The best natural toothpaste
Like our skin, which can absorb up about 60% of what we put on it, the soft tissue of our gums can readily absorb both nutrients and toxins. With mainstream toothpaste containing a bunch of nasties we have made it our mission to find the best ever natural versions.
If you're thinking natural, fluoride free toothpaste doesn't work, or tastes bad then think again because the most effective part of cleaning your teeth is actually from the brushing action alone, so all you need to find is a toothpaste with natural antibacterial properties in order to keep your mouth fresh and clean. Really, these harmful chemicals are unnecessary and now with so many natural alternatives it’s easy to omit them completely!
I tried out some of the brands that we stock at Nourished Life; Comvita, Grants, Riddell’s Creek and Maharashi Ayurveda. They are all great and each one uniquely so, meaning that there is a natural toothpaste alternative for everyone.
Comvita Gentle Natural Toothpaste
PHOTO1_right This toothpaste contains Xylitol, a natural substance found in birch trees, which may help prevent stain build-up with regular brushing. Extracts of peppermint, chamomille, peppermint and spearmint freshen your breath and keep your mouth feeling squeaky clean and healthy.
This has a great mild spearmint flavour, which pretty much tastes just like regular toothpaste. And since it foams it feels like one too!
My teeth were left clean and my minty breath was longlasting. Since this was so close in taste and texture to a regular toothpaste, I would recommend this as a fantastic option for people who want a natural toothpaste but aren't keen on anything too herbal or hippie.
PHOTO4_right Comvita also makes a Whitening Toothpaste which additionally has bicarbonate of soda to effectively remove stains and get your teeth pearly white. This combined with using the Binchotan Charcoal Toothbrush is a surefire way to a get a gleaming smile!
Grants Extra Fresh Toothpaste
This natural toothpaste gets its strong minty punch from its infusion with organic tea tree oil, a natural anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory, for a strong minty taste that leaves your mouth feeling sparkling clean. Like Comvita it is a foaming formula so feels just like your regular toothpaste from the supermarket.
This toothpaste is a blend of herbs Cardamon, Carraway, Celery, Coriander, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Dill, Eucalyptus, and Mint that give an interesting twist to the minty flavour. And apparently they also have beneficial effects on digestion!
I really liked the strong mint flavour which I felt left my mouth and breath tingly fresh! And the familiar foaming consistency felt like I'd had a good and thorough cleaning of both my teeth and gums.
PHOTO5_right For those who prefer a milder minty flavour, Grants also makes a Herbal & Mineral Toothpaste which has all the same nourishing herbs but with a more subtle hit of mint.
Riddell’s Creek Certified Organic Toothpaste
This one is made from completely Certified Organic ingredients that include aloe vera, peppermint, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and sage to naturally fight bacteria and nourish your mouth.
PHOTO2_right I just love the taste of this toothpaste! It has an overarching fresh peppermint taste but with a subtle herbal hit of flavour that makes it quite unique. This is a non-foaming toothpaste which can be a little odd for the initial first few brushes since we are so accustomed to the foamy sensation and relating it to a thorough clean of our teeth! However, your teeth and mouth are left feeling fresh, clean and deliciously pepperminty.
I have to say I really like this one and with purely Certified Organic ingredients it has got to be one of the best ones out there for you.
Maharashi Ayurveda Ayurdent Herbal Toothpaste
Now this natural toothpaste is quite different from the others and is a world away from your Colgate’s and MacLean’s.
Going off the ’when in Rome’ mentality, while travelling India a few years ago I decided to brush my teeth with this triphala herbal mixture, which came not in a tube but as a little bag of dry powder. I have to admit I was a little sceptical at first since brushing a brown residue into my teeth seemed very strange and counterintuitive. However my mouth always left feeling clean and fresh and after six weeks my teeth were in fact whiter!
This toothpaste is based on this traditional formula, made with fifteen Ayurvedic traditional herbs in a high concentration including neem, clove oil and others all known to be highly beneficial for dental health. All ingredients are purely natural and it contains no foaming agents, fluoride and preservatives.
PHOTO3_right This is a paste with a consistency much like any toothpaste, not a powder, The light brown colour may be a little shocking, even disconcerting, to most people especially since we are accustomed to the traditional white or blue. But for me it is just proof that this really is an all-natural blend.
As you may imagine, the taste is a little different on the palate. This Ayurvedic traditional triphala herbal mixture also includes peppermint and camphor to give a western twist of minty taste. This is also non-foaming, which again can take a bit of getting used to but after a couple brushes it becomes normal.
As well as a clean mouth the herbal mixture gives you lasting fresh breath. Also, this is a highly concentrated formula meaning you need only a small amount and consequently one tube will last you a long time.
Which is the best natural toothpaste?
In conclusion, I can’t really say which is the best because they are all so different ’ it's up to personal preference of the different qualities and benefits of each one. If you are looking to replace your regular toothpaste with something not too different in both taste and consistency then go for Comvita or Grants. If you're willing to try something a little different then go for Ridell's Creek. Or if you really want to go all out au naturale then give Maharashi a shot! Hopefully from what I have described you will be able to make a decision on which natural toothpaste alternative is best for you.
