Do Certain Toothpastes Cause Canker Sores?
askthedentist.com
Many toothpastes contain an ingredient called Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS). SLS is a strong detergent and has demonstrated in several studies to increase canker sore outbreaks and pain.

I learned about this many years ago and the difference after I started using only SLS-free toothpaste was night and day. I used to get canker sores any time I would bite the inside of my cheek, hit my gums with the hard parts of my toothbrush, etc., and this completely stopped a while after I switched to SLS-free.

SLS is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, by the way, and it’s a detergent. From what I understand, the only reason why it’s added to toothpaste is to make more foam when you brush. But the SLS-free toothpaste I use makes plenty of foam, so I have no idea why they add it. It’s one of those things about the modern world that makes absolutely no sense. The ads and packaging should say in big letters: “now with even more canker sores!”

Unfortunately, the vast majority of toothpastes on the market (at least in the US) have SLS. I can only seem to find SLS-free toothpaste in natural food/supplement stores. It’s extra difficult to find toothpastes that are SLS-free but that keep fluoride too. The difficulty (and price? I haven’t compared) is completely worth it to me though.

TL;DR: The SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) in most toothpastes is unnecessary and causes canker sores (painful sores in your mouth and gums). If you have this problem, you will likely benefit from SLS-free toothpaste (some still include fluoride) that you can usually find at natural food stores.

  • trainsaresexy@lemmy.world
    1·
    2 days ago

    make more foam when you brush

    I always buy a specific brand toothpaste (turns out it is SLS free) but broke from my routine and bought crest or colgate or something. I use a small amount but I have to empty my mouth of foam midway through brushing. I hate it. Gross.

    I also have a canker sore but have been brushing my teeth more often (with the crest) thinking it would help. I guess not.

    I have another toothpaste (clinipro) which is not foamy enough, I always feel like I’m running out of toothpaste as I’m brushing.

  • Hugucinogens@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    2·
    11 months ago

    You should also know that SLS is banned in the EU, so this post made no sense to me until I went to Google for answers…

    I swear, sometimes it’s hard to fathom the little ways you got it rough over there.

    A Google listicle about “7 banned substances in the EU” or some shit, straight up lied to me.

    SLS (Sodium laurilsulfate) is not banned, not even particularly regulated, in medicinal products, in the EU.

    “The vast majority of SLS use is in oral products (tablets and capsules) where it rarely displays any adverse reactions.”

    It only is “not permitted”, as a food additive in the EU, and there is a 2017 study which argues for its regulation in skin products, because of irritation.

    I was careless on the internet, and the world is more complicated than it seemed at first glance. Story as old as time.

    • SkullHex2@lemmy.mlEnglish
      1·
      11 months ago

      Wut
      italy here, and I’m holding a toothpaste with SLS rn (Elmex Sensitive Professional)

      – Edit
      Same goes for Sensodyne Herbal Fresh
      Funny cuz none of these make much foam, and also I almost never get canker sores

  • UnPassive@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I’ve always thought I was mildly allergic to some brands of toothpaste, wonder if this was related.

    My symptoms were sores in the corners of my mouth/gums - took a couple weeks before they’d show up and the only way to get them to go away was heavy rinsing with water after brushing (which is not recommended because of fluoride mineralization)

    Switched to Tom’s toothpaste (with fluoride) a few years ago and have had 0 issues since

    • xapr@lemmy.sdf.orgOPEnglish
      2·
      10 months ago

      Glad to hear. I used to use Tom’s but unfortunately I couldn’t find the SLS-free flavors locally anymore. I just checked their website and it seems they got rid of most of their SLS-free flavors.

      Also, unfortunately, the brand I had been using, Jason, seems to be dropping most of their toothpastes. It took me a while to find a new, clean brand to use, but I think I finally found it: Burt’s Bees. It seems to be one of the cleanest toothpastes I’ve ever seen, according to https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ and it’s available at my local Target stores!

  • thrawn@lemmy.world
    0·
    11 months ago

    I hate these sores with a passion. You can fix them instantly with Oralmedic from the internet (possibly currently undergoing supply chain issues but that is temporary). It is agonizing— you are cauterizing the sore— but provides immediate and permanent relief. You can also get a laser for it, which does not hurt but is way higher effort and costs a ton more. I am passionate about my sore hatred so I have done this.

    If you don’t want to do either, Canker Shield is available on Amazon and reduces sore lifespan to around 24-48hr. Also painful to use but nothing is as bad as Oralmedic or debacterol. Combine that with supplements (not one size fits all, lysine seems to have high success rate though) and you can deal with these while away from home.

    Anyway this tip actually reminded me to check my travel toothpastes which naturally do have SLS. So thank you. I had noticed an uptick to a sore every couple months since Covid “ended” but that cause slipped my mind