The Great Toothpaste Conundrum
Twice a day. Every day. At least 2 minutes. Any dentist will advocate for a daily healthy toothbrushing routine. A good toothpaste is arguably one of the most important steps in any dental hygiene routine, but how are we supposed to pick the option best for us?
Toothpaste shopping seems like an impossible task in my household. I know that sounds a little dramatic, but with my husband’s sensitive gums, my genetic proclivity toward cavities, and our mutual desire for whiter teeth make finding the right product for us nearly impossible. We also learned of the harmful chemicals present in most toothpaste. We definitely wanted to discontinue the use of products with ingredients like fluoride and sodium lauryl sulfate.
After what seemed like months of research, we decided to try natural toothpaste. Perusing the shelves of our nearest Whole Foods, we settled on a basic looking mint toothpaste. We instantly noticed a difference in flavor and texture, but it wasn’t necessarily negative. My husband felt instant relief with his sensitive gums, so we considered that to be a win in itself.
An Unnecessary Carbon Footprint
Upon finishing a few tubes, we were ready to take the next steps and tackle waste as well. With plastic as the main material for toothpaste tubes, it is easy to imagine that the number of toothpaste tubes that end up in landfills. Worldwide, 20 billion tubes per year wastes a whopping 3.5 billion tons of CO2. That is an immense carbon footprint!
Instead of purchasing more plastic, we decided to try to find a glass container that we could easily recycle. Obviously, you can’t squeeze toothpaste out of a glass container, so we had to change the format of our products. We switched to a glass jar toothpaste from the Impakter Eco Marketplace, and instantly fell in love. Not only did we dramatically reduce the number of plastic products in our household, but we also saved a bunch of money. Have you ever accidently pushed way too much toothpaste out of the tube, only to wash it away in the sink?
With the jars, we are able to control the exact amount of product that ends up on our toothbrushes, greatly reducing the number of times we have to repurchase our toothpaste. This saves us time and money, and we are so happy to have found new products that fir into our lifestyle.
Some of Our Favorites
After my husband and I made the switch to a natural dental regimen, and I don’t see us going back any time soon. We have noticed such a positive change in our dental health that even our dentist is impressed! Here is our dental routine with our favorite products available on the Impakter Eco Marketplace.
Frisky Lemon Toothpaste-Tukiki
We really love this toothpaste jar from Tukiki. This toothpaste is effective and delicious. The minty lemon flavor banishes bad breath, and it does a fantastic job in leaving our teeth clean and bright. We noticed that many of the natural toothpastes we tried had an overly strong minty flavor due to the use of essential oils, but this one is perfectly balanced.
The Adult Toothbrush-Banbu Store
With my husband’s sensitive gums, having the right toothbrush really makes a difference in his dental health. In our journey to reduce plastic waste, we decided to ditch plastic toothbrushes, opting for wooden recyclable ones. Unfortunately, we didn’t have much luck with the bamboo brushes at our Whole Foods. This brush by Banbu store is a total game changer. It is gentle on the gums but it really does get all the food out of our teeth. It is the only one that really worked for us. We order several at a time so that we never run out!
Dental Floss-Banbu Store
Of course, flossing is the key to avoiding cavities and gum disease. Traditional dental floss is bad for the environment because it is made out of non-biodegradable plastic. Along with non-recyclable packaging, dental floss significantly contributes to global waste. Avoiding flossing is not an option for us, so we were pressed to find an alternative. This dental floss by Banbu Store is refillable, so we have kept the container for months! This floss is used no differently than any other product on the market. It is just as effective without the extreme amounts of waste.
Organic Coconut Oil- Kulau
What is coconut oil doing in a dental hygiene routine? Oil pulling is a traditional natural dental care staple from India that has gained huge popularity due to its effectiveness. After brushing and flossing, we take a tablespoon of coconut oil and swish it around in our mouths for 15-20 minutes. We usually do this at the end of the day as we are watching TV, and I swear it is just as effective as using a alcohol based mouthwash. We wake up with absolutely no bad “morning breath” which has honestly been the biggest change for us in our natural dental routine.
A 2016 study with 60 participants found that oil pulling can reduce the population of bacteria in saliva and support oral hygiene. These researchers conclude that coconut oil is a safe alternative to chlorhexidine, an ingredient in many popular mouthwashes. Not all coconut oils are created equally, so make sure you find an organic virgin oil like the coconut oil made by Kulau.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by Impakter.com contributors are their own, not those of Impakter.com. —Featured Photo Credit: Shutterstock
