It’s not just animal testing that you have to look out as many toothpaste can also contain animal ingredients. Many toothpastes list glycerin as an ingredient which, while it can come from vegetable oil, can also be derived from animals. It often appears in the ingredients list simply as ‘glycerin’ and does not say what it is derived from, despite that being important information for both vegetarians and vegans. The UK market value for toothpaste is estimated at about half a billion pounds, and while there are hundreds of toothpaste products easily available the market is dominated by three main companies, Colgate taking by far the largest share. This is largely due to the huge variations in dosage levels that can result from this method. For instance, some people use a small amount of toothpaste whilst others may use a lot. Some people spit out the toothpaste and some swallow it. This applies to adults as well as babies and children. These differences mean that the amount of fluoride received each time the teeth are brushed can vary wildly. On top of that, some people brush their teeth just once a day, whilst others may brush three times or more in a day.

They cited ‘inconsistent standards, questionable enforcement and non-existent deadlines’ as such problems. Not only was the palm oil industry not working to the 2020 deadline set by brands, but it also did not even have a common timeline for delivering a palm oil supply free from deforestation and other social and environmental harms.” The devastating effects the global demand for palm oil is having on our rainforests and the wildlife and people that live there has made it a highly controversial ingredient. It is also commonly found in toothpaste but it is possible to avoid it or choose companies that have better sourcing practices. The controversy over triclosan was inflamed in September 2016 when the US Food and Drug Administration effectively banned a range of antimicrobial agents including triclosan from hand and body washes. The FDA ruled that the evidence submitted by the manufacturers “were not sufficient for the agency to find that these ingredients are Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective”.There are also many possible variations and additions to this basic recipe. Instead of water, coconut oil or virgin olive oil can be used as the base ingredient. Bicarbonate of soda can be complemented or substituted by calcium carbonate (dental grade chalk, although vegetarians and vegans need to ensure that this is not sourced from animal bone) or bentonite clay. The same ingredients without the addition of liquids can form the basis of a tooth powder. The term organic can become a bit vague, especially in cosmetics where you don’t need to certify your product to describe it as organic. Its not uncommon to see products generally described as natural and organic without it being that clear what this means, which can make it confusing for consumers. Oral health and appearance, with its implications for disease, pain, breath odour, and self-confidence, are important consumer concerns. Corporate advertising reinforces these concerns and offers their products as the main solution, side-lining issues such as diet, smoking, genetics and the availability of affordable dental care.

When I started Kingfisher in 1988 I asked the advice of one of the health advisers to the Labour Party. He gave me a lot of reading to do and strongly recommended that we make our toothpaste with fluoride. This we did but after a year or so, when we could afford it, we introduced a fluoride-free alternative. In November 2016, Amnesty International reported serious human rights abuses on the plantations of Wilmar, one of the world’s largest processors and merchandisers of palm oil products. Colgate-Palmolive was said to have been sourcing palm oil from refineries where the palm oil had been directly supplied or, at the very least, had been mixed with palm oil produced on plantations where there were severe labour rights abuses. It has also been commonly used in toothpaste. Concerns over their impact on the environment and on increasing microbial resistance to antibiotics led to calls to remove triclosan from products.

Score table

It’s also worth saying that while Truthpaste’s toothpastes as a whole were not certified, it did provide full ingredients lists with its products and the majority of these were marked as certified organic.

A. Vogel – (A. Vogel only used palm oil in one food product and received a best rating for palm oil sourcing overall) Toothpastes that may contain palm oil but are made by companies with our best rating for palm oil sourcing Colgate-Palmolive, the US company behind Colgate, Sanex and Palmolive, is one of the world’s biggest cosmetics and personal care companies and has recently come under severe criticism for its palm oil sourcing. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ Broadly, the dental profession is almost completely in its favour and recommends the use of fluoride especially by young people. There is a small but vociferous lobby against fluoride and they believe that its use is both unnecessary and motivated by business interests. You can find lots of information about both views on the web.SLS is a foaming agent, that dissolves and disperses dirt, widely used in toothpastes. Its use has been controversial as a number of consumers have voiced concerns over its alleged effects on human health. While the company has made some improvements since we last updated the toothpaste guide such as bringing out a vegan and organic certified toothpaste and removing triclosan from all its products, with a score of 3.5 it still has a long way to go. Alternative toothpaste brands tend to avoid fluoride in their formulations. Why is this? We asked the opinions of three different parties in this recurring debate about whether fluoride should be added to toothpaste. In favour of fluoride: The British Dental Health Foundation