What Are Toothpaste Tablets?
Recycling bathroom staples like floss, toothbrushes, and Q-tips is now a need of the hour. The market has finally caught up and has introduced products such as reusable makeup removing pads to reef-safe SPFs. Being eco-conscious is now mainstream and has upsurged a demand for "low waste" personal care products.
One such item leading the helm of low waste personal care products is "toothpaste tablets" or chewable toothpaste tablets. These tablets are housed in reusable jars and claim to clean your teeth just as a regular paste. But are they worth the hype? We're highlighting everything you need to know about these chiclet-sized tabs and how you can maintain a sustainable smile.
What is Better Toothpaste Tablets or Powder?
Technically speaking, toothpaste tablets are not tooth "paste" at all. It's just the toothpaste formula made without water and pressed into a pill-like form. The powder is consists of ingredients like:
- Xylitol – a natural sweetener that fights off oral bacteria.
- Calcium Carbonate – a compound found in limestone and shells of snails.
- Sodium Bicarbonate – standard baking soda.
- Cream of Tartar – made from tartaric acid used alternatively to household bleach. (Do not confuse this with seafood sauce!)
- Essential oils - Might also contain essential oils to help freshen your breath.
The ingredients are very similar to traditional toothpaste, just without water that creates a creamy texture and preservatives like sodium benzoate or parabens. The lack of water means it doesn't need preservatives to fight off bacteria or fungi that are likely to develop in the presence of water.
How to Use Toothpaste Tablets?
To use a toothpaste tablet, pop one in your mouth and chew. Let your saliva help break the tablet down into a paste. A swig of water won’t hurt either. Once pasty, wet your brush and brush your teeth as normal.
Toothpaste Tablet With Fluoride or Not Fluoride?
Both tube toothpaste and toothpaste tablets are available in fluoride-free or fluoride-containing options. Surprisingly, most toothpaste tablets go fluoride-free. But T-brush offers four exciting flavors of vegan toothpaste tablets with fluoride and without.
Fluoride is known to be a cavity and decay buster and enamel strengthener. Yes, high amounts of fluoride can be toxic, but the amount in a single toothpaste tablet is not likely to poison you. On the contrary, exposure to small amounts of fluoride for dental health is recommended. In addition, fluoride plays a crucial role in the remineralization of your teeth.
Some people still choose to go fluoride-free. Many children (under the age of six) are prone to fluoride toxicity. Hence most children’s toothpaste is fluoride-free. Tbrush.co.uk provides an option for both, and its 100% vegan formula and recyclable packaging make it highly eco-friendly and zero-waste.
Going fluoride-free will require you to maintain your oral health and bring changes in your habits. These include:
- consuming a diet low in sugar and acid
- staying hydrated to maintain the balance of your saliva
- and obviously, brushing regularly with flossing