Question from Rose
Hi Debra,
Can you recommend a toothpaste without mint, which is similar to Sensodyne in being: less abrasive/easy on sensitive teeth/ and generally helpful in preventing erosion?
I like Tom’s toothpaste, but the dental tech recommended Sensodyne.
I am allergic to processed Mint, alas.
I checked out Merz Apothecary here in Chicago, but all of the tooth pastes have mint.
Thank you.
Ciao’
Rose
Debra’s Answer
There are actually a number of toothpastes that don’t contain mint. They either have no flavoring, or flavors such as lemon or anise or simply the flavors of active ingredients.
See the Dental Care page of Debra’s List.
Readers, what mint-free toothpastes do you like?
I really like this posts; we should take care of our sensitive teeth; by regular brushing our teeth; and get the particles of food out from our teeth after taking the meal.
I don’t use toothpaste but I am home all day so I do brush immediately after every meal and first use a hydrofloss which is like a water pik after every meal. I love POH toothbrushes which are very gentle for the sides of the teeth and they make a stiff brush that I use on the chewing surfaces. Maybe once every month or two I use Nara cleansing powder which is baking soda and salt and xylitol, if I remember correctly, if my teeth appear stained.
I don’t use any toothpaste – I just brush with a plain toothbrush until my teeth feel really clean.
I got the idea from my dentist – years ago he was concerned I was removing too much dentin from my teeth as I was brushing too often, just to feel clean and fresh (I don’t like mouthwash – I don’t want taste in my mouth when I’m not eating!) My dentist told me toothpaste was abrasive and suggested just skipping the toothpaste.
Now I brush at my desk while reading or in the car – and I do a much better job than while trying to get out of the bathroom and on to the next task!
Darshana – Are you still, two years later, still brushing your teeth without any toothpaste? If so, how is it working out?
When i developed mcs, I used baking soda – probably for more than 20 years. When I went to an orthodontist for retainers for clenching, he said my teeth looked yellow and shiny and what did I use on them, and I said baking soda. He said not good to use, if want to , only use once a week. I found Peelu Mint Free toothpaste and have been using that for many years now. I got used to its taste. Well, I cannot seem to locate it anymore – Needs, Vitacost.com, I herbs, Lucky Vitamins, Swansons, Amazon etc don’t seem to have it anymore. I have emailed Peelu to see if they have stopped making it (it appears so from the above companies not carrying it anymore, but I wanted to confirm this with Peelu – have not heard back from them yet). It was recommended to me to try Auromere – but I looked it up and although mint free it has many, many ingredients in it including licorice, cinnamon etc that bothers me/can’t tolerate the smell. So I am asking all of you, what do you use – mint free? Thank you.
Hi Audrey! Just noticed your reply here – YES! I still avoid all toothpaste, and my dentist is always pleased with how clean I keep my teeth.
I don’t floss either – my teeth are so close it jams into my gums too much. I DO use tiny wooden toothpicks occasionally, and little brushes between the teeth that catch food (made by Nexadental 800-235-9001.)
I have also discovered that oil pulling with plain organic coconut oil seems to brighten or whiten a bit. And I only do about 5 minutes if that. I LOVE not having product tastes in my mouth!
Darshana – so glad that you saw my comment and answered my question!
For info – peelu has discontinued their mint free toothpaste and as soon as their Peelu mint free dental fiber is sold out, that will be discontinued also. Peelu has been bought by Swansons.
Thanks again Darshana.
Miessence has a lemon and a anise toothpaste both made with baking soda and salt. I am a rep for Miessence as a disclosure.
I have used both of them and now that I have been using the Miessence tp for 11 years it really put a stop to my receding gums as well.
feel free to reach out to me if you’re interested at: erin[@]elyorganics.com and I can give you a $5.00 certificate toward your first order.
I’ve used this toothpaste too and like it a lot.
Miracle Soap 2 🙂
Does your Miracle II soap smell like Dawn dish soap? I ordered some after seeing recommendations for it, including on this site. But I was shocked when I received it, because it has this scent to it. I can’t fathom how people with sensitivities are saying this works great for them. ??? So I’m wondering if I got a knock-off version, or if it just doesn’t work for me. I wasn’t able to use it at all, and have been much happier with the liquid unscented olive oil castile soap from Penn’s Hill, which I dilute with water in a foaming pump for hand and body soap.
I like Cleure toothpaste.
Here is the website for Cleure toothpaste. Personally I wouldn’t use this toothpaste, but might in your situation. It contains ingredients that appear to be safe like xylitol and xanthan gum, which I have researched and have decided not to eat. It’s not a toothpaste I would add to Debra’s List, but not toxic enough to nix this reader’s recommendation. Brush with it, don’t eat it.
I haven’t looked into it enough myself to reach a conclusion on the matter, but it is commonly reported that xylitol has benefits for oral health, even if we wouldn’t eat it (and like you, I don’t eat it). I see it is being used semi-frequently in natural toothpastes.
What I’d actually be more concerned about in that toothpaste, as well as most (all?) of the “natural” toothpastes on the market, is the inclusion of glycerin. Glycerin has been found to coat the teeth in a way that is not readily rinsed off, and this prevents remineralization of the teeth.
I haven’t been able to use mint either, and pretty much all of the available natural brands have glycerin (and other essential oils I’m sensitive to), so I have resorted to making my own toothpaste. It isn’t difficult, and I can choose which ingredients I’m comfortable including. And it actually promotes remineralization, rather than prevent it! Check out the remineralizing toothpaste recipe on the Wellness Mama blog; I made that once, but the second time, I made the squeezable version (another recipe on her blog), and I prefer being able to squeeze it, as that is less messy than scooping out of a container. I leave out the xylitol and the essential oils, and actually I left out the bentonite clay also! So mine is very basic but gets the job done. 🙂
Another DIY option some people might like is a tooth powder such as this one:
http://www.mommypotamus.com/tooth-powder-recipe/. Ingredients could be omitted as necessary due to sensitivities, etc.
Tooth soaps are another option. There is an official brand of tooth soap, and I believe they offer non-mint options. But here is a DIY tooth soap recipe; the commercial product is more pricey. http://www.mommypotamus.com/homemade-tooth-soap-recipe/< /a>
There are also some activated charcoal based tooth powders I’ve seen on Amazon or from online stores (ones that offer natural skin care products and such); perhaps one of those would work for some readers. It’s also possible to just open a capsule of activated charcoal and brush one’s teeth with that, particularly for teeth whitening. But I don’t think the plain activated charcoal that would be enough for regular daily use. There are options if we think outside of the box.
I use ToothSoap (toothsoap.com). It is available in lots of flavors and forms. I mostly use Plain Jane but my husband likes the spearmint. Hope this helps.