I’m a seasonal kind of girl. I live in Houston, TX, and we only have two significant weather changes: cool and HOT. Even so, I like to honor the four seasons as much as possible. Autumn is by far my favorite. Houston finally cools off and I begin to fill our home with mini pumpkins, set large pumpkins on the front porch, burn pumpkin spice-scented soy candles, drink cinnamon tea, and use cinnamon bar soap in the kitchen. My most recent addition to this festive regimen is to brush my teeth with Tom’s of Maine Clean & Gentle Care toothpaste - the cinnamon-clove flavor, of course.
Way back when I started my quest in natural living, I used Tom’s of Maine cinnamon toothpaste, but it contained fluoride. I eventually stopped using that formula because I read enough articles to believe we don’t need fluoride in our toothpaste, and in fact, fluoride is possibly hazardous to our health. Within the past two years, I’ve also read about the wonders of xylitol which inhibits harmful bacteria, thus preventing cavities and plaque. Not to mention that my dentist says flossing and mouthwash are invaluable to oral hygiene. So when looking for a good toothpaste, I flip over the box and check off a mental ingredient list: no to fluoride, yes to xylitol, yes to whitening, and oh yeah, no to SLS.
Tom’s of Maine Clean & Gentle Care toothpaste is their newest formula, a kind gesture to customers who share my preferences. They carry several toothpastes with or without flouride; I was thrilled to find this new formula lacking both fluoride and SLS. Instead, they use glycyrrhizin (from licorice root) for natural foaming. Here is a complete list of ingredients - purposes - sources:
- Glycerin - moistener - vegetable oils.
- Water - consistency - Maine aquifer.
- Calcium carbonate - mild abrasive - purified calcium from the earth.
- Hydrated silica - stain removal - purified silica from the earth.
- Organic aloe vera leaf juice - soothing feel - organic aloe (Aloe barbadensis) plant.
- Xylitol - antiplaque - birch trees or corn.
- Carrageenan - thickener - seaweed (Chondrus crispus).
- Acacia gum - flavor carrier - acacia (Acacia senegal) trees.
- Glycyrrhizin - foamer - licorice root (Glycyrrhiza sp.).
- Cinnamon and clove oils - flavor - cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum & C. cassia) leaves and bark, and clove (Eugenia caryophyllus) flowers.
- Other natural flavors [my least favorite ingredients].
Tom’s claim of gentle care has proved true in my mouth. I tend to have pretty sensitive teeth and gums, and this toothpaste is actually a “soothing brushing experience.” It also has a subtle, sweet-cinnamon flavor which suits both autumn and Christmas moods, if you’re thinking ahead. To be very honest, I just really love cinnamon, so Tom’s of Maine Clean & Gentle Care toothpaste will be in our bathroom drawer for awhile.
All of this reminds me that I’m due for a teeth cleaning appointment. Yay. Visiting the dentist does not jive with my lovely autumn sensibilities. I think I’ll rely on Tom until after Thanksgiving.
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Kerry 11.16.07 at 12:53 pm
Ooh, now all I can think of is about how I have a cavity that needs some drillin’… Boo!