A sweeter smile: new pastes and rinses heal gums, freshen breath, and even whiten teeth—all without harsh chemicals

CLEANING YOUR TEETH naturally used to mean sprinkling baking soda on a toothbrush. Now, there's a variety of toothpastes and mouthwashes that are free of sodium lauryl sulfate (a harsh detergent), parabens (a preservative that's been linked to breast cancer), alcohol (which can be drying), and artificial colors and flavors.

Natural products not only dispense with the bad stuff, they frequently adopt beneficial formulas filled with antioxidant vitamins, plant extracts, essential oils, and minerals. "Your mouth is the second most absorptive place in the body--only the intestines are more so--so you should be especially conscious about the ingredients in your dental care," says Colorado-based biological dentist John E. Augspurger, D.D.S.

Flouride is optional: It's been shown to help prevent dental demineralization, yet "using fluoride on teeth that are breaking down is like trying to put out a huge fire with a garden hose," Augspurger says. A better bet is to take good care of your teeth in the first place. Read on for a few favorite ways to put a healthier smile on your face.

Natural Beauty

Jason Healthy Mouth Toothpaste ($5-75; jason-natural.com) contains three whitening ingredients: bamboo powder, calcium carbonate, and silica. Grapefruit seed extract and tea tree oil work as antibacterial agents to fight tooth decay and gum disease, while cinnamon freshens the breath.

Doctor Burt's CinnaMint Toothpaste ($4.50; at drugstores) gently scrubs teeth clean with clay, chalk, and baking soda. Peppermint, spearmint, and cassia oils disinfect the mouth, while parsley oil attacks plaque. Bonus benefit: It's delicious!

Desert Essence Natural Tea Tree Oil Toothpaste in Mint ($6.95; drugstore.com) is made with antiseptic tea tree oil, plaque-fighting baking soda, and mint essential oil to leave your mouth feeling fresh.

Kiss My Face Triple Action Toothpaste ($6; kissmy face.com) promises fresh breath, clean teeth, and healthy gums. It uses menthol and peppermint oil to cool and sweeten the mouth, aloe vera to soothe irritated oral tissues, silica to whiten the teeth, and coenzyme 010 to protect gums.

Tom's Of Maine Natural Anti-Cavity Fluoride Mouthwash ($6.19; tomsofmaine.com) is alcohol-free and contains the antioxidant green tea along with aloe vera juice and chamomile to soothe the mouth--all of which make it ideal for sensitive sorts.

COPYRIGHT 2006 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group