DISCOVER HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!
By: Heather Hooke
It’s no big surprise I’m obsessed with my doTERRA Essential Oils. I mean why not… They offer such amazing results for many common health issues and don’t come with the laundry list of warnings that often accompany their synthetic counterparts. Well today’s post is not about the side effects of synthetics, but what’s actually being infused into the product itself which could be harmful to you and your family’s health.
When I found out I was pregnant, I made my dentist appointment as The Bump App guided me to do in their well thought out To-Do list (my kind of people 😉 ) since dental health and hygiene have a direct correlation with the health of your baby. When I went to my appointment, they said I had no cavities and all looked great (Whoo Hoo! Victory dance… all that flossing has been paying off)! However, it wasn’t that easy; they went on to explain they did notice that I have little blue PLASTIC rods in my gums from the Crest 3D White Toothpaste I had been using for years and explained that this is a very common finding from synthetic, commercial toothpastes.
I was astonished and SUPER bugged that I had never heard of this before especially considering my husband, Collin, and I aim to do as much 100% natural/organic as we possibly can without being those super pretentious over the top “organic people” (You know the one’s I’m talking about, “Oh, I couldn’t possibly use thaaaaaaat!” Lol…I mean, doesn’t everything seem to cause cancer these days)?! I just didn’t think a whole lot about the toothpaste that had been whitening my teeth for years having plastic build up in my gums and it really grossed me out. More importantly the whole reason I was there was to ensure all was safe for me and our little one on the way, which really made me think twice about any products in my health/beauty routine that were not on the up and up.
I left the office and began to research my options. Without a question, natural essential oil based toothpaste was definitely the way to go. I started researching brands and top reviews online. I already knew I didn’t like TOMS natural toothpaste, based on a negative experience I had when I tried their toothpaste and natural deodorant when living in L.A. and it sounded like many people online felt the same way. I began asking around. I didn’t even realize doTERRA had a toothpaste! I guess it was fairly new at the time. Already loving their natural skincare and the oils for my yoga classes, I began to ask around. I had a bunch of my other doTERRA-obseessed peeps tell me they “absolutely looooooved it and couldn’t live without it!” I have to admit, as much as I love their products and am a huge believer in essential oils, even I was skeptical because of my past experiences and failed attempts to transition to naturally based toothpastes. Sure they are 100% natural, but YUCK I have to actually use this stuff twice a day! In addition, I wanted it all (as I typically do! 😉 I wanted it to be healthier for me and my family, plus give me the physical beauty benefits we all want in today’s atheistically pleasing world (i.e whiter teeth) and I really wasn’t willing to compromise that for natural.
So, I gave it a try and added it to my cart… Honestly, I hated it at first! Similar to when I switched to my natural deodorant years ago, I wondered if it was even working and cleaning my teeth. The lack of foam really threw me off and made me question if it was effectively whitening my teeth and more importantly cleaning my teeth preventing plaque build up etc that dentists always warn you about. I started to have withdrawals of my Crest 3D White Toothpaste and it’s white, foaming lather…I mean, maybe those little blue rods aren’t all that unhealthy right?! Haha, yeah right! What I did enjoy was the unique cinnamon-pepperminty taste of it…it was refreshing and nice mix to the routine I had for so many years. But still, the taste test wasn’t going to be enough. After about 2 weeks, I was about to stop, give in and go back to my commercial toothpaste when I thought twice; funny how even being pregnant you already begin to put your kids needs before your own. I decided for the health of our baby girl, I would suck it up and keep using it at least until I gave birth and then see if I could find another brand. Yellow teeth for the sake of our baby girl, yup I could make do. I mean, I did spend money on it, so I might as well not waste it and put it to good use (lol don’t tell my husband I said that).
Surprise, surprise, after about a month in, I fell in love! I started noticing major improvments in my teeth… not only did they look cleaner (specifically up near the gums) but shiner and I was shocked to find they actually looked WHITER as the package claimed (even whiter than when I was using Crest 3D White Toothpaste). Huh, imagine that. In addition, I learned because their all-natural toothpaste is made of 100% natural certified pure therapeutic grade (CPTG) oils like cinnamon bark, peppermint, wild orange, eucalyptus, and other pure oils it not only cleans your toothbrush every time you brush, but it actually boosts your immune system with the cleansing properties of the oils when they touch your tongue (FACT: your 98.6 degree tongue is a hub for bacteria growth, which is why those who get sick often or have bad breath are encouraged to brush their tongue to keep excess germs and foul odor at bay). Since then, I’ve only noticed my teeth getting whiter and feeling cleaner everyday!
I am learning that with most natural products, there is a “transition” period. It’s almost like your body needs to filter out the synthetic build up in your system and allow time for the natural alternative to take it’s course which typically takes 20-30 days (I definitely remember this when I switched to natural deodorant… those poor, poor yoga students next to me in L.A lol)! Anyway, while that’s my personal experience, I’m a firm believer in well researched facts from legit resources that don’t have a bias. I hope you find the links below under “SOURCES” helpful and most importantly eye opening for the health of you and your own family. I think with the right knowledge mixed with supporting the products that are healthiest for our families and ourselves, we Mommys (& Daddys) have so much power and influence over the market today. As always let me know if you have any questions and I’d love to hear about your own experiences too as we all learn and grow together!
WIN FREE GIVEAWAY! RECEIVE 1 FREE doTERRA 100% NATURAL WHITENING TOOTHPASTE SAMPLE:
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Until next time – Namaste BE.YOU.tiful,
Heath
RECEIVE 25% OFF doTERRA 100% NATURAL PRODUCTS:
To purchase doTERRA 100% Natural Whitening Toothpaste + my other doTERRA health & beauty Must-Have’s CLICK HERE and I will send you a VIP link for 25% OFF!
SOURCES:
http://www.snopes.com/medical/drugs/crest.asp
http://beatthemicrobead.org/images/In%20Press%20Corrected%20Proof%20%20Characterisation%20quantity%20and%20sorptive%20properties%20of%20microplastics%20extracted%20from%20cosmetics.pdf
http://www.courier-journal.com/story/tech/science/environment/2016/01/05/plastic-microbead-ban-change-toothpaste-creams/78262260/
www.pubmed.gov
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27212181
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25006348
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20653974