Part of my New Year’s brainstorming was changing to a toothpaste that’s not tested on animals. I don’t know why I waited so long, except that I wasn’t sure what exactly I should be looking for. But I finally broke down and did some research, and ended up switching to Tom’s of Maine Fluoride Toothpaste—which Mike suggested in the first place! Why?

• No animal testing or animal products. Our old toothpaste, Crest, definitely conducts animal testing. Tom’s is owned by Colgate, which does test on animals, but Tom’s doesn’t. While I don’t want to support irresponsible companies, I think it’s important to support the branches of them that are responsible, so larger companies recognize that it can be profitable and will change their ways.
• Fluoride. I don’t intend to lose any teeth over this. According to Consumer Search, Tom’s is the only “natural” toothpaste with fluoride. And even people who are against fluoridation of drinking water, like the Environmental Working Group, support fluoride in toothpaste.
• No triclosan. Triclosan is used in antibacterial soaps, as well as some toothpastes, and it may be an endocrine disruptor, like BPA. It is also shown to bioaccumulate and is often found in waterways. The FDA is currently reviewing it.

Tom’s does contain sodium lauryl sulfate, which some people worry may cause cancer. But the American Cancer Society disagrees. It’s just a detergent that might be irritating to skin. Avoiding it isn’t a top priority.

So the end result for me is that I have a toothpaste that tastes a little less sweet, but I got used to that after two brushes. I know all the ingredients in it, and I can feel good that it’s not tested on animals. And it’s ADA approved. Why didn’t I do this years ago?