is used to kill rats, it's also used in drinking water. There is a reason there are warning labels on toothpastes for children. There is enough flouride in a tube of toothpaste to kill 2 small children. This has been proven. There is much debate over it's use, but little debate among those in the alternative health care field. Like any other toxins that you ingest in your body, the culmulative effects are not known until it's too late. Error on the side of saftey. When researching toothpastes last year (funny what we do when we fall seriously ill) I discovered that there are about 6 that don't use Sodium Laurel Sulfate or flouride. Weleda is one. There is another that starts with "P" but I can not find my bookmark. I have tried neither. It's almost impossible to find the stuff in stores. I now consider the local grocery stores to be TOXIC HAVENS. I crinze when walking through the isles at all the boxes of posions. Tom's makes up a lame excuse as to why they use SLS right on their site. You would think they are part of the ADA (Who keeps saying how safe amalgam is, then refuses to back this up saying whatever happens is the result of what the Dentist places and they are not to blame). A bit Hypocritical. The ADA is part of the bought and sold medical establishment. Do I sound bitter enough? There is this overwhelming acceptance in the food and drug industry that if it's in a small enough amount it is somehow safe to use. Most cosmetics have not undergone any kind of long term testing. You're skin absorbs chemicals, and you'll find SLS in shampoos, soaps, toothpastes, etc. Finding a flouride free AND SLS free toothpaste is tough. Plus just because it may not contain these ingrediants doesn't make it safe. There are a host of artificial sweetners in toothpastes, and many natural ingrediants like Carrageen (comes from red seaweed) are passed off as "Natural", except the way they extract the Carrageen is by using harsh chemicals. So what is natural? Research MSG and all the "hidden" names the food industry uses to "hide" it in their products. It's scarey that everyone is so concerned with making a buck that they would let the health concerns of an entire nation go down the toliet. But it's always the "other guy" who gets the cancer isn't it? The more you learn the more you become disgusted with Corporate America.

I wouldn't chance posting the web address, but you can read the Environmental Working Groups "Skin Deep" report online. It contains extensive research on cosmetics including toothpastes. You might be suprised to learn that standard "Colgate Regular) flouride and all tested safer than JASONS Organics. Hmmm. The lesson is just because it is "organic" doesn't make it safe either. So what do we do? Well in the long run we are lucky to get 75 years (I doubt I'll ever see that) so just brush and rinse as well as you can. I like to use a waterpic with a saline solution (uniodized table salt + baking soda). I do this until I can taste no more minty freshness. Too bad there are not better answers. By the way Tom's Kids Goofy Grape tested very well, SLS and all! Too bad SLS has been proven to cause canker sores.

Almost all toothpaste contains a toxin called sodium lauryl sulfate. This synthetic detergent and its chemical cousins will go through mucus membranes and bioaccumulate in eye, heart, and liver tissue. People who are having eye trouble never stop to think that their toothpaste may have contributed to their problem. Two years ago, a German study published in a British medical journal concluded that sodium lauryl sulfate caused gum disease. Do you really want this in your toothpaste?

Thanks for the replies. Yes, there is a lot of info on the web that talks about how fluoride is a toxin. It's an industrial pollutant that comes from places such as phosphate fertilizer plants. It's used in rat poison, like notpain said. I've heard how fluoride can contribute to thyroid problems, and other negative consequences. Fluroide has been documented as being a mutagen. Many mutagens are also carcinogens. So there is concern that toothpaste with fluoride may may cause or contribute to oral cancer.

I don't see how companies can be allowed to put a poisonous substance into something that goes into our mouths, especially children's mouths. On the back of a common toothpaste, I read that if a child swallows more than the amount that is used to brush your teeth during one brushing, that you should call the Poison Control place immediately. Fluoride has also been added to a lot of communites water supplies, so people can get an overabundance of fluroide when they drink the water.

I think I'll get the Burt's Bee's non-fluoride toothpaste again. Since it's 100 percent natural, and does not contain any Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. I read that a natural sugar named xylitol has been found to be very effective in tooth decay, and it's in some natural types of toothpastes. A healthy diet is also said to be very important to fight against tooth decay.

My dentists have always said that regular brushing and flossing (as well as regular visits to the dentist, of course!) are all that is necessary to clean the teeth and keep them from decaying. No mention of ANY toothpaste. The reason we in the western world use flavored toothpastes is to replace the taste of not-cleaned-often-enough mouths with the taste of something more appealing. The reason dentists recommend flouride (in toothpastes and coatings for childrens' teeth) is that MOST people DON'T clean their teeth often enough, and flouride will slow down the decay that results from dirty gums and teeth.

So my understanding is: brush and floss after every meal and before you go to bed. If you feel the need for something more abrasive, use baking soda and/or salt on the brush.

I certainly don't brush and floss often enough, and I am paying for it now (age 56) :rolleyes:

--Rheanna

I brush my teeth before beed with Oregano Oil. This is antibacterial and certenly feels like my teeth are clean when done. In the morning I brush with nothing on. It takes some getting used to not haveing foam in your month, but it dosn't bother me any more. I used to also just use baking soda, but I suffer from canker sores and the Oregano Oil keeps them away.

Greensky,
How come you don't use Oregano Oil to brush your teeth in the morning also? Do you put a little water on the toothbrush in the morning? And do you use a mouth wash?

Fluoride is a NATURAL substance. It is not man made, itis a mineral that occurs in nature. It is naturaly abundant in mountain spring water, for example. To present it as some sort of toxin modern science has bestowed upon us is misleading.

We must be wary of of scaremongering of any kind on the internet. The often reported fact that it is used in rat poison stirs up emotions. But it is not what kills the rats. I used to work in an ER, and a toddler who swallowed some rat poison pellets came in. And do you know what the ER did? Nothing! They kept her for observation. The main ingredient in the poison she ingested was Warfarin, which is a blood thinner, often prescribed to people. In high doses, it can cause internal bleeding and death, which is why it works well as a rat poison. But a person, or even a pet would have to consume much larger amounts before it would cause problems.

That being said, there are legitimate concerns about Fluoride. There is a lot of research indicating it can have an effect on thyroid hormones, especially in people who already have thyroid problems. I myself, have a reverse osmosis water filter which filters out harmful chemicals in my drinking water, including, fluoride. I do worry about my teeth, which is why I do choose to use a fluoride toothpaste, since the water I drink doesn't have any. While I chose not to drink large amounts of fluoride, I think it is imortant to have it in my toothpaste. It is an individual choice.

If you are truly concerned about fluoride, you need to find out if your water is fluorinated, including any bottled water you drink. It's the 80/20 rule. Do the 20% that will make 80% of the difference. Not using fluoride toothpaste won't make a bit a differece if you are drinking fluoride every day. Don't assume your bottled water is fluoride free, a lot of them have fluoride, especially if it is labeled as "spring" water.

Sodium lauryl sulfate is a detergant, and for some people it can be too harsh, for mouth or skin. If a detergant is too strong for you, it will cause irritation. That is different than being toxic though. Unless you have canker sores, I doubt SLS in your toothpaste is the cause of your health troubles.

I think the society being told how great fluroide is, is misleading. Money is made off of fluoride, so of course money is more important to a lot of people than a person's health. How come on all the toothpastes with fluoride in it, there is a Poison Control Center warning on the back of it? And it specifically said on the back of the toothpaste I read, if you swallow more than the amount of toothpaste that you use for one brushing, that you should call the Posion Control Center immediately. That doesn't sound like a large amount of toothpaste has to be swallowed, to be dangerous. There are healthier things besides fluoride that can be just as effective to prevent tooth decay.

I think the society being told how great fluroide is, is misleading. Money is made off of fluoride, so of course money is more important to a lot of people than a person's health. How come on all the toothpastes with fluoride in it, there is a Poison Control Center warning on the back of it? And it specifically said on the back of the toothpaste I read, if you swallow more than the amount of toothpaste that you use for one brushing, that you should call the Posion Control Center immediately. That doesn't sound like a large amount of toothpaste has to be swallowed, to be dangerous. There are healthier things besides fluoride that can be just as effective to prevent tooth decay.


No doubt about it, too much fluoride is bad for you. Just like too much of anything is bad for you. Too much fluoride can cause mottled, discolored teeth. And if children get too much, it can affect their bone development. (But this is true of any imbalance of calcium vs another mineral.) That is why most children's toothpastes have less fluoride than adult versions. Also, like I said, there is convincing evidence that fluoride affects thyroid function which is why I prefer not to drink water with it. But I guarentee if you called poison control and said you swallowed, say a tablespoon of toothpaste, they would tell you you'll be fine. It's not going to kill you. Now if I found my toddler with an empty tube of toothpaste, yes I'd seek some medical attention.

Like anything else, using fluoride is a risk vs benefits analysis. But I haven't seen any convincing evidence that non-fluoride toothpastes prevent tooth decay as well as fluoride. And in my opinion, the biggest health risks come from INGESTING large amounts of fluoride, not using a pea sized amount of toothpaste that you spit out into the sink.

Greensky,
How come you don't use Oregano Oil to brush your teeth in the morning also? Do you put a little water on the toothbrush in the morning? And do you use a mouth wash?

I think once is enough with Oregano.
Yes I put water on the brush in the morning.
I don’t use a mouth wash.

If you want to try the Oregano oil, please note that it is very strong, so put a drop of the oil on something and then just barely dip the top of you tooth brush in it.

The american dental association endorses flouride and amalgam. How much mercury does the body need? I have brushed twice a day every day of my life since childhood with an ADA approved toothpaste - crest or colgate, flossed every night like a religion, even use a waterpik. 22 fillings! The ADA can have their flouride and their Amalgam. Just because a substance is naturally occuring doesn't mean you need to put it into your body in any other form than what comes in whole organic foods. So keep taking it, drink the stuff, brush with it, do whatever you like. It's your body. Yummmy Flouride.

Fluoride CAN be naturally occuring but that doesn't mean that that is the kind manufacturers are putting in your toothpaste. The fact is that the barrels they deliver it in indicated that it is a poison. Children who accidentally ingest a good tube of toothpaste will die.

Fluoride sealants are probably helpful in reducing tooth decay. Fluoride in toothpaste is not something I personally tolerate in my life. I use Nature's Gate Cool Mint Gel. But fluoride in drinking water is the biggest hoax perpetrated on an unsuspecting population that I have ever heard of. Tooth decay is a kids problem more than an adult problem yet we ALL have to drink it? I use a reverse osmosis filter. Green and black tea have high levels of fluoride. Here are ( removed ) Jennifer

Flouride is NOT a good thing! For more info/data/professional research on that topic go to: mercola.com and enter "flouride".

There is a brand (I forget the name) at health food stores (it's usually the cheapest for the 7 oz size and often one of the flavors is on sale)-- it's the only one that has a Creme-de-menthe flavor so you can recognize the brand by that. I have used that quite a bit an really like it.

Sometimes I also use toothpowders from India with tons of various wonderful Ayurvedic herbs in them (most Indian people have very good teeth).

And, recently, I starting to use a half and half combo of baking soda mixed with sea salt (if you can't use the salt due to high blood pressure, you can substitute epsom salts. This mix is very cleansing and strengthening for both teeth and gums.

Then there is the use of hydrochloric acid in a water mix to swish around for teeth whitening (don't overdo and don't swallow). You might also consider purchasing a water irrigator (like WaterPik) and put this mixture in the tank instead, to clean gum pockets et al.

Good health!

I like all this since it is natural and cheap.

Tooth decay is a kids problem more than an adult problem yet we ALL have to drink it? http://www.mercola.com/article/links/fluoride_links.htm

http://www.mercola.com/2002/feb/9/fluoride_safety3.htm

http://www.tuberose.com/Fluoride.html

Jennifer


Sorry, but this is sooo not true. I just had 3 new cavities filled along with the removal/replacement of 4 silver fillings, 2 of which had cavities brewing underneath. Many adults have problems with tooth decay, it most definitely isn't a kids problem.

Again, as many have pointed out, the dangers of fluoride come from INGESTING too much of it. I myself do not drink florinated water, and I accept the fact that this choice probably hasn't helped my teeth any. But the little bit you put on your toothbrush, and then spit out, is no big deal IMHO. But if not using fluoride toothpaste helps you sleep better at night, go for it.

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here in australia, the news shows actually warn you about toxins in products. flouride is one of them. my husband had flouridated water and used flouride toothpaste and he has heaps of cavities. my children have never had flouridated water or flouride in toothpaste, yet they have no cavities-never have. you don't want your children to have cavities? then don't give them fruit juice, give them water. allow sweets only once or twice a week.

flouridated tap water has been shown to cause bone cancer. it's criminal that they put this stuff in the drinking water w/out a say from the public.