It's time to look inside the bathroom cabinet again and read the ingredients. This time it's about toothpaste.
The trusty product we have used daily since childhood. What does it really contain, and is it good for us?
Our view on toothpaste, as with all other products at Glimja, is that we believe in natural ingredients and avoiding chemicals as much as possible.
We do this both for our own sake and for the planet's. Therefore, we have included a list here of common toothpaste ingredients with explanations of why we choose to avoid them.
10 ingredients you should avoid in your toothpaste
1. Fluoride
We know fluoride is good against cavities, but we also know that fluoride in larger amounts carries certain health risks. That is why it is especially important to spit out all toothpaste and not swallow it.
Do not let children have free access to toothpaste tubes containing fluoride. Always supervise children so they do not swallow the toothpaste after brushing.
There are toothpastes without fluoride today. At Glimja, we have chosen to sell only toothpaste without fluoride.
Regarding fluoride specifically, it is important to make a personal choice and experiment. The amounts of fluoride in regular toothpaste are not very large, and it is effective against cavities.
If you easily get cavities, there may be other underlying causes, but until you have addressed them, you might need something as strong as fluoride to protect your teeth.
Personally, I haven't used fluoride for almost 25 years and my teeth are very healthy according to my dentist.
So it is definitely possible to live without it if you feel you want to.
2. Triclosan
An antibacterial agent that can break down into dioxin (toxic). It is environmentally harmful, allergenic, suspected to be carcinogenic, bioaccumulative, irritating to skin and lungs, etc.
3. SLS
SLS – Sodium lauryl sulfate is a soap agent that makes it foam. It is a general irritant; it irritates the skin.
It can also be contaminated with toxic impurities like 1,4-dioxane during production.
4. Titanium dioxide
White pigment in the toothpaste. It is a natural mineral that is actually harmless. However, it is rarely specified whether it is in nano size or not.
Nanoparticles are relatively new and their health effects are not fully understood. The particles are so small that they remain and spread in the body. They are so small that they can even move up to our brain.
If you don't want to read the INCI ingredients, choose a toothpaste that is not white.
5. Parabens
A preservative suspected to be carcinogenic and toxic to our organs. There are about 20 different types of parabens.
6. Alumina / Aluminum oxide
A thickener (to prevent clumping) suspected to be bioaccumulative and toxic to our organs.
Commonly found in liquid “2-in-1” toothpastes.
7. PEG (polyethylene glycol)
Solvent, a binder called PEG followed by a number (the number describes the molecule’s length, i.e. structure).
Not all variants are equally harmful to health but some may contain traces of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane (toxic) and are suspected to be toxic to our organs.
I usually skip all PEGs in all body care for simplicity’s sake.
8. Propylene glycol
Moisturizing and also used as a preservative. It is associated with irritation and allergic reactions.
9. Cocamidopropyl betaine
A surfactant linked to irritation and allergic reactions that may be caused by the ingredient itself or impurities in it, e.g. 3-dimethylaminopropylamine.
10. Cetylpyridinium chloride
A quaternary ammonium salt associated with irritation and allergic reactions.
How to choose a natural fluoride-free toothpaste
Natural toothpaste without synthetic additives and chemicals comes in several different forms and flavors.
Basically, it’s a matter of taste which one you like and feel cleans your teeth best. There are several basic types of natural toothpaste.
Calcium, bicarbonate & salt-based toothpastes
This is probably the type of natural toothpaste that comes closest to conventional “regular” toothpastes in texture and taste.
Natural calcium and salt along with herbs help to clean and disinfect the mouth effectively.
In other words, it can be a good first choice for you who have just decided to quit or reduce fluoride.
- Logonas Logodent Daily Care is a bestseller with us, it has a good price and tastes of peppermint.
- Logodent Mineral is a cream-form toothpaste with salt, seaweed extract, myrrh, and a mild peppermint flavor.
- Desert Essence with tea tree, cinnamon, neem, clove and mint is a really strong, potent toothpaste loved by many.
- Desert Essence original toothpaste with tea tree and neem is our bestseller. Neem extract is nature’s own “cleansing miracle.”
- Another very popular toothpaste is PerioBrite, which is packed with herbs.
- Weleda’s salt toothpaste cleans well with sea salt, minerals, ratanhia root, myrrh, and chestnut bark.
- Their toothpaste with Ratanhia root is a classic that many appreciate.
Clay-based toothpastes
For the more dedicated, there are clay-based toothpastes with bentonite clay as the base.
They don’t foam the same way and provide a more grounded experience. If you don’t want glycerin in your toothpaste, this is the right choice.
- Earthpaste Peppermint / Charcoal with clay and activated black charcoal is a hit for many.
- Earthpaste Spearmint, which contains clay, tea tree oil, mint oil, and menthol, is very popular because it is free from sweeteners.
Powder toothpaste
Powder toothpaste, or tooth powder as it is also called, is usually based on dried bentonite clay and/or baking soda with added herbs and/or essential oils.
It’s a slightly different way to brush your teeth that gives a surprisingly clean and “well-polished” feeling. They are also very affordable because they last much longer.
Additionally, it is much easier to use up the entire jar than it is to get all the toothpaste out of a tube.
- Earthpowder Peppermint contains only 5 ingredients: bentonite clay, xylitol, sea salt, peppermint, and menthol.
- Earthpowder Licorice / Charcoal has 6 ingredients: bentonite clay, xylitol, sea salt, activated charcoal, anise, and fennel oil.
Toothpaste
Tooth powders are specially designed to replace regular toothpaste.
They contain few ingredients that are easy to understand, such as coconut oil, baking soda, various high-quality essential oils, saponified olive oil, and kaolin clay.
- Living Libations Neem contains only six ingredients: coconut oil, neem oil, cinnamon, saponified olive oil, baking soda, and kaolin clay.
- Living Libations Frankinsense with coconut oil, baking soda, various high-quality essential oils, saponified olive oil, and kaolin clay.
- Living Libations Triple + Mint contains, among other things, coconut oil, saponified olive oil, baking soda, calcium phosphate, and three different types of mint.
Liquid oral care with essential oils
Living Libations liquid oral care with essential oils is a natural and unique way to take care of your teeth. You apply a drop on a dry toothbrush and brush.
- Yogi Serum contains a mix of essential oils from neem, clove, mastic, cardamom, peppermint, and cayenne. It’s a real powerhouse. Only for yogis who like neem.
- Happy Gum Drops contains pure essential oils of tea tree, peppermint, cinnamon, rose, clove, oregano, and thyme in a base of sea buckthorn oil.
- Ozonated Happy Gumgel contains ozonated olive oil blended with sea buckthorn oil, oregano, cinnamon, rose, sweet thyme, clove, tea tree, and peppermint.
All of these support oral health in different ways and provide fresh breath.
Dental floss is important!
Don’t forget to use dental floss and scrape your tongue!
It can be just as important for thoroughly cleaning your entire mouth every day.
Which toothpaste should you choose?
Since all our toothpastes meet our high standard of natural ingredients, you can freely choose among them without worrying about the contents.
If you want help finding a favorite that suits your specific needs, you can always ask our product experts—just email us.
Environmental and wallet-friendly tips
Finally, I want to give you a little tip that’s good for both your wallet and the environment.
Even if you’ve squeezed out the last bit with all your might, there’s often a lot of toothpaste left inside the tube.
Cut open the toothpaste tube!
It will last for many more days. Don’t forget to use the top part of the tube as a cap, otherwise the toothpaste dries out quickly.
