Toothpastes (conventional or natural branded) may make glamorous promises to turn your teeth white as snow, freshen your breath, or ward off cavities, but the truth is that most of these promises are subject to debate – and in most cases, the ingredients used to cater to these desires might be more harmful than helpful.
First things first: as much as all toothpaste brands would like to you believe otherwise, toothpaste is actually only meant to do one job : ABRASION.
Toothpastes act as an abrasive to supposedly break up the film that naturally builds up on your teeth over the course of the day or night. The other promises that manufacturers make, like whitening teeth, cannot be achieved by toothpaste abrasion!
Empty promises are the least of your worries when it comes to toothpastes. Breath-freshening products, for example, contain chemicals that neutralize bacteria. This sounds like a good thing until you learn that there are many good Vital bacteria that are actually naturally present in your mouth and that help us kill bad bacteria can actually disrupt the delicate balance of this natural flora, thus worsening breath and health in the long run.
Some brands attempt to "balance" bacteria with triclosan, a pesticide that has been shown in some studies to interfere with muscle function and disrupt endocrine and hormone function.
Most brands use sodium lauryl sulfate or other detergents to create the foaminess we all associate with toothpastes – but studies have linked it to the irritation of the delicate membranes of your mouth and even to the formation of ulcers and gum recession.