My latest venture has been to incorporate healthier alternatives where toothpaste is concerned. I know most people may think of Tom’s of Maine, but I would not even bother with that one, it is one of those typical examples of a “natural wannabee”, not to mention now owned by Colgate. Thus, I am very excited to add this product to our review section as it took me a quite a while to find one like it, that is a truly, high quality natural toothpaste.
So after a trip a couple of weeks ago to my favorite local health food store and after reading about 10 different “so called natural” toothpastes, I finally discovered one that truly was worthy of the title “natural and healthy”. And if I am going to pay double or triple the price for toothpaste, I want to make sure that it truly is worth it.
The toothpaste is from The Green Beaver Company. I am so impressed with this company that I will be doing a whole article on them in the near future. It is a Canadian based company; started by a married couple whose inspiration for truly natural products was their son. They have a variety of products including natural toothpaste. This review will be about the Cilantro Mint Natural Toothpaste.
This toothpaste may take a little while to get used to for those who have been used to the typically traditional, intensely foaming and mint overkill toothpastes. It is a little runnier than traditional toothpaste, but not to worry it still sits well on a toothbrush. It is not bleach white in color, but a delicate cream color and rightfully so what you would expect from an all natural product.
As for the flavor, this one took me a while to get used to only because of the cilantro flavor. But once I got used to it, I must now admit that I love it! This toothpaste comes in 4 other types of varieties: Frosty Mint, Green Apple, Zesty Orange and Star Anise. My next one in line to try is the Zesty Orange!
In terms of effectiveness, I still get the SAME great clean feeling in my mouth as I used to from the commercial toothpastes. In fact, in the morning, after sleeping, I would even go as far as to say that my mouth feels better in a more sanitized way than when I would use the traditional toothpastes. We’ll see what the dentist says in a few months.
Okay so I saved the best for last – their ingredients! You really cannot top these in terms of their effectiveness and health aspect. And with something that goes into your mouth at least twice a day, I don’t think there needs to be negotiation here, where your health is concerned. Despite the fact that you spit out the product as you brush your teeth there is always some residue or absorption that takes place.
The toothpaste contains NO fluoride, sodium lauryl sulfate (which was very hard to find), artificial flavors or dyes, chemical preservatives, parabens, chemical whiteners or animal products. And the best part also is that it is safe to swallow in case of accidental swallowing and thus is perfect for kids!
Ingredients (All Plant Ingredients Are Italicized)
- Calcium Carbonate (natural mineral whitener)
- Sorbitol
- Aqua (water)
- Glycerin
- Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda)
- Silica (natural mineral whitener)
- Xylitol (natural antibacterial agent)
- Coriandrum sativum (Coriander Oil) (natural breath freshener)
- Mentha piperita (Peppermint Oil) (natural breath freshener)
- Mentha viridis (Spearmint Oil) (natural breath freshener)
- Menthol
- Citrus medica limonum (Lemon Extract) (natural antibacterial agent)
- Calcium Ascorbate (natural preservative)
- Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree Oil) (natural antibacterial agent)
- Sclerotium Gum (natural thickener)
- Coco Glucoside (natural foaming agent)
- Xantham Gum (natural thickener/stabilizer)
Packaging
The toothpaste comes in a typical 75ml tube that comes in a fully recyclable box.
Price (as of this posting)
- $5.99 CAD each at Goodness Me Health Food Stores in Canada
- $5.99 US/CAD each at Aviva
- $4.93 CAD each from Savings, Naturally
- $4.99 CAD each from Health To You
Availability
- Health Food Stores accross Canada (See complete list by province here)
- Online stores for US and Canada (See list here)
The Good
- Excellent natural and safe ingredients
- Vegan friendly
- Safe for kids (if swallowed)
- Contains natural antibacterial ingredients
- Leaves mouth feeling fresh and great for a long time
- Leaves teeth feeling clean
- Nice minty flavor
- Is not tested on animals
The Bad
- A little pricey, but well worth it!
Overall Rating as a Great Natural Product
10 OUT OF 10
About the author:Evita Ochel, B.Sc., B.Ed., CHN - is a certified holistic nutritionist, biologist, educator, writer, researcher and speaker in the areas of health, science and holistic wellness. She is a nutritional science expert and her teaching and writing focus on natural, wholesome, plant-based and organic nutrition to achieve optimal health and longevity. Learn more about Evita Ochel or Follow Evita Ochel on Twitter.
6 Comments to “Review: The Green Beaver Company – Cilantro Mint Natural Toothpaste”
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hi pls send me an email ,thanks for the review
Sounds like a great toothpaste, unfortunately….Evita seems to have neglected one small issue.
Any product containing “baking soda” may contain a heavy amount of aluminum as most baking soda is created in the refining process at alumum plants. Have you looked into this product to find out where they’re obtaining their baking soda Evita? No? Hmmmmm. Also contains Coco Gulcoside (see below, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate).
I would like to request that you do so and contact me after your inquiry. I had been using Toms of Maine (no longer “natural” ingredients, bought out by Colgate) then switched to Trader Joe’s “All Natural” (don’t use it,it contains the chemical Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, similar to Sodium Laural Sulfate primarily used in CAR WASH and DISH WASHING LIQUID).
Is the above mentioned toothpaste really natural?
Hi Bryan
Thank you for your feedback and thorough look at this product. I am grateful for your additional information about baking soda being processed in plants with aluminum, and the only way to find out about this product would be to contact the company.
However my question to you is about the coco glucoside, as in my research I have not found this chemical to have any toxicity or be of any concern. It is not detected in urine or found accumulating in bodily tissues, and there is a difference between it and sodium cocoyl glutamate.
My other question is, do you have a natural toothpaste that you recommend, or are you also seeking for a good alternative?
In the end, for me it comes to finding the best product that I can feel comfortable using without completely alienating myself from all things in society, and having looked into Green Beaver, their products and ingredients, I did not find any cause for concern. Are they perfect? Probably not, but nothing in a bottle these days is. It is simply the most natural toothpaste I have found and am happy and comfortable to use at this point.
I know some people are not happy with it having the sorbitol and xylitol, and you brought out some other concerns as well. So perhaps it is not the right product for everyone, but again based on my research, and knowledge up to this point, this is still my number one choice based on what is on the market today…. until perhaps I find an even more natural option :)
I ended up with 5 cavities this year alone. I brush 4 times a day and floss before I go to bed. About the only thing I have been doing different is using Green Beaver toothpaste. I just read that glycerin coats your teeth with a layer of goop that prevents them from remineralizing. Anyhow, I don`t think I will be using their product any longer unless the make some changes.
Hi Scott
Thank you so much for sharing your experience here.
I so appreciate you sharing this, as different people may react differently to each product. I have been personally using Green Beaver toothpastes myself for over 2 years now, and no cavities, where as in the past, when I was using commercial toothpastes, I would get about a cavity a year, and I only brush 2 times a day.
I completely respect that every product may not work the same for each person, but when it comes to cavities, there are many more things to consider…. diet choices and changes…. drink choices, stress levels, etc…
Plus…. and don’t take this the wrong way…. there are some dentists who are very anti- anything natural and without fluoride….. if they hear we are using such products, I have heard from various people, they get laid on the guilt trip of how much we need fluoride and the like. Technically we ourselves will never know if we have a cavity, unless there is an obvious hole or pain, and cavity filling is a big business of dentists. My sister was told one year (using regular toothpaste) that she had 8 cavities…. well as that is an absurd amount, especially for someone who goes for regular check ups, she went to another dentist for a second opinion and it turned out she had 1.
So I am not putting down your experience in any way or necessarily saying that Green Beaver toothpaste is the ultimate in dental health, just saying that that there are a lot of factors to consider, to make a scientifically sound conclusion.