Vegan, natural, cruelty-free – the buzz-phrases that we all hear about when it comes to our most used products. From beauty products to toiletries, it has become second nature to us to always seek the healthiest options we can, preferably while reducing our carbon footprint.

 

It can be difficult to scan every label you come in contact with to make sure that a product is vegan – especially when so many brands sneak animal-sourced ingredients into their products while making them almost impossible to recognize. Being aware of what’s in everything you’re using, not only ensures you’re keeping your body happy and healthy—it also improves the condition of our planet. And what better place to start than with something you use every single day – your toothpaste?

 

CAN TOOTHPASTE BE NON-VEGAN?

 

When you think about it, toothpaste sounds like a product that is naturally vegan, right? The truth is that a lot of toothpastes are, in fact, not vegan, because of two major issues:

•   They contain animal-derived ingredients.

•   They are tested on animals.

 

 

VEGAN TOOTHPASTES DON’T CONTAIN ANIMAL-SOURCED INGREDIENTS

Intuitively so, one of the main things that make a vegan toothpaste, well – vegan – is that it doesn’t contain any ingredients sourced from animals. The next time you’re shopping for toothpaste, make sure to watch out for any of these three common animal-sourced ingredients:

Glycerin—also known as glycerol—can be found in more products than we realize. What is usually less known, though, is that it can be sourced from vegetable oil or animal fat. That’s why if the company doesn’t disclose which one it is or you can’t find out for yourself by researching its scientific name, it’s probably best to avoid it altogether.

2. Bee Pollen

Commonly confused with honey, which is regurgitated flower nectar, bee pollen is a mixture of bee saliva, nectar, and plant pollen that collects on the hind legs of worker bees. It’s commonly used in shampoos, deodorants, and—that’s right! —toothpastes.

 

3. Propolis

If you’ve never heard of propolis before, you’re definitely not the only one. The tree sap is used by bees in order to seal their beehives, and because it’s typically taken from the beehives, it’s not vegan-friendly.

 

VEGAN TOOTHPASTES ARE NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS

 

Sadly, a lot of popular toothpaste brands test on animals, which automatically makes them not vegan. However difficult it would be to think about, we must realize how inhumane of a process animal testing actually is. It represents a scientific experiment or test in which a live animal is forced to undergo something that is most likely to cause them pain, suffering, distress or everlasting harm.

 

The heartbreaking reality is that animals used in laboratories are deliberately harmed and are usually killed at the end of the experiment.

 

It’s safe to assume that all popular toothpastes you grew up with are not vegan, because of animal ingredients or due to animal testing.

 

WHAT ABOUT FLUORIDE – IS IT VEGAN & SAFE?

 

Fluoride is a mineral that’s naturally found in water, soil, rocks, air, and plants, therefore yes – it’s safe to say that it’s vegan. This mineral is commonly used in dentistry because it stimulates the enamel remineralization process to strengthen your teeth and redeposits minerals, like calcium, back onto your teeth to help prevent tooth decay. It also controls the acid inside your mouth to help resist acid attacks by bacteria and sugar from foods.

 

Besides it being vegan, fluoride is also safe to brush your teeth with – but not to ingest. It’s important to know that toothpaste contains an effective but safe level of fluoride at 1000-1500ppm for children and 1400-1500ppm for adults.

 

IT’S EASY TO CHOOSE A VEGAN, NATURAL & CRUELTY-FREE TOOTHPASTE

 

Now that you know what to look for next time you go toothpaste shopping, it’s quite easy to make the healthiest choice for both yourself and Mother Nature. One such choice could be the Humble Natural Toothpaste, designed by dentists and approved by nature, containing all natural ingredients that will have you smiling bigger and brighter knowing no animals had to suffer for your pearly whites!