If you ever experience irritation, soreness, ulcers and pimples on or around the mouth (that are not the result of STDs!) you could have a sensitivity or food allergy. Many people have a negative reaction to an ingredient called Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) which is found in almost all toothpastes, and also shampoos, face washes, and soaps. SLS creates the foaming-effect we all love, but is not necessary for cleaning and can cause skin and mouth irritations.

One of the best natural and SLS-free toothpastes on the market is Tom’s of Maine. My personal experience is with the Wintermint flavor Sensitive Care SLS-Free toothpaste. The feel of the toothpaste is different from others because it doesn’t foam up in your mouth, but your teeth still feel clean afterwards.

Tom’s of Maine also stands strong for no animal testing. On their website you can search for products by type or by health need; in addition (my favorite feature) they list all of the ingredients in the product along with their purpose and source. Check out the example ingredients list below.

 Tom Chappell, cofounder and CEO of Tom’s of Maine, explained, “Living our beliefs and our ongoing enthusiasm for innovation makes us the first natural products company to have the ADA Seal on our anti-cavity toothpaste, anti-cavity mouthwash, and dental floss. Along with our scientists and dental health professionals here at Tom’s of Maine, I am thrilled to provide a full compliment of effective oral care products to consumers and their oral health professionals.”

 Does your toothpaste tell you all of this?

 Other Ingredients

Name	Purpose	Source
Glycerin	Moistener	Vegetable oils
Water	Consistency	Maine aquifer
Calcium carbonate	Mild abrasive	Purified calcium from the earth
Hydrated silica	Stain removal	Purified silica from the earth
Organic aloe vera leaf juice	Soothing	Organic aloe (Aloe barbadensis) plant
Xylitol	Soothes a dry mouth	Birch trees or corn
Carrageenan	Thickener	Seaweed (Chondrus crispus)
Acacia gum	Flavor carrier	Acacia (Acacia senegal) tree resin
Glycyrrhizin	Foamer	Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza sp.)
Spearmint and peppermint oils	Flavor	Spearmint (Mentha viridis) and peppermint (Mentha piperita) leaves

 

Another natural way to brush teeth is simply to put some baking soda on a toothbrush and brush as normal. My sister likes this method, but I prefer the texture and fresh-feeling of toothpaste.

Here is where you can purchase Tom’s of Maine products from:

Amazon

Toms of Maine

Drugstore.com

and some local retailers