The Ultimate Guide to Safer Solutions for a Healthy Smile

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The Ultimate Guide to Safer Solutions for a Healthy Smile

Janelle Sorensen

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

You probably know how brushing and flossing improves oral health and is even beneficial for disease prevention. But, what if the products you use to create a healthy smile pose other health risks? Since the mucosal lining inside the mouth has about a 90% absorption efficiency, it is one of the most direct dermal routes to the blood, brain and other cells of the body. So, even without intentionally swallowing, whatever goes in your mouth has the potential to be absorbed into your blood.

There are safer solutions for promoting a healthy smile. Use this guide to find out what should, and should not, be on your oral hygiene shopping list.

TOOTHPASTE

Questionable Chemicals:

Fluoride - This is recommended by the American Dental Association to strengthen teeth and prevent cavities, but some people question it’s effectiveness and it’s potential toxicity. Read the great articles on SAFBaby regarding Fluoride to help inform your decision.
Triclosan - This is used in toothpaste for its antibacterial properties. It's also used in many other antibacterial applications, but it has been linked to damage to the liver, kidneys, heart and lungs, sterility, and more. It is a hormone disruptor and is stored in fat, accumulating in the body's tissues with each use.
Sodium Hydroxide - This is the chemical name for lye (also used in drain cleaner where it is essential due to its corrosive nature).
Also avoid synthetic dyes, preservatives like parabens, and sweeteners.

Safer Solutions:

SafeMama.com offers these recommendations

Weleda Tooth Gel (Fluoride Free) – Skin Deep Rating: 3
Kiss My Face Kids Toothpaste (Fluoride and Fluoride Free): Sweetened with Stevia – Skin Deep Rating: 3 (w/ Fluoride: 4)
Toms of Maine (Fluoride and Fluoride Free): NOTE: The only caveat with this one is that it contains sodium lauryl sulfate so if that’s a problem for you skip it and try one of the other brands. –Skin Deep Rating: 3 (w/ Fluoride: 4)
Burt’s Bees Kids Toothpaste (Fluoride and Fluoride Free) – Skin Deep Rating: 1 (old formulation)
Green Beaver Natural Toothpaste (Fluoride Free) – Skin Deep Rating: 2
Jason Natural Cosmetics Orange Kids Only Toothpaste: (Fluoride and Fluoride Free) Certified organic, wheat and gluten free – Skin Deep Rating: 2 (w/ Fluoride: N/A)
Natural Dentist (Fluoride and Fluoride Free) – Skin Deep: 4 – They only have a rating for the kids toothpaste with Fluoride

(Note: She also points out that some aluminum toothpaste tubes may contain BPA so depending on whether recyclable vs possible traces of BPA is your concern, you can make that call.)

As with many other personal care products, making your own is also an option. Here are the Top 10 Recipes from Green Eco-Services.

TOOTHBRUSHES

Questionable Chemicals:

What’s to worry about in a toothbrush? Just as with any other plastic item that ends up in your mouth, you want to find an option that won’t leach nasty chemicals. Look out for any made using BPA or made with PVC plastic.

Safer Solutions:

Here are what SafeMama.com and The Soft Landing recommend:

Oral-B (Polypropylene #5 plastic & Nylon)
American Red Cross Toddler Toothbrush 2 Pack: Polypropylene #5 (outer) TPA Krayton (inner) and have nylon bristles
Infant to Toddler Oral Care Kit: Polypropylene #5 with nylon bristles; Infant Finger Brush: Silicone
Baby Buddy: Baby’s 1st Toothbrush is made of 100% Food Grade Silicone. Available on OneStepAhead.com
Green Sprouts Silicone Baby Toothbrush (a SafeMama Fave!)
Green Sprouts Silicone Finger Toothbrush
Green Sprouts My First Toothbrush Set
MAM Teach Me Toothbrush Sets
Preserve (and Preserve Junior) Toothbrushes (These are a Healthy Child staff favorite since they are made from recycled plastic and they are sold in a “return to sender” package, so they go right back to be recycled again! So smart.)
Totz Toothbrush by Radius (available at Whole Foods)
ZoLi Gummy Stick Teether/Gum Massager
RazBaby (Silicone)
Nuby 3 piece set
Kushies Baby Banana Brush
Baby Buddy (Silicone)
Smile Brite (Bunnies and Child’s First)
Kent Toothbrushes (all)

MOUTHWASH

Questionable Chemicals:

According to GreenYour.com, you should look out for the following:

Coal-tar colorants and synthetic dyes: Coal tar is a byproduct of the distillation of bituminous coal and is a known carcinogen in animals and can cause skin rashes and hives. Common colorants found in mouthwashes include FD&C Blue 1 and FD&C Green 3, which are carcinogenic. FD&C Yellow 5 and FD&C Yellow 6 contain impurities that have been proven to cause cancer when applied to skin.
Parabens: Preservatives that prevent the growth of bacteria. In humans, parabens can affect the endocrine system, which produces hormones. Acting like estrogen in the body, they increase the risk of breast cancer, with recent studies finding parabens in breast tumors. Parabens have been found in breast milk, blood, and body tissues, and can enter a developing fetus.

Safer Solutions:

GreenYour.com recommends:

Use a natural mouthwash Natural mouthwashes replace synthetic coloring and flavoring with essential oils, and swap dangerous antimocrobial agents for natural antiseptics, such as tea tree oil. Fewer chemicals in your mouthwash mean fewer chemicals in water supplies and your body. Learn More...
Make homemade mouthwash Recipes for homemade mouthwash can be simple and flavorful. Using common ingredients, such as herbs, essential oils, and baking soda, you replace store-bought synthetics and ensure that what goes into your mouthwash is nothing but natural. Learn More...
Aubrey Organics Natural Mint Mouthwash and Breath Freshener
Eco-DenT Ultimate Daily Rinse JASON Healthy Mouth Mouthwash
JASON's Healthy Mouth
Miessence Freshening Mouthwash
TheraNeem Herbal Mouthrinse
Tom's of Maine Natural Cleansing Mouthwash

Visit GreenYour.com to see the full list of chemicals and to learn more about the products they selected.

FLOSS

Questionable Chemicals:

Avoid perfluorinated non-stick coatings: Perfuorinated chemicals (PFCs) http://www.ewg.org/reports/pfcworld are the same as those used on many non-stick pans. They are increasingly being phased out due to their toxicity and persistence, but keep an eye out just in case.
Look for unwaxed or natural wax coatings: Conventional wax is generally a petroleum-derived, synthetic wax.

Safer Solutions:

GreenYour.com recommends:

Desert Essence Tea Tree Oil Dental Floss
Eco-Dent Cinnamon VeganFloss
Eco-Dent GentleFloss
Radius Natural Cranberry Floss
Radius Natural Silk Floss
Tom’s of Maine Spearmint Antiplaque Flat Floss

Visit GreenYour.com to learn the details about the benefits of these products and about other issues to take into consideration when buying floss.

How about you? What’s your oral hygiene regimen and what products do you use?

image courtesy of kkinjo / CC BY-SA 2.0

Posted by Jennifer on 09/07/2011 at 10:57 AM

I use Nature’s Gate toothpaste and love it! I also use Perio Wash Mouthwash and it seems to whiten my teeth!! When you go to the dentist just ask them not to use Fluoride. If they argue with you, you are the one paying after all. Thanks for this article! Will be re-posting!

Posted by Evelyn Vincent on 08/19/2010 at 11:12 AM

I use Thieves Ultra Toothpaste and Mouthwash from Young Living. It’s edible, for adults and kids, extremely effective at keeping tartar and plaque at bay. I love it, it’s the only toothpaste I’ll ever use or recommend. It’s kept the tartar and plaque off of my teeth for over 6 years, and I used to have to have a dental cleaning every 5 months!

Posted by Janelle on 06/25/2010 at 09:37 AM

Rosalea- Thank you so much for adding this information to the discussion! You’re right that parents have to weigh risks very carefully.

Posted by Rosalea on 06/24/2010 at 08:02 PM

So that your readers are thoroughly informed, there are BPA free sealant and composite resin products. Our pediatric dental office uses only materials that do not contain even trace amounts of BPA. There should also be a discussion when you bring up flouride debates about the difference between topical flouride, and mineral flouride contained in water supplies and products. Because so many families in the West choose to eat processed foods that contain chemicals and sugars, childhood caries is at an all time high, and for those children, flouride is one of the best safeguards to prevent future decay. These children face full mouth reconstruction at ages under 5 years of age and it is so sad to think that much of their treatment could have been prevented with sealants or flouride treatments. It is very important that parents advocate for their children, and work to stay as informed as possible, but to also weigh very carefully information they pick up on the internet.

Posted by Penelope on 06/24/2010 at 06:46 AM

Response to Kboch:
There is considerable debate with regards to the safety of dental sealants, primarily because sealants, like composite resin fillings (the white fillings used in teeth) traditionally contained Bisphenol-A (BPA) which has an estrogenic effect on the body. In animal studies, BPA is associated with breast and prostate cancers.

Here is an interesting post from Janice Horowitz at the Huffington Post detailing the arguments for and against sealants with regards to the BPA issue.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/janice-horowitz/dueling-docs-are-dental-s_b_314729.html

For children and young adults heading towards puberty, exposure to estrogen like compounds such as BPA, are a great concern. If your child is not prone to cavities, the risk may not be worth taking. Hope this helps!

Posted by Samia on 06/24/2010 at 12:10 AM

Maybe everyone should dump all these harmful products and start using MISWAK… (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miswak)

Posted by Janelle on 06/23/2010 at 04:15 PM

Kboch - Check out this blog we ran recently about BPA in dental sealants:
http://healthychild.org/blog/comments/toxic_teeth_-_bpa_dental_bonding/

Like many other things, there hasn’t been much safety testing regarding BPA in dental sealants and child health, but there does appear to be a safer alternative you could request.

From an American Association for the Freedom of Health petition to the FDA:
“A safe alternative is on the market that does not contain bis-GMA, a by-product of BPA that is a base monomer for many composite resins, and is free of BPA in its entirety. Embrace WetBond by Pulpdent Corporation has been on the market since early 2002 and is a widely accepted product in the dental community. The cost of this ‘BPA free’ pit and fissure sealant is competitive with other dental sealants on the market that contain BPA.”
http://aahf.nonprofitsoapbox.com/Join/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=675&Itemid;=

Posted by Suzanne on 06/23/2010 at 02:49 PM

This is amazing research. I’m going to go to the store tomorrow and replace our current toothpaste for the kids. As for toothbrushes, I am a consultant with Norwex, so we use the Norwex Silver Care Toothbrushes that have microfiber bristles and a silver base in the head to kill bacteria. We’ve had much healthier dental check-ups since we started using them. Thanks again for the research!

Posted by Kboch on 06/23/2010 at 07:04 AM

I was wondering if anyone has any information on the dental sealants used on kids molars. My dentist recommends them routinely but I have been leary and have declined butting these permanent plastic coatings on my daughter’s teeth. Anyone have any information on their actual safety. I mean I would rather my kid have a cavity than cancer, but if she does get a cavity then she has to have this foreign substance put in her tooth permanently anyway, so not sure whether I am doing the right thing.

Posted by Valerie Cookson-Botto on 06/23/2010 at 06:55 AM

Thanks for highlighting some of the more harmful ingredients found in common toothpastes. What isn’t discussed is the wonderful natural ingredients that should be on a list of what to look for in a toothpaste. Top of my list of great ingredients for toothpaste is certified organic aloe. Aloe naturally soothes the gums, has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal effects, and helps regenerate dermal cells. Another top ingredient is sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), which is a finer abrasive than calcium carbonate and therefore gets into those small crevices to really clean. Other great ingredients to look for are natural sweeteners like stevia, and essential oils that have natural anti-microbial properties such as cinnamon, clove, and spearmint. For more on natural toothpastes with these healing ingredients go to www.mibetterchoices.com

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