Tom’s of Maine toothpastes are branded as natural products, made from natural ingredients and manufactured with minimum processing. The ingredients are said to be naturally sourced.
What’s good about Tom’s of Maine toothpaste?
- One of the greatest benefits about Tom’s of Maine toothpastes is that it is an environment-friendly product. The toothpastes don’t contain any artificial ingredients. They are not tested on animals and have received ADA (American Dental Association) approval without any tests conducted on animals. The manufacturing process ensures that toothpastes are biodegradable.
- Also, the toothpastes come in a variety of flavors and have special flavors such as silly strawberry and outrageous orange-mango for children.
- The toothpastes are flavored with xylitol, a non-cariogenic (does not cause tooth decay) sweetener which has soothing qualities. It is a natural ingredient extracted from birch trees or corn.
- The toothpastes also do not contain any artificial colors, synthetic flavors, artificial fragrances, preservatives, such as EDTA, formaldehyde, parabens, etc, any animal ingredients, ethylene glycol, gluten, parabens, peroxides, phthalates, saccharin and other artificial sweeteners and triclosan. Unlike other toothpastes, they offer a variety of toothpaste which are fluoride free and SLS free but they do have toothpastes that contain both.
- They require their ingredient suppliers to not test on animals, thus creating an animal-friendly and environment-friendly chain of manufacturing.
Problems with Tom’s of Maine Toothpaste
Taste and Flavor: Tom’s of Maine Toothpaste offer a five day flavor test so as to allow customers to adjust to the unique tastes of these products. Most of the customers seem to like the flavors after the initial few days, although some consumers have trouble shifting from the tastes they are used to.
Availability: These products are not widely available all over America. It might be difficult to get the same brand that you are used to from your nearby stores. However, you can buy them online and get great bulk prices.
Price: They are a little more expensive than other common drug store products in the market, although you might reap some benefit if you order in a large quality online.
Leakage of tube: Some of the consumers claim that the toothpaste tubes spring a leak towards the end.
Flouride: To this day, fluoride remains the only ingredient that is recognized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a safe product that prevents teeth cavities. The FDA regulates the levels in which fluoride is included in the toothpastes. One of World Health Organziation (WHO)’s policy is to make available fluoridated toothpaste in developing countries at an affordable price because of its beneficial effect on tooth cavities. If there were any real health concerns regarding fluoride in toothpastes, this policy would not have been in place. Tom’s of Maine, however, does offer fluoride free toothpastes.
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS): Some of their varities of toothpaste contain SLS, although they do offer SLS-free toothpaste also. SLS is widely used in toothpaste brands all over the world, as well as shampoos and other products in order to create foam. There have many claims over the years that SLS is linked to cancer, liver and kidney damage among other things. None of these claims have been substantiated. The American Cancer Society contains a webpage that contains information stating that SLS is a mild irritant but not carcinogens.
There are concerns that Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS) is derived from coconut and palm kernel oil, which is leading to the destruction of rainforests in Malaysia and Indonesia which are inhabited by orangutan and instead these areas are being planted with palm trees so as to increase production of palm oil. Palm tree forests are barren forests and contain 90% less wildlife than rainforests.
Carrageenan: Their toothpaste contain carrageenan, extracted from red seaweed. There have been rumors linking carrageenan to digestive problems as well as immune system suppression. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), administered by Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations FAO and World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that there is no concern for consumer consumption of carrageenan and it is not a health hazard.
Colgate-Palmolive: Tom's of Maine has been bought out by Colgate-Palmolive. The original shareholders retain only 16% of the shares in the new company but the terms of the purchase agreement state that Tom's of Maine policies will not be changed. Colgate-Palmolive does conduct tests on animals. Tom's of Maine website, however, claims that Colgate has committed to more than a million dollars per year towards the development and validation of non-animal testing methods for product safety.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only. It should not be considered as a scientific evaluation of this product. If you are concerned about your dental health, please contact your doctor for advice.
Sources:
World Health Organization (WHO) website
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Sabine A. Reed - Sabine A. Reed is the author of fantasy ebook The Black Orb. She has has her own Writing and Publishing blog.
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