Does brushing your teeth actually spread gum disease?

Vermont Soap didn’t start out intending to formulate oral care products. After all the name on the building says Vermont Soap; not Vermont Tooth and Gum. It’s just that conventional oral care pastes and gels are COMPLETELY USELESS for pushing back on gum disease. Conventional tooth products might be terrific for fighting cavities. But when it comes to gum care, every oral care paste and gel we tried came back with a failing grade.

Does brushing your teeth actually spread gum disease? The answer is…Maybe. Most toothpaste is held together with sodium lauryl sulfate, one of the main foaming chemicals of our civilization. One of the many properties of SLS is to increase skin permeability almost 100x. That’s 100x – not 100%!

We only have a thin layer of cells protecting the dentin portion of our teeth just below the gum line. Is it wise to increase gum permeability so dramatically in such a vulnerable zone? This is like deliberately reducing the effectiveness of a Kevlar vest when its job description is to stop bullets!

No wonder gum disease (periodontal disease) officially effects half the US population over the age of 30 (source: CDC).

In order to push back on this plague we need to begin by not reinfecting ourselves every time we brush our teeth. There are literally a trillion (plus or minus) germs crawling around on your toothbrush right now. A trillion germs on YOUR toothbrush. Right now!

Shameless plug: Vermont Soap invented the first spray-on toothbrush cleaner. Made from a special blend of organic ethanol and real essential oils; we originally marketed this as Toothbrush Sanitizer. Surface sanitizer rules have evolved over time, and we now call our product Organic Toothbrush Cleaner. Organic Toothbrush Cleaner effectively freshens your toothbrush, keeps your bristles and brush clean and helps to remove germs through the powerful cleaning power of alcohol combined with pure essential oils.

Confidence begins with a bright smile and fresh breath. Stop reinfecting your gums with the same germs you work so hard to remove. Use Vermont Soap Toothbrush Cleaner (contains no soap) after every use. For best results use with Vermont Soap Toothsalt, Original and Neem. I like to alternate them every few days. Original whitens teeth better, and Neem works better to help fix bad breath and gums. Take your pick or use just them both. Like all Vermont Soap products they are relatively inexpensive and often on sale.

I also wash my dental kit using Vermont Soap Foaming Hand Soap. If you’ve already discovered this amazing product you have one in your bathroom already. Just squirt some onto the head and rub it into the bristles. Be sure to work the soap down onto the handle as well. Rinse with hot water, and follow up with Organic Toothbrush Cleaner. It’s a powerful 1-2 punch which, combined with Toothsalt use twice a day will help preserve that winning smile. Natural Perfection!