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What Toothpaste Do Pediatric Dentists Recommend?
Traditional dentists swear by fluoride, while holistic pediatric dentists are shifting to hydroxyapatite. Here is how to choose.
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Toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, and whitening — from the fluoride controversy to PFAS in floss. Everything that goes in your mouth deserves scrutiny.
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Traditional dentists swear by fluoride, while holistic pediatric dentists are shifting to hydroxyapatite. Here is how to choose.
Young kids swallow up to 40% of their toothpaste, making the choice between fluoride and fluoride-free critical for early development.
RiseWell's 'cake batter' toothpaste uses hydroxyapatite instead of fluoride to rebuild enamel—and recently beat a massive PFAS lawsuit.
It's marketed as a natural alternative, but recent lab tests found heavy metals and confusing ingredient lists.
A recent FDA inspection uncovered black mold and drug-resistant bacteria in the factory where Tom's of Maine makes its toothpaste.
The most popular kids' toothpastes are packed with artificial dyes and SLS, but a naturally occurring mineral is changing how we protect tiny teeth.
Poison control centers receive over 20,000 calls a year about kids eating toothpaste—here's what happens when they do.
The ADA recommends fluoride starting at the first tooth, but nearly 40% of young kids use too much—putting them at risk for permanent tooth discoloration.
Nearly 40% of young kids use dangerously high amounts of toothpaste—which is alarming since most conventional brands carry an FDA poison warning.
Burt's Bees removes the harsh foaming agents, but both of these grocery store staples hide questionable thickeners.
Most natural toothpastes are just glorified breath mints, but one clinical alternative rebuilds enamel just as well as fluoride.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is the detergent that makes your toothpaste foam—and it's the leading chemical trigger for canker sores and peeling gums.
Boka pioneered nano-hydroxyapatite in the US, but recent lab tests showing trace heavy metals have raised red flags.
It holds a coveted EWG Verified mark and ditches the plastic tube, but is Davids toothpaste actually worth the premium price?
RiseWell uses a clinical 10% dose of hydroxyapatite to rebuild enamel without fluoride, but its $12 price tag is steep.
The pioneer of natural toothpaste is now owned by Colgate and facing severe FDA warnings for bacterial contamination.
The #1 dentist-recommended brand for sensitive teeth is largely SLS-free, but you still need to watch out for artificial sweeteners and titanium dioxide.
The brand that controls nearly 20% of the global toothpaste market still relies on artificial dyes, harsh detergents, and controversial whitening pigments.
The toothpaste giant finally removed triclosan in 2019, but its replacement formulas are still packed with artificial dyes, SLS, and questionable chemical additives.
Your daily toothpaste likely contains the same foaming detergents found in industrial floor cleaners and engine degreasers.
That gritty whitening toothpaste might be scrubbing away your enamel—and making your teeth look more yellow in the long run.
It promises a Hollywood smile, but charcoal toothpaste might actually make your teeth more yellow over time.
Your daily toothpaste might be packed with endocrine disruptors, known carcinogens, and detergents that literally strip the lining of your mouth.
Derived from seaweed, this common natural thickener is linked to gut inflammation—and it's hiding in some of the cleanest toothpaste brands.
The EU banned this bright white pigment from food over DNA damage concerns, but it’s still legally hiding in your toothpaste.
Sodium lauryl sulfate gives toothpaste its foamy lather, but it's also the leading trigger for chronic canker sores and peeling gums.
Nano-hydroxyapatite is just as effective at preventing cavities as fluoride—without the systemic toxicity risks.
Clinical studies show nano-hydroxyapatite is just as effective as fluoride at remineralizing teeth—without the toxicity concerns.
Most natural toothpastes leave your teeth completely defenseless against cavities—unless they contain one specific ingredient.
A federal judge and the National Toxicology Program agree: high fluoride exposure is linked to lower IQs in children, and 70% of American kids show visible signs of overexposure.
Adults still get cavities, but you don't necessarily need fluoride to prevent them if you use the right alternative.
A landmark 2024 federal court ruling declared water fluoridation an 'unreasonable risk' to kids' IQs, but does that mean your toothpaste is toxic?
Cocofloss ditches the forever chemicals found in mainstream brands, but you're paying a massive premium for a product that still uses petroleum-based wax.
Studies show water flossers remove 29% more plaque, but dentists warn they don't replace the physical scraping of string floss.
Water flossers are clinically proven to be up to 50% more effective at reducing gingivitis, but they still shouldn't replace your string.
They remove plaque equally well, but popular waxed flosses could be coating your gums in PFAS forever chemicals.
It removes 55% more plaque than standard floss and uses natural waxes, but its core material might surprise you.
Cocofloss is proudly PFAS-free, but its petroleum-based wax and synthetic fragrances might surprise you.
That smooth glide between your teeth might be coming from toxic 'forever chemicals'—one popular brand tested at nearly 25% PFAS.
33% of popular dental flosses contain 'forever chemicals'—here are the lab-verified brands that don't.
The world's most popular dental floss recently dropped its controversial Teflon-like coating, but independent tests are still pending.
Testing shows 33% of popular dental flosses contain 'forever chemicals'—with Oral-B Glide hitting an alarming 248,900 parts per million.
Lab tests found forever chemicals in 33% of popular dental floss brands—with one containing nearly 25% organic fluorine.
33% of popular dental floss brands contain high levels of toxic PFAS 'forever chemicals' to make them glide between your teeth.
Coconut oil and sesame oil go head-to-head, but one has a distinct scientific advantage against cavity-causing bacteria.
Oil pulling can marginally improve gum health, but it won't magically cure cavities or pull 'toxins' from your bloodstream.
Oil pulling can reduce plaque by up to 26%, but it’s not the cavity-curing miracle social media claims it is.
One is a clinical sulfur-destroyer, while the other is a holistic microbiome balancer—here’s which oral rinse actually deserves a spot on your counter.
Oil pulling matches clinical mouthwashes in reducing cavity-causing bacteria—without staining your teeth or nuking your oral microbiome.
That burning sensation isn't just killing bad breath—it's destroying the good bacteria your body needs to regulate blood pressure.
It ditches alcohol and artificial dyes for Dead Sea salt and essential oils, but its 'certified non-toxic' label recently faced regulatory scrutiny.
It's the internet's favorite alcohol-free mouthwash, but it hides contamination risks and artificial sweeteners.
A 2024 study linked daily use of Listerine to a spike in cancer-associated oral bacteria, triggering a massive class-action lawsuit.
Conventional mouthwashes destroy your oral microbiome, but natural alternatives use essential oils to freshen breath safely.
Using antibacterial mouthwash twice a day can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure by 85%.
That daily swish of antibacterial mouthwash doesn't just kill bad breath—it wipes out the oral microbiome and reduces nitric oxide production by up to 90%.
Your daily swish of alcohol-based mouthwash might be killing the good bacteria that regulate your blood pressure and fight bad breath.
Daily mouthwash use isn't just unnecessary—it could be raising your blood pressure by destroying your oral microbiome.
Daily mouthwash use can wipe out your oral microbiome, significantly raising your risk of high blood pressure.
Plastic tongue scrapers shed microplastics and breed bacteria—upgrade to medical-grade metal instead.
Copper kills bacteria on contact, but stainless steel survives the dishwasher—here's how to choose your scraper.
Clinical studies show a metal tongue scraper reduces the compounds that cause bad breath by 75%—trouncing your toothbrush.
Nearly half of toothbrushes sold are medium or hard, but dentists overwhelmingly agree they are quietly destroying your gums.
Quip isn't really an electric toothbrush—it's a vibrating manual brush with a motor that's less than half as powerful as its competitors.
Sonic toothbrushes won't destroy your enamel, but their 370 mG EMF emissions and plastic brush heads are worth a second look.
Electric toothbrushes remove 21% more plaque than manual ones, but the wrong bristles will destroy your gums regardless of the power source.
Your eco-friendly toothbrush might still be shedding up to 120 microplastics into your mouth every time you brush.
Over 1 billion plastic toothbrushes hit US landfills every year, but most 'eco-friendly' bamboo options still use petroleum-based plastic bristles.
Electric toothbrushes remove 21% more plaque, but they also have a carbon footprint four times larger than manual brushes.
Activated charcoal doesn't actually bleach your teeth—it just scrubs off your protective enamel to reveal the yellow dentin underneath.
Professional whitening uses up to 43% peroxide for 1-hour results, but at-home kits can achieve the exact same shade for $400 less.
This peroxide-free alternative uses coconut oil and Dead Sea salt, but does it actually work without destroying your enamel?
Crest Whitestrips contain up to 140x more hydrogen peroxide than the European Union allows for over-the-counter sale.
67% of people experience painful sensitivity from traditional whitening strips, but newer peroxide-free alternatives can brighten teeth without damaging your enamel.
The glowing blue light doesn't actually whiten your teeth—and clinical studies are deeply divided on whether it does anything at all.
The truth about teeth whitening: some products temporarily soften enamel, while others permanently scratch it away.
Whitening strips can brighten your smile, but abusing them can destroy the proteins inside your teeth.
Over-the-counter peroxide strips can break down the proteins inside your teeth—but newer alternatives can whiten without the damage.
A landmark federal court ruling declared current water fluoridation levels pose an 'unreasonable risk' to children's IQ, making toothpaste dosage critical.