Alternative Toothpaste: How to Avoid Hidden Toxins

With the amount of toxins permeating our lives, it has become increasingly important to research what goes into and onto our bodies to know how to take better care of our health. Aside from making sure to eat right and get enough exercise, you also need to take a closer look at the hygiene products you use daily. Many of the products you put on your body can do more harm than good, including your toothpaste. Many regular types of toothpaste contain potentially dangerous toxins, and for the long term health of you and your family, switching to alternative toothpaste may be the best plan.

What's Wrong with Regular Toothpaste?

The regular types of toothpaste sold in most grocery stores generally contain several varieties of potentially problematic ingredients. Certain ingredients in toothpaste pose a threat to your body and even encourage fatigue. These include:

• Triclosan - While triclosan is effective in fighting gingivitis, it can also seriously affect your body’s hormonal balance. In fact, research suggests that this chemical can cause an alteration in one’s thyroid hormones, thereby affecting the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, which plays a vital role in the system your body uses to respond to stress.
• Propylene glycol - Propylene glycol is a substance that is known to cause organ system toxicity. This is especially severe with long-term use.
• Detergent - This causes the foaming action while inside the mouth. This also helps spread the toothpaste better, allowing you to clean your teeth more thoroughly.
• Mild abrasive - A mild abrasive is typically added to help the toothpaste remove any surface stains or debris on the teeth.
• Thickening agents - Thickening agents are also known as binders. They are added to help stabilize the toothpaste’s formula.
• Flavoring agents - Flavoring agents are designed to make the toothpaste more appealing to the senses. This is what gives the toothpaste a hint of sweetness or a minty finish.
• Artificial sweeteners - Just like sugar, certain artificial sweeteners can worsen adrenal fatigue. It may affect your body’s natural ability to adjust energy and glucose levels.
• Humectants - Humectants are designed to help prevent water loss. It helps keep the toothpaste from getting gummy or drying out while inside the packaging tube.

Each of these types of ingredients can add toxins to the body that it must detoxify or that has questionable side effects. These can eventually cause stress inside the body and compromise its stress response system, especially if you are already under considerable stress.

How Your Body Deals With Stressors

Whenever the body comes under stress, it is up to the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response to deliver a formidable response. The NEM is made up of six circuits that work interdependently and independently to allow the body to address stress. Usually, this is by way of a fight or flight response.

Among the NEM stress circuits is the Detoxification circuit, which is composed of the interstitium, immune system, and the liver. Together, they work to rid the body of excessive reactive metabolites that invade the body.

Once the stressful episode has passed, normally all the functions involved in the NEM stress response circuits return back to normal. However, in the case of chronic stress, they are forced to keep responding until many functions become overworked. When this happens the NEM stress response circuits begin to suffer from dysfunction.

Dysfunction in one circuit, the Detoxification circuit for example, also affects the other NEM stress response circuits. With a failing detoxification response to stress, toxins accumulate. When this happens, there is added stress to the body. The adrenals in the hormonal circuit cope with this by producing more stress hormones. In the long run, however, the hormone circuit becomes overworked and unable to meet the body’s demands. This results in hormonal imbalances and, ultimately, Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS).

This further stress can be added to an already overburdened body by hygiene products, including toothpaste, that contain toxins that can disrupt the Detoxification circuit. It can also worsen any adrenal fatigue symptoms you may be experiencing.

Possible Ingredients for Alternative Toothpaste

Regular toothpaste can put toxins in your body and even trigger adrenal fatigue. This makes the effort it takes to find safer types of alternative toothpaste sound much more appealing.

These types of alternative toothpaste are formulated with minimal chemicals, so you don't have to worry about more toxins entering your body and making your health suffer.

If you do have advanced AFS, however, before you try any regular toothpaste alternatives consider talking to your healthcare professional first. Your body may be very sensitive to new ingredients, changes in routine, and can develop new allergies. It’s also a good idea to discuss your choices with a good dentist as well.

That said, here are some potential ingredients used in different types of alternative toothpaste that you can consider:

• Sea Salt - Many homemade toothpastes utilize sea salt. What's great about sea salt is that it can raise the pH level in your mouth, and this makes it more difficult for bacteria to keep thriving. Too much salt is not good for you though, so make sure not to swallow.
• Wasabi - It may be hard to believe, but some alternative toothpastes are made using wasabi. It makes for a great toothpaste ingredient since wasabi possesses antimicrobial properties. In fact, a study published in Frontiers in Microbiology found that wasabi can potentially control S. aureus and E. coli bacteria in foods effectively.
• Bentonite Clay - Many alternative toothpaste makers would recommend bentonite clay because of its mildly abrasive properties. It is able to remove plaque without causing damage to the enamel.

• Charcoal - Activated charcoal has abrasive properties that make it effective when it comes to plaque removal. It also raises pH levels in the mouth, suppressing further bacterial growth. However, it is important to make sure you only use premade toothpastes with specially produced charcoal, because regular charcoal is dangerously abrasive to teeth. Also, this method can stain crowns and or veneers, so it’s best to use caution.
• Cinnamon - Cinnamon is a natural spice that possesses anti-inflammatory properties. Cinnamon had also been shown to have significant antimicrobial properties, which is great for oral health. It is an ingredient in many toothpastes. However, using it too much can cause burning white and red patches in the mouth. If this happens, you’ll need to stop using cinnamon products right away.
• Coconut Oil - Like cinnamon, coconut oil also contains significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, a study in Bangalore, India, and another in Chiang Mai, Thailand, found that this oil can effectively fight inflammation. While the research is still out as to whether it helps fight bacteria in your mouth, it does make a nice addition to many alternative toothpastes.

Conclusion

It's always good to be conscious of the need to maintain good oral health. However, keep in mind that regular store-bought toothpaste can pose hidden dangers. Consider using an alternative toothpaste, which can protect your body from unnecessary toxins and stress. This way, you can have healthy teeth and a healthy body.

© Copyright 2019 Michael Lam, M.D. All Rights Reserved.

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