Why Choose Natural Toothpaste or Herbal Toothpaste?

Most of us brush our teeth twice a day without thinking about it too much.But why is it so important that we regularly brush our teeth?The obvious answer is that we brush every day to keep our teeth clean, but regular brushing also helps to prevent dental decay and cavities forming, helps to maintain healthy gums and also keeps our breath smelling as fresh as the proverbial daisy.There are also some rather more serious consequences of not having a regular oral hygiene regime, as not brushing properly can lead to gum disease, which in turn can lead to tooth loss. Moreover, research has shown that people who suffer from gum disease are more prone to developing serious problems with their heart.Apart from a decent toothbrush, the toothpaste that you use is probably one of the most important things you should have a think about.So do you use a regular branded toothpaste or do you use a natural toothpaste?

Most of us use branded toothpaste that we pick up in the supermarket when we do our weekly shop.A lot of research has gone into producing these products and the majority of them will do what they say on the box, which is clean your teeth.There are many different types of toothpaste on the market for you to choose from, and you can pick pastes designed to whiten your teeth, take away sensitivity, kill the bacteria that cause cavities, or remove stains.However, the one thing that they all tend to have in common is that they contain some pretty harsh chemicals that potentially could be harmful to your health.One of the culprit chemical ingredients found in most toothpaste brands is sodium lauryl sulphate or SLS.Research has shown that SLS can cause damage to the proteins in the eyes of small children, which can prevent their eyes from developing as they should. As it is also found in many shampoos, this is why there are always instructions on the side of the bottle to rinse your eyes out with clear water if you get any of the shampoo in them. It is a favourite ingredient of toiletry manufacturers as it is a very powerful detergent, has strong foaming qualities and is relatively cheap.However, SLS is a known irritant to the skin and mucous membranes and too much exposure to this chemical can also lead to depression, diarrhoea and breathing difficulties.Because it is used in so many of the toiletries we use when we bath or shower, huge quantities of SLS are finding their way in to our river systems and oceans, where it has been shown to be toxic to fish and marine mammals.

Triclosan is another powerful ingredient often found in toothpaste that has been flagged as being potentially damaging to health.It is a broad-spectrum antibacterial that is used in toiletries and toothpastes to kill any lurking bacteria in the mouth or on the skin, and also to kill any microbes in the product that may damage it.The use of triclosan has been linked to conditions such as dermatitis and also is thought to contribute to some people developing allergies.Another concern over the heavy use of triclosan is that it is that some of the bacteria and microbes are becoming resistant to it, so that over time it will become increasingly ineffective, and there are also worries that triclosan use is causing some bacteria to become resistant to other antibiotics as well.The list of harsh and potentially damaging chemicals used toothpaste manufacture goes on and includes fluoride and aspartame.But what alternatives are there out there?How can you clean your teeth, keep your gums healthy and freshen your breath without using branded toothpaste?

Keeping our teeth clean has been a concern of us humans since ancient times, and in antiquity many people cleaned their teeth with a twig stripped from a shrub called Salvadora persica, also known as the toothbrush tree.The toothbrush tree is found all over the Middle East, Asia and Africa, and many people today still use the twigs to keep their teeth clean.It was noticed by scientists that although many of these people were very poor and did not have very good diets that they still had excellent teeth and healthy gums.So research was undertaken on the toothbrush tree, and it was found that the shrub possessed strong natural antiseptic and antibacterial properties, and it was this that was protecting all those people’s smiles. The toothbrush tree is called Meswak in parts of India, and so Meswak toothpaste was developed to utilise the shrub’s excellent teeth cleaning properties. So you can now find Meswak toothpaste in some supermarkets, health food stores and online.One of the best places to find it is if you have a local Asian shop close to where you live.However, you still have to check the ingredients list carefully, as I bought a tube recently only to find that it contained SLS.Another thing that you may find a bit difficult to get used to is the taste.Most branded toothpastes have a minty flavour, and although Meswak toothpaste has a mild taste, it is a bit like liquorice which can be a bit odd at first.

One of the key reasons why you would choose to use natural toothpaste is that they are free of harsh chemicals, artificial colourings and flavourings, and there are even some that are certified as organic. There are many different ingredients used in herbal toothpastes, but some of the most common are plant extracts, essential oils, aloe, baking soda, myrrh, neem and eucalyptus oil. One thing that may seem a bit strange if you start trying herbal toothpastes is the colour, as there is a wide variety of colours and you can even get black herbal toothpaste. We are generally used to our toothpaste being white, with maybe a few red or blue stripes running through, so the colour of natural toothpaste may be offputting at first for some people.

While natural toothpastes are free of the harsh chemicals and artificial colourings of branded toothpastes, many of the claims they make regarding how well they clean teeth, keep your breath fresh and your gums healthy have not been clinically proven.In fact in the UK only one brand of herbal toothpaste, Kingfisher, has had its oral hygiene credentials backed by the British Dental Health Foundation.Although it is regarded as a plus by most of those who use natural toothpaste, the fact that most herbal toothpastes do not contain fluoride is regarded as worrying by most dentists.Fluoride was added to toothpaste as it helps to stop tooth decay by strengthening the enamel so that the acid produced by the bacteria in the mouth cannot do so much damage. However, there has been controversy over the use of fluoride, as it has been claimed that it can cause fluorosis in children, which can lead to their teeth becoming mottled, especially in regions where fluoride is also added to the drinking water.

So are you going to give natural toothpaste a try?Although they may not have undergone clinical trials or rigorous scientific testing, many of the herbs and ingredients have been used for centuries and many people report how effective they are in keeping your mouth clean and fresh.Also, it probably a good idea totell your dentist that you are now using a herbal toothpaste, and ask them to let you know if they think that your teeth and gums are deteriorating in any way.Our bodies are bombarded with so many potentially toxic chemicals these days that anything we can do to keep our bodies free of them can only be a good thing.

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