While many people desire whiter teeth, a brighter smile, and fresher breath, dental professionals warn that some toothpastes on the grocery store shelves contain potentially harmful ingredients.
Titanium dioxide, glycerin, sodium lauryl sulfate, and artificial sweeteners are among the ingredients deemed questionable in traditional toothpastes. Meanwhile, as consumers seek safer and effective alternative toothpastes, that list has grown from the most common one, baking soda.
“Sea salt, coconut oil, and herbal tooth powders such as turmeric are natural alternatives that are effective and safe,” says Dr. Nammy Patel, DDS (www.sfgreendentist.com), author of Age With Style: Your Guide To A Youthful Smile & Healthy Living.
“Another alternative is making your own toothpaste at home. Using dentist-suggested ingredients, you avoid the potentially damaging chemicals in conventional brands while making a better product that can be great-tasting and gets rid of the bacteria.”
Dr. Patel can discuss alternative toothpastes and how the ingredients in them work to keep teeth clean.
What are some of the ingredients that are considered most harmful in conventional toothpaste brands, and how can they affect our health?
What are some of the alternative ingredients used in homemade toothpaste and how are they safer than some of the things in on-the-shelf brands?
How easy is it to prepare some of these homemade
toothpastes?
Why are some homemade toothpastes more effective in removing bacteria than store-bought brands?
About Dr. Nammy Patel, DDS
Dr. Nammy Patel, DDS (www.sfgreendentist.com) operates a practice called Green Dentistry in San Francisco and is the author of Age With Style: Your Guide To A Youthful Smile & Healthy Living. A graduate of the University of California’s School of Dentistry, she is a leader in the movement to bring environmental sanity and well-being into the dental world. Dr. Patel focuses on helping patients recognize the vital connection between dental health and whole body health.
