At RADIUS, we’re proud to announce that we’ve recently patented our USDA-certified organic toothpaste. It’s not only healthy, but it tastes great and leaves your mouth feeling squeaky clean.
But we’re not just here to talk about why RADIUS toothpaste totally rocks, we’re also here to talk about why we went to all the hassle to create an organic toothpaste in the first place.
What is so great about going organic? What makes it different from the “natural” toothpaste brands on the market? Do those chemical additives really have an impact on your health?
In this article, we’ll explore all of these questions so you can understand why we decided to go organic.
First, let’s say what our toothpaste doesn’t have. It doesn’t have any trace of pesticides, GMOs, glutens, fluoride, saccharin, SLS, SLES, carrageenan, parabens, detergents, or synthetics of any kind. These are all common additives to your run-of-the-mill toothpaste.
Let’s take a look at some of the most harmful of these additives:
Fluoride: We know this is surprising given just how much it’s been drilled into us that we NEED fluoride for dental health...but this is actually not true. Not only do most of us get enough fluoride through our local water supply to reap the oral health care benefits of fluoride, but excess fluoride comes with a host of issues including skeletal fluorosis, thyroid issues, decreased fertility, stunted neurological development and, ironically, enamel defects.
SLS: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is the compound that gives that “foaming” quality to toothpastes. For a long time, it was thought to be carcinogenic. Fortunately, while it has been shown not to be definitely linked with cancer, it can still be harmful. This surfactant additive can irritate both eyes and skin and be toxic to aquatic wildlife.
Saccharin: Saccharin has been associated with a lot of allergic reactions including headaches, diarrhea, skin irritation, and even breathing difficulties (after 2020, we are SO not into this). Not only that, saccharin has been linked to bladder cancer in rats. Most researchers believe this also means it is likely carcinogenic in humans as well.
Parabens: Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen and have been known to increase the risk of cancer, developmental and reproductive issues. Not so great for all you mommas-to-be out there!
Pesticides: Think a little bit of pesticide doesn't sound so bad? Some of the worst-case scenarios with an acute reaction to pesticides include stinging eyes, rashes, blisters, nausea, dizziness, diarrhea, blindness and even death. Yeah. No, thank you. Plus, Colgate, uses a “pesticide” triclosan ,which not only closely resembles a major component in Agent Orange in structure, but has been linked to major health complications like heart issues, endocrine issues, skeletal issues, and cancer.
Want to read about all these nasties in more detail? Check out our article here.
Ok, so now we know some of the most dangerous ingredients that come with your over-the-counter toothpaste, so what about the ‘natural toothpastes’?
There are three primary issues with the “natural toothpaste”:
1) It’s not Aquaman-approved. While ‘natural’ toothpastes don’t contain the synthetic additives of non-natural toothpaste, many still contain SLS. Don’t say sorry to us, natural toothpaste. Say sorry to the fishies.
2) “Natural” only pertains to the product, not the process. While the ingredients themselves may be all-natural, there is nothing that prevents “natural” ingredients from being grown without the assistance of artificial pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides and even hormones. If these are used in the process of making a product, there is nothing to stop them from ending up in your body.
3) Charcoal is at best ineffective and, at worst, dangerous. Charcoal is a popular “natural” toothpaste, but it has some serious side effects. Not only is it very abrasive on teeth and linked with enamel damage, but there’s little evidence that charcoal is effective at whitening or eco-friendly. Worst of all, charcoal has carcinogenic polyaromatic hydrocarbons that can cause cancer for chronic users. In fact, only 10% of “natural” charcoal toothpastes are actually recommended by dentists.
So, we know it’s a “no” on over-the-counter chemical toothpastes and “natural” is not as good as organic...but some people worry: Is organic really as effective as the toothpaste you’ve used since you were a kid?
Yes. It is.
Here are are main ingredients you need to know:
Erythritol: Think you need fluoride to prevent cavities? As we learned, this is not true. RADIUS uses erythritol in our toothpaste, which has been proven to be a potent cavity-fighting ingredient that can take the place of fluoride. It has also been shown to be more effective than other fluoride-alternatives such as xylitol and sorbitol.
Rice Powder: Rice powder is a gentle way to polish your teeth. It’s granular quality is abrasive enough to keep the plaque at bay, but gentle enough so it doesn’t damage your enamel.
Organic Coconut Oil: Swishing coconut oil is a centuries-old practice that freshens breath, kills harmful oral bacteria AND whitens your teeth. So, naturally, we took these centuries of cavity-busting knowledge and applied it to our toothpaste.
Organic Cavity-Fighting Flavors: Our flavor ingredients like clove, cardamom, mint, rose hips, holy basil oil and neem actually contain additional properties that help clean, whiten and fresh your breath. Who said healthy couldn’t also be tasty?
But does it feel as good, even without that super SLS foam? Just listen to RADIUS customer Roseanna who says,
Convinced to at least give organic a try? Today’s the day. Just pick your flavor to get started!:
