A Natural Alternative to Toxic Toothpastes

Just because you don't swallow the stuff does not mean that it doesn't go into your body. Your gums and the inside of your mouth (especially under the tongue) are mucus membranes that can carry toxins directly to your bloodstream. The active ingredients in toothpaste can have a very opposite effect from the purpose they are marketed to achieve - the hygiene and protection of your teeth.

Fluoride is now known to be ineffective in the prevention of tooth decay. Research conducted in the 1980's determined that fluoride had no positive effect on the dental health of children who were involved in the study. It is important to note that although the U.S. water supply is fluoridated, our country's dental health is no better than that of other industrialized countries who do not put fluoride in their water. Fluoride was once used as a poison for rats and insects, and in large doses it can be poisonous to people as well. This should especially be considered with respect to children, who may not be aware that their bubblegum-flavored toothpaste is not candy.

Other ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate, triclosan, parabens, and hydrogen peroxide are known to be harmful when applied topically or ingested. These are commonly present in most toothpastes as well. All things considered, what are we supposed to brush our teeth with if we shouldn't use toothpaste? Well, remember that old saying, "I'm going to wash your mouth out with soap?"

"Tooth Savior" from A Wild Soap Bar does just that. It's a tooth soap that is free of all the aforementioned harmful substances and contains xylitol to encourage tooth remineralization. The soap comes in tiny shreds in a jar that costs $18. That may seem like a lot, but it lasts for a very long time. I've had my jar for nearly a year and it's still halfway full.

What you do is take one of the soap shreds, place it on a molar, then bite down on it. I would even recommend breaking a shred in half, because a whole shred is usually too much for my mouth to handle. Next wet your toothbrush and begin to gently brush the molar where you bit down on the soap shred. It will start to foam up at this point, and you can then brush your teeth as you normally would.

Tooth Savior ingredients include organic saponified olive, coconut and palm oils. The freshness comes from the peppermint, spearmint and tea tree. There's a little bit of stevia in there too, for sweetness. It is soap after all, and I will admit it does taste like a very mild soap in my mouth. It takes some getting used to, but after awhile it did not bother me at all. My teeth were once very sensitive, and my gums were prone to small irritations and infections at the tooth line. The sensitivity in my teeth has decreased now, and my gums do not get irritated at all, thanks to the absence of abrasive and toxic ingredients. A Wild Soap Bar is a small company that runs out of Austin, Texas. That's local for me! You can buy Tooth Savior from their site, or you could check your local health food store to see if they carry it.

Source:
Author/Artist - Mark D. Gold
Page Title - Fluoridated Water Does Not Prevent Tooth Decay
Site Title - www.holisticmed.com