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As a periodontist, I am asked on a daily basis what toothpaste, floss and mouth rinse I recommend. My patients are typically surprised when I recommend Tom's of Maine organic oral health products.

Tom's of Maine was founded in 1970 by Tom Chappell and his wife, Kate, on their farm near Kennebunk, Maine. Tom, a 1966 graduate of Trinity College in Connecticut, and Kate, an artist and poet, had moved to Maine from Philadelphia in 1968 after Tom quit his job as a benefits counselor at Aetna. Both were intent on living closer to the land and raising their children in a more natural environment. Tom's of Maine was one of the first green companies on the scene to develop commercial organic toothpaste. Today they have a variety of organic mouth care products on the market.

Tom Chappell, whose deep concern for the environment and his employees' well-being have been key factors in determining the company's path. Tom's products contain no artificial ingredients, are not tested on animals, and are packaged in recycled materials. One unusual byproduct of Tom's of Maine was the decision to "tithe" 5 percent of Tom's of Maine's profits and donate the money to environmental, arts, and human needs causes. This figure soon became 7 percent, and then 10. In addition to public giving, the company also looked after the welfare of its employees, offering them retirement savings and profit-sharing programs, childcare benefits, and parental leave, and even free fruit to eat on the job. Factory workers rotated stations every hour to avoid fatigue and boredom, and all were encouraged to perform volunteer work in the Kennebunk community on company time

In 1995, after a seven-year effort, Tom's became the first natural toothpaste to win the approval of the American Dental Association (ADA), allowing it to put that organization's seal on its products. This was a crucial endorsement, as all of the company's major competitors had long sported the ADA seal, which served to assure consumers that their products were effective. The process had taken far longer than usual because the ADA had no standards for natural products, and also because Tom's did not allow testing on animals, which meant new methods of testing had to be devised and certified. The three most popular flavors, spearmint, cinnamon and fennel, were approved first, and the company continued to seek ADA certification for the rest of its fluoride line. Tom's products contain no artificial ingredients, are not tested on animals, and are packaged in recycled materials. Another very important point to mention is that Tom’s of Maine tests their products for safety without the use of animals.

Organic Mouth Care: Tom's of Maine

Tom's of Maine is one of the better known established organic and environmentally friendly companies on the green scene today. The company first began developing organic mouth care in 1975. Tom's of Maine single natural toothpaste was the spark that lead to the organic creation of several types of natural toothpastes, mouth washes and dental flosses. Today they have developed a total of seventeen organic mouth care products, all which now have expanded distribution through a joint venture with Colgate-Palmolive.

Toothpaste

The Tom's of Maine line of organic toothpaste products contains thirteen different types of pastes. While a few of the pastes focus on general mouth health, there are other pastes that have been created for specific mouth related issues . One Tom's of Maine toothpaste is the Anti-plaque Propolis and Myrrh paste created without fluoride to promote healthy teeth and gums while fighting plaque. They also have developed a paste for sensitive teeth and gums called Sensitive CareSLS-free. The Sensitive Care paste uses a purified form of licorice root as an alternative SLS, which is an ingredient in non organic pastes that can sometimes cause more sensitivity when used over an extended period of time. They also have an organic, all natural toothpaste that does contain fluoride.

Mouthwash

The natural mouthwash line from Tom's of Maine only contains two forms of wash for organic mouth care. The first one is the Natural Cleansing mouthwash that uses witch hazel as an astringent and is alcohol and saccharin free. The second one is the Natural Anti-Cavity mouthwash made from Green Tea, Chamomile, Aloe Vera leaf juice and naturally sourced fluoride.

Dental Floss

The organic dental floss that Tom's of Maine offers is made from nylon filaments that are woven together, making a stronger floss. Currently, they have only two products of the same type but where one floss is rounded the other is straight. Both flosses are coated in a combination of natural waxes to help the nylon slid through the teeth easier and be less abrasive to the gums.



I have always believed that it's what's inside that counts. Tom's hopes you'll apply that same rule to their products. They strive to use naturally sourced, wholesome ingredients that just make you feel right when you choose them.

They are proud of their ingredients and they feel like you deserve to be informed, so they post every ingredient on their website. Every ingredient in their products is posted along with their reason for using it and where it's sourced. Here is the link to a list of their incredients: Click Here

• “Making a Dental Practice Eco-Friendly“
• “Dentists Going Green: Eco-Friendly Dental Offices“
• “4 Simple Ways Dentistry Can Help The Environment“
• “The Environment Impacts Of Dentistry“
• "4 Ways Green Dentistry Can Save Green For A Dental Practice"