We have always been told that toothpaste was essential for good oral hygiene. But what if it was harming our health?

The clean and healthy lifestyle is spreading little by little. More and more of us worry about what we eat and what comes into contact with our skin. We are attentive to the origin of the food we consume; we try to feed ourselves in a more natural and organic way and we control the ingredients of cosmetics and their quality.

However, we hardly question the use and origin of our toothpaste or its effects on our health. We should ask ourselves, is toothpaste really necessary? And what is this deep blue toothpaste made of? What effects does toothpaste have on our health?

WHAT IS TOOTHPASTE FOR?

Toothpaste is used to add an extra texture when brushing. Its creamy texture and its granules help to facilitate the handling of the toothbrush and thus be able to break the bacterial layer more easily.

Brushing our teeth with toothpaste leaves a pleasant texture and a feeling of freshness that we love. But we must take into account what this product contains that we are applying in our mouth and that in most cases we ingest to a greater or lesser extent. We must ask ourselves if the benefits that the use of toothpaste brings us really outweigh its harmful effects on our health.

Traditional toothpastes have many ingredients that are toxic or harmful to our health. They also contain abrasive ingredients for our teeth that wear down enamel, especially tooth whiteners.

TOXIC INGREDIENTS IN TOOTHPASTE

You have several alternatives to make your brushing healthier. If you do not want to lose the feeling of freshness and cleanliness that toothpaste brushing offers, observing the ingredients present in toothpaste, you can avoid buying toothpastes that contain some of the most harmful toxins.

1.TRICLOSAN

It is a pesticide and is a hormone disruptor. It is also present in some cosmetics and other personal hygiene products. A recent study reveals that it is also present in cow’s milk.

2. SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE

It is a foaming agent, that is, its only function is to generate foam. It has an irritating effect and can inflame our gums. It is also found in shampoos and body gels.

3. ARTIFICIAL COLORS

The use of artificial colors is associated with hyperactivity. No toothpaste has to be blue, green, red, or striped to do its job.

4. GLYCERIN

Although glycerin is not toxic, it is a soap. The only thing it does in our mouth is to form a kind of film that alters the bacterial layer and our own body’s ability to fight tooth decay.

5. TEETH WHITENERS

Tooth whiteners contain highly abrasive ingredients that damage the enamel of our teeth. This causes sensitivity in the teeth and gums.

Knowing all this, is there an alternative to brushing with toothpaste?

DRY BRUSHING

Have you ever forgotten your toothpaste at home when you go on a trip? Have I ever gone into crisis, thinking about the number of days and hours that would go by without good oral hygiene? But what I did not know is that you do not need to use a toothpaste to have good oral hygiene.

Brushing with just water is also useful for brushing your teeth, since it eliminates bacteria and oxygenates the gums. The brushing process is the same, but without using toothpaste.

Simply wet the brush with water, hold the brush loosely, and scrub the front of your teeth in horizontal movements. To clean the back of your teeth the process is the same, but you will have to make vertical movements instead of horizontal ones.

HOMEMADE TOOTHPASTE

The last alternative, of course, is to make your own homemade toothpaste. But beware, this does not guarantee that it cannot contain abrasive ingredients. We must take great care of the ingredients that we use in a homemade toothpaste so as not to reproduce the same effects that we would obtain with a traditional one.

Stay tuned, next Friday I will give you a recipe to make your own toothpaste and I will tell you which are the best ingredients for your oral hygiene.

Have you tried any of these alternative methods? What is your favorite? Tell us everything in the comment section!