Lately we have been trying different all natural toothpaste. Not as easy as it sounds. There are several on the market. We are even trying our own. Get the latest on this subject!

Everyone wants a bright, beautiful smile right? It is no wonder that toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouth rinses, and flavored dental floss have become a multi-million dollar industry. There are dental care products for designed specifically for children, seniors, and those who have dental health problems. There are toothpastes that are supposed to help soothe gums, whiten teeth, eliminate bad breath, and lessen cold and heat sensitivities. There is usually an entire isle devoted to dental products in the most grocery or drug stores. But does there popularity and accessibility make them the best choice?

A large portion of dental products contain fluoride. Basically fluoride is a mineral that is added to dental products to help prevent tooth decay. This action is based upon observances made in the early 1900s. Residents of the southwestern states were consuming high levels of fluoride in their water supply and despite the fact that the fluoride caused them to have stained yellow and brown teeth; they had an unusually low level of tooth decay. This lead many to believe that fluoride was responsible for preventing decay, despite the fact that other possible factors were not evaluated.

Watching the news this morning I saw a segment on these Girl Scouts Boycott Selling Cookies.

I think it is great that these young girls are taking a stand for what they believe in. But as a Natural Mom and a soapmaker it is making me think.

Palm Oil is a major ingredient for many cold processed soap. I know I haven’t hit much on this topic, but it’s coming promise. I try to buy all natural organic products for my soap making. I buy in quantity to cut down on packaging. I thought I was doing my part.

What I failed to consider is where my ingredients are coming from. I know that some expensive essential oils are expensive because they come from sources that are endangered or hard to grow in an organic method, but I never took into consideration the fixed oils.

Going green and natural is a global effort as well as a household one. Look not just into what you are doing, but where your products come from as well. I am going to do a bit of research on Palm Oil and will get back to you on this product and possible alternatives that are environmentally friendly.

On my visit to the local mega mart this past week, I couldn’t help but notice how everything was turning “green”. I had noticed before I even left that the flyer for that week had contained 6 pages of green products. That impressed me, so I decided to have a closer look.

While I was roaming the isles I noticed the new cleaning product, Green Works by Clorox, sitting proudly next to the traditional cleaners. They also have started offering more Seventh Generation products as well. Remember the good ole days when we had to go to the health food store to find these?

Other traditional lines are starting to offer green products as well. There are now Dishwasher cleaning products that are toted as less harmful to the environment. And new hand dish washing liquids with natural ingredients as well. Laundry detergents offer perfume and dye free options, and I even noticed one with baking soda.

These are great products that I saw at a glance, I didn’t take the time to read the labels to all the products. But this is a must if you are going to be purchasing. I did read the Green Works label and was impressed that I could identify every ingredient that was listed.

Remember even if it says that it is environmentally friendly you need to read the label. Check those ingredients and be sure that you aren’t being pulled into what is becoming a popular trend. Having a bottle on your counter that says you are green is great, actually using all natural products may be a bit different.