Bubble & Bee Alkalizing Toothpaste LEMON

Organic vegetable glycerin 

Proudly chosen for its bacteriostatic and anti-cariogenic properties. Known to stop the growth of the bacteria that cause cavities. (More info here) It also makes the toothpaste a paste; without glycerin, the product would just be a hard chunk of soap. Our glycerin is palm-free, gluten-free, produced without hexane, non-GMO, organic, and USP grade. 

Saponified organic coconut oil

AKA coconut oil soap, this is the powerhouse of the toothpaste. This is what gives the toothpaste a mild lather, lifts debris from teeth, and gives the toothpaste its alkalinity. In an alkaline state, the mouth has a chance to naturally remineralize. If your mouth is below 5.5 pH (acidic) the calcium and phosphorous in your enamel start to dissolve in your saliva, leading to acid wear and promoting bacterial growth.(Source) But when your mouth’s in an alkaline state, the calcium and phosphorus ions in your saliva are able to bind to the hydroxyapatite in your teeth. You *can* remineralize without the help of nanoparticles and fluoride. Alkalinity is the key.  

Calcium carbonate

We use a small amount of naturally-sourced calcium carbonate to help clean and polish teeth. Calcium carbonate also assists in alkalizing the oral environment, and can increase the levels of calcium in the saliva. (Source)

Organic lemon essential oil

Wait, isn't lemon acidic? The juice is, but the essential oil isn't! Only water-soluble compounds can have a pH. Lemon essential oil has actually been found to aid in the remineralization process (source) and has been studied for its antibacterial and antioxidant properties. (source)

Organic stevia

Whole-leaf extract, no chemical solvents or additives. With this toothpaste being soap-based, we needed something to keep it from *tasting* like soap. After reviewing and testing all non-cariogenic natural sweeteners (like xylitol and erythritol) we felt confident in our choice for organic stevia. No digestive side effects (like some sugar alcohols) and no worries about furry friends getting sick. But not just that, stevia has been shown to have anti-plaque properties. (Source) We also love all the studies that have found it to have antioxidant properties, so you can feel safe you’re using only clean and healthy ingredients. (Source)(Source) 

And that’s it! That’s all the ingredients. No “featured ingredients” in a big font, then a hidden menu with the full ingredients in fine print that reads like a chemical catalog. This is it! 

Full Ingredients List: organic vegetable glycerin, saponified organic coconut oil, calcium carbonate, organic lemon essential oil, organic stevia. 

Comes in low-waste packaging! Glass jar with recyclable metal lid. Sealed with a biodegradable sticker. Add on an optional bamboo scoop for handy use. Bamboo scoop found here.

If you're sharing a jar with other family members, you can use a scoop to apply your toothpaste to your toothbrush. If it's your own jar, you can just dip your toothbrush right in. Apply a half a pea-sized amount to a wet toothbrush. You don't need a huge ribbon, a little goes a long way. Brush teeth thoroughly. Toothpaste is low-foaming so you won’t get a mouthful of bubbles, but you will get some. Rinse and spit, repeat if desired. Scoop sold separately.

YES! Tooth sensitivity can have its roots, no pun intended, in several things. Using a toothpaste with too much abrasiveness, acid wear, over-brushing, and using a toothbrush with a higher abrasiveness factor. (Those toothbrushes with the rubbery bristles are a big cause of tooth sensitivity, from personal experience. I got rid of those brushes and got rid of most of my sensitivity.) Keeping your mouth in an alkaline state opens the door to remineralization. Calcium and phosphorous in your saliva have the chance to bind to and thicken and heal your enamel when the mouth is in an alkaline state. When the pH drops below 5.5, the pathways change and calcium starts to dissolve in your saliva from your teeth. Keeping your mouth alkaline is essential to reducing sensitivity and building your enamel. (Source)(Source)

Keeping the mouth in an alkaline state is the key to natural remineralization. However, if you're taking medications that deplete calcium, have a medical condition where calcium or other electrolytes are imbalanced, are nutrient deficient, or have certain genetic factors that would lower the calcium and phosphorous in your saliva, you may need to artificially remineralize/strengthen your teeth through certain dental treatments such as fluoride or hydroxyapatite. These treatments should be considered medical treatments; talk to your doctor or dentist about what options are right for you and weigh the benefits vs. the risks. If your body is properly nourished and healthy, and your mouth is kept in an alkaline state for the majority of the time, the ions in your saliva should be enough to keep your teeth healthy without the need for artificial remineralization.

No! And yes! Let me explain. 

There are two causes for teeth yellowing: staining and enamel wear. 

Staining is self-explanatory. Pigments from foods stick to the enamel and cause discoloration. Enamel wear can also cause yellowing. The dentin (the layer under the enamel) is yellow, so if your enamel is thin, the dentin will be more visible, causing a yellow appearance to your teeth.

Whitening toothpastes work in various ways. 

Some whitening toothpastes contain a chemical called blue covarine. Blue corvarine is a pigment that adheres to the surface of the tooth; the blue hues cancel out the yellow in the tooth, giving them a whiter appearance. Obviously we don't use blue covarine because it's a synthetic chemical, and that's not what we're about.

Other whitening toothpastes might contain hydrogen peroxide, which bleaches the enamel of the tooth. H202 is able to “bleach” the enamel through the formation of superoxide anions (O2- ions). Researchers have recently found that these superoxide anions can reach inside the tooth and get in to the pulp. Here, they have been found to kill a special type of cell called odontoblasts–-the cells in the pulp responsible for creating dentin. Without odontoblasts, the tooth can’t repair itself and is at a higher risk for decay and sensitivity. While a one-time treatment with H2O2 may not have a big effect, as the cells are able to replenish themselves, using hydrogen peroxide on a daily basis is suspected to cause a constant barrage of damage to odontoblasts and may affect dental health negatively. Even low concentrations have now been shown to permeate the enamel and dentin, affecting the pulp of the tooth. (more info on this here) Hydrogen peroxide is actually allowed in a certified organic product, and we could probably make more money by selling a "whitening" toothpaste, but we wouldn't feel good about it. Using an ingredient that makes teeth "appear" healthy but damaging the tooth on a cellular level is contrary to our mission. 

The third way that "whitening" toothpastes work is by having a high abrasiveness factor. The abrasiveness tackles surface stains on teeth to whiten them. However, this high abrasive factor isn't healthy for daily use, as once the surface stains are removed, the abrasive particles start to scrape the tooth's enamel. Think of it like sandpaper on your teeth. At first it'll work to whiten teeth, but as your enamel wears down, the dentin will start to show through, leading to more yellowing on top of sensitivity that may not be able to be reversed naturally. Charcoal toothpastes fall into this category, being highly abrasive. (Source)(Source) Our toothpaste is a LOW abrasive toothpaste, formulated for daily use with the health of your teeth in mind, so it will not attack surface stains (and your enamel) the same that a "whitening" toothpaste would. 

Our toothpaste doesn't contain any of these damaging "whitening" treatments. We believe that a toothpaste should be formulated with the health of teeth and oral mucosa in mind, first and foremost. A toothpaste should be healthy and safe for daily use.

That being said, over time, if you're continually alkalizing your mouth and are able to repair and replenish your enamel, the enamel can thicken and whiten over time if your yellowing is caused by enamel wear exposing the yellow color of the dentin. So, in that way, it can function as a "whitening" toothpaste. 

Our toothpaste is:

• Corn-free
• Gluten-free
• Vegan
• Palm-free
• Soy-free

If you have any other allergy or sensitivity concerns, please contact us and we'll be happy to help! 

We recommend our summer shipping with this item, as it can melt in transit.

Separation will occur, but the product is still totally usable either way. Texture can harden or separate over time. This doesn't affect the effectiveness of the toothpaste. In humid climates, the glycerin might absorb some of the moisture from the air, leading to product "sweating." This will not affect how the toothpaste works. Store it tightly capped to avoid this.

 [Information provided for educational purposes only. This product is not a drug and cannot prevent or treat any medical conditions.]