Now that Temple is a toddler with almost all her teeth, I am often asked what we use to brush them. I decided to make things easy with a post that details our whole family’s oral hygiene routine. Nothing better than a bright white smile, people!
What to avoid in your oral products
Fluoride- this is a somewhat controversial stance. I linked a great article by Dr. Axe on ALL things fluoride, so you can decide for yourself if it’s something you want to avoid. Personally, my family chooses to avoid fluoride in our oral care products, and we even have a fluoride filtration attachment on our Berkey water filter.
You should also look for ingredients that are formulated without harsh sulfate-based chemicals like SLS, artificial flavors, sweeteners, colors, or preservatives. I always try to avoid Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) in particular. It’s a surfactant, and included in a lot of toothpaste. It acts as a foaming agent (which we all love), but it’s linked to contamination with 1,4-dioxane, a chemical you DEFINITELY want to avoid. It is also known to cause mouth ulcers and canker sores.
Why is Charcoal good for teeth?
Charcoal is becoming popular in oral care thanks mostly to its whitening benefits. It does help polish away surface stains, but its absorbency also helps to detoxify the mouth, keeping breath fresh longer.
How do I know if my products are clean/nontoxic?
I highly recommend downloading the Healthy Living EWG andThinkDirty apps to your phone – they help you determine a certain product’s “clean rating” while you’re browsing. Both apps use a 0-10 scale to rate products, 10 indicating the “most toxic.” You can then click on the product, and find out what ingredients are lending to it’s toxicity level. The EWG App features a bar code scanner, making it super easy to find products within the app. But if I’m shopping online from home, I just pull up the website and use their search bar to track down a rating.
Between EWG and ThinkDirty, you’re likely to find almost every brand you’d ever need. But remember, just because one product from a certain brand is safe, doesn’t mean another one from that same brand isn’t hiding a toxic ingredient or two. Every time I use these resources I seem to learn about a new ingredient that I should be avoiding. DO YOU RESEARCH and take some time before just throwing things into your cart. This is your body – make sure the things you’re filling it with are clean and worth your dime!
Tips for brushing your little one’s teeth:
- Get a yummy flavored toothpaste like this one. Temple loves the strawberry flavor.
- Make brushing their teeth part of their bedtime routine. We brush Temple’s teeth right after she gets out of the bath when she is still in her towel. I just set her up on the counter (like you see in the pictures) and I sing the first verse and chorus of this teeth brushing song that I found on YouTube. Cheesy, but after a few days, she knew each night that it was time to brush her teeth!
- I brush Temple’s teeth every night but probably need to start brushing them in the morning after breakfast too.
- I also need to book an appointment at our holistic dentist (Smile Ranch) to make sure everything is looking good!
- Below I linked all the products I recommend for kiddos.
Adult Products I Love
Toothbrush
- We use this electric toothbrush which I bought at Costco
- Fete– love this brand. Made from bamboo.
Toothpaste
There are lots of great nontoxic toothpaste brands, but here are some that I either use regularly or am planning to try next!
- Davids Natural Toothpaste– They also make a charcoal one that I am ordering. It’s formulated especially for whitening.
- Earth Paste– Okay this stuff is pretty dang earthy, so it probably isn’t for everyone, but it does make my teeth feel super clean, and it’s as fresh as it gets when it comes to ingredients.
- Dr. Bronner’s– I love the cinnamon flavor, but they are all great!
- Terra and Co. Brilliant Black Toothpaste
- Dr. Brite Whitening Toothpaste– They have charcoal, peppermint, and cinnamon flavor.
- Uncle Harry’s Fluoride Free Toothpaste
- The Dirt Coconut Oil Toothpaste– I haven’t tried this one, but I’ve heard great things, and the ingredients are amazing. It includes MCT oil (fractionated coconut oil) which naturally detoxifies and cleanses, with the benefits of bentonite clay, which is firm enough to remove plaque from your teeth, but soft enough not to damage your enamel.
Mouth Wash
- Dr. Brite Mouth Rinse
- PerioClear Alcohol-Free Mouthwash– I originally bought this from my holistic dentist, and I love it!
Floss
Whitening
- Dr. Brite Gel Brite Teeth Whitening Pen
- Dr. Brite Natural Teeth Whitening Tray + Accelerator LED Light– I recently came across this kit from the same brand. The Organic Bunny did a demo on her stories, and I was sold! I just ordered it and can’t wait to share my thoughts.
Tongue Scraping
- Every night I try to use my tongue scraper after brushing and before my mouth rinse. I scrape downward 10 times. This is great for removing bacteria, improving sense of taste, and reducing bad breath.
Toddler & Kid Products I Love
Toothbrush
- Jack N’ Jill Biodegradable Toothbrush– this is great for kids, but it doesn’t have the big fat toothbrush head, so if your kid hates brushing their teeth I recommend the one below instead. It offers a much larger head that covers more surface area, making it easier when trying to brush a moving target, haha!
- Radius Toothbrush
Toothpaste
The ones listed below are kid-specific, but the adult ones are safe for kids, too. Although, I wouldn’t recommend using the charcoal ones on your kiddos.
- Jack N’ Jill Natural Toothpaste in Organic Strawberry– Temple loves this toothpaste and tries to suck the toothpaste off every time we brush her teeth.
- Dr. Brite Berrylicious Toothpaste
- Hello Natural Fluoride Free Kids Toothpaste
