Brushing with Toothpowder: why its better for you & Earth

It's been ages since our last #TOGInfoBites so let's do one on dental health!

Commercial toothpaste often contains very little of good stuff or contains undesirable ingredients like flouride, triclosan (hormone disruptor), SLS (surfectant). That's why we sought to create our own natural alternatives in reusable glass bottles which you can return to use or upcycle! Conventional toothpaste is always packaged in plastic tubes are often thrown away into landfill more than often, found as marine debris during cleanups.

About 1 billion toothpaste tubes are sent to landfills every year. [1] Toothpaste tubes are generally made of with aluminum or plastic. The process of converting raw bauxite (the source of aluminum that makes up 8 percent of the earth's crust) into aluminum is an energy-consuming one, requiring roughly 7.5 kilowatt hours for each pound of virgin aluminum. Plastic is not biodegradable, taking up to 700 years before beginning to decompose. [2]

It's not just the packaging- the chemical, parabens and triclosan that go down the drain also wreak havoc with animal hormones and the environment. Imagine every person, in every household spitting these chemicals down the drain and them washing into our natural water systems.

So what is a toothpowder made up of?

- Bentonite clay: there are 2 types, sodium & calcium bentonite. We use only calcium bentonite that's good grade which is better and is used to attract the plaque and dirt on teeth and gums. 

Sodium bentonite however when consumed in large amounts constantly may cause muscle weakness, intestinal blockage, skin sores, or breathing problems

- Calcium carbonate: helps with remineralizing tooth enamel

- Activated Charcoal: to whiten teeth and neutralize bacteria that causes bad odor

- Xylitol: Natural sweetener derived from fibrous plants like Beech and proven to fight tooth decay

-Peppermint and Spearmint essential oils: for aromatherapeutic and provides a refreshing effect upon application.

- Baking soda: helps with scrubbing and balances your mouth's natural pH level
We know that there are concerns regarding baking soda being abrasive hence our formulation contains only about 12% of it! We hope this transparent breakdown helps you put things in perspective.



What are some ways or recipes of dental care you've tried? Share with us!