It's time to look inside the bathroom cabinet again and read the ingredients. This time it's about toothpaste. The faithful companion we've used daily since childhood. What does it actually contain, and is it good for us? Our view on toothpaste, like 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. That's why we've included here a list of substances that are common in toothpaste with explanations of why we choose to avoid them.
10 substances you should avoid in your toothpaste
1. Fluoride
We know that fluoride is effective against cavities, but we also know that fluoride in larger amounts carries certain health risks. That's why it's especially important to spit out all toothpaste and not swallow it. Don't give children free access to toothpaste tubes containing fluoride. Always supervise children to ensure they don't swallow toothpaste after brushing. There are fluoride-free toothpastes available today. At Glimja, we've chosen to sell only fluoride-free toothpaste. Regarding fluoride specifically, it's important to make a personal choice and find what works for you. The amounts of fluoride found in regular toothpaste aren't very large, and it is effective against cavities. If you easily get cavities, there might be other underlying causes, but until you address those, 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's absolutely possible to live without it, if that's what you want.
2. Triclosan
An antibacterial substance that can break down into dioxin (toxic). It's environmentally harmful, allergenic, suspected to be carcinogenic, bioaccumulative, and irritating to skin and lungs, among other issues.
3. SLS
SLS – Sodium lauryl sulphate is a soap ingredient that creates foam. It's a general irritant that irritates the skin. It can also be contaminated with toxic impurities such as 1,4-dioxane during manufacturing.
4. Titanium Dioxide
White pigment in toothpaste. It's a natural mineral that is actually harmless. However, it's rarely specified whether it's in nano-size or not. Nanoparticles are relatively new and their health effects aren't fully investigated. The particles are so small that they remain in and spread throughout the body. They're so small that they can even travel up to our brain. If you don't want to read the INCI contents, choose a toothpaste that isn't white.
5. Parabens
A preservative suspected of being carcinogenic and toxic to our organs. There are around 20 different types of parabens.
6. Alumina / Aluminum Oxide
A consistency agent (to prevent clumping) that is suspected of being bioaccumulative and toxic to our organs. Commonly found in liquid "2-in-1" toothpastes.
7. PEG (polyethylene glycol)
A solvent and binding agent named PEG followed by a number (the number describes the molecule's length or structure). Not all varieties are equally harmful to health, but some may contain traces of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane (toxic) and are suspected of being toxic to our organs. I usually skip all PEGs in all body care products for simplicity.
8. Propylene Glycol
A humectant that is also used as a preservative. It is associated with irritation and allergic reactions.
9. Cocamidopropyl betaine
A surfactant that has been associated with irritation and allergic reactions which may be due to the ingredient itself or to impurities in it, e.g., 3-dimethylaminopropylamine.
10. Cetylpyridinium chloride
A quaternary ammonium salt that is 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. Fundamentally, it's a matter of personal preference which one you like and feel gives you the cleanest teeth. There are several basic varieties of natural toothpaste.
Calcium, Bicarbonate & Salt-based Toothpastes
This is probably the type of natural toothpaste that comes closest to conventional "regular" toothpastes in consistency and taste. Natural calcium and salt along with herbs help clean and disinfect the oral cavity effectively. In other words, it can be a good first alternative for you who have just decided to stop using, or reduce your use of fluoride.
Logona's Logodent Daily Care is a bestseller at our store, it has a good price and tastes of peppermint.
Logodent Mineral is a cream-form toothpaste with salt, algae extract, myrrh, and a mild peppermint flavor.
Desert Essence with tea tree, cinnamon, neem, clove and mint is a really strong, potent toothpaste that is popular with many customers.
Desert Essence original toothpaste with tea tree and neem is our bestseller. Neem extract is nature's own "cleaning 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 a base. They don't foam in the same way and give a more earthy experience. If you don't want glycerin in your toothpaste, this is the right choice.
Earthpaste Peppermint / Charcoal with clay and activated charcoal is a hit with many people.
Earthpaste Spearmint which contains clay, tea tree oil, mint oil and menthol is very popular as it is free from sweeteners.
Tooth Powder Tooth powder or tooth powder as it's also called, is often based on dried bentonite clay and/or bicarbonate 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 cost-effective because they last much longer. Additionally, it's much easier to use up the entire container than it is to get all the toothpaste out of a tube.
Earthpowder Peppermint has 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.
Tooth Paste
Tooth pastes are specially developed to replace regular toothpaste. They contain few ingredients that are easy to understand such as coconut oil, bicarbonate, 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, bicarbonate, and kaolin clay.
Living Libations Frankincense with coconut oil, bicarbonate, various high-quality essential oils, saponified olive oil, and kaolin clay.
Living Libations Triple + Mint contains coconut oil, saponified olive oil, bicarbonate, calcium phosphate, and three different mint varieties.
Liquid Dental Care with Essential Oils
Living Libations liquid dental care with essential oils is a natural and different 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 of neem, clove, mastic, cardamom, peppermint, cayenne. It's a real powerhouse. Only for yogis who like neem.
Happy Gum Drops contains pure essential oils in the form of tea tree, peppermint, cinnamon, rose, clove, oregano, and thyme in a base of sea buckthorn oil.
Ozonated Happy Gumgel contains ozonated olive oil mixed 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! This can be just as important for thoroughly cleaning your entire oral cavity every day.
Which toothpaste should you choose?
Since all our toothpastes meet our high standards for natural ingredients, you can calmly choose freely between them without having to worry about the contents. If you need help finding a favorite that suits your specific needs, you can always ask our product experts, just email us.
Environmental and Budget Tips
Finally, I'd like to give you a small tip that's good for both your wallet and the environment.
Even if you've squeezed out what seems to be the last drop, there's often plenty of toothpaste left in the tube. Cut open the toothpaste tube! It will last many more days. Don't forget to use the upper part of the tube as a lid, otherwise the toothpaste will dry out quickly.
