should I call 911 if I have ingested toothpaste? All these years I have never really noticed the warning on the box of regular toothpaste.

I was wondering if I would be laughed at if I went to the emergancy room with a concern from eating toothpaste.

I briefly talked with the family this evening about their thoughts but they looked glazey eyed and joked a little saying either its if I eat to much or its no big deal. What? no big deal, it states on the box to go to a doctor if it is ingested.

NO wonder it makes me feel sick when I brush my teeth when I am very raw I notice a reluctance to useing toothpaste.

Sometimes it is frusterateing to begin seeing things I once considered o.k. to use and oftain times I am getting a little angry at being decieved by a business that wants to make money by selling me some toothpaste that really shouldnt be in my mouth but its o.k. to use because perhaps it really won't harm me if I only use a little bit and not swallow it.

This also applies to deodarant with all that aluminum and the cosmetics soap detergants and now I am questinging the clothing I wear or blankets I use.

What is your take on this?? HOw far have you gone in this raw realization? This new awakeing?

hey pampam

i wouldn't spend another second thinking about this issue
just go to any health food store
and u will see PLENTY of non chemical non flouride options for both
toothpastes and deodorants

toothpastes:

vicco
toms of maine ( though just look for the ones that advertise no flouride)
jason's
etc. etc. etc

deodorants;

ORGANICA
and others

the prices aren't bad either
they are comparable to the gross versions

some people use sea salt to brush their teeth
cuz its abrasive
and u can gargle it and get rid of bacteria

some people use lemons as deodorants
or rock ( forget the name of this crystal thing that is shaped like a rock.. help me out)

anyhow... plenty of better options

why spend time worrying or consulting others or thinking of calling 911 over toothpaste and deodorant?

as far as the clothing goes
wash it out with detergents that also do not have chemicals

SEVENTH GENERATION
is a company that sells detergent that is non chemicalized

then u can wash the initial chemicals out of NEW clothing , blankets etc.

yeah, the world is not perfect
and air water and soil is always polluted to some degree

but worrying pollutes your body even further with all the stress hormones

stop worrying and start taking immediate action

and just laugh at how imperfect the world is

I agree with LaV's post but would also like to add that i am trying to buy organic cotton clothes, second hand clothes, clothes not made in sweatshops in the third world etc. etc.

pam,

Even if you aren't raw, I think it's natural to be sensitive to the crap that's in commercial hygiene and cleaning products. I choke and wheeze when I walk by the detergent aisle at the grocery. And I see other people doing it. That ain't right.

I try not to eat anything that isn't organic. I avoid buying anything new to wear that isn't natural, unless it's second-hand--reduce reuse recycle! I don't use cosmetics that are toxic. I make my own moisturizers, face and body scrubs, and use Doc Bronner's for everything else. I make my own cleaning products with baking soda, white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and oregano or grapefruit seed oil. I don't use air fresheners or artificial candles; I use soy wax ones with essential oils, or buy beeswax ones from a monastery or church supplier. Instead of commercial laundry or dishwashing detergent, I buy the mineral detergent from Trader Joe's or Ecover or Seventh Generation. I use rags to clean things and I'll shortly be making my own Swiffer pads from flannel, which is washable and reusable. I use SKOY cloths instead of paper towel, as they're cellulose and washable. I am trying to become a low waste household, so eliminating the junk, which tends to come with way too much packaging, is its own incentive. Problem areas: tissues and toilet paper. Can't find my way around those!

These are all things I transitioned to gradually, as it occurred to me to change this or that. And there's more I could be doing, I'm sure; I have my eye on a Bokashi composter! Here are two websites I've found helpful, especially where personal hygiene and non-toxic cleaning are concerned:

[www.care2.com]

[www.ewg.org]

Unless you swallow a lot of toothpaste--I think they are reckoning what an unsupervised child might squirt into his mouth from the tube--I don't think it'll cause anything life-threatening. If it's a natural one, so much the better!

pampam,

Why not try brushing your teeth with only water for a while, and see how that feels. I've been using only water on my teeth and for cleaning my body and hair for years now.

Another thing is stevia, yes it's a sweetener but it has properties that discourage tooth decay, making a perfect thing to put on toothbrushes for little kids.

Just saw an episode of 'CSI' that a person commited suicide by swallowing two tubes of toothpaste, so I guess it could be dangerous in quantity.
To tell the truth I have been having problems w/ floride toothpastes in general. I too am wanting to change -
I use natural soaps chk out simplesoapworks.com but have never tried the natural toothpastes - etc. Ill have to give them a go.
Bryan - you amaze me - the more I read of your posts - im gonna try using only water tonight before bed. LOL

"If you're not tough it's hard to survive in this world; and if you're not kind then you don't deserve to survive." –Raymond Chandler

I use natural toothpaste (Jason's Vanilla Peppermint - Yum!)
and Crystal deodarant - lasts forever (or so it seems).

Raw changed what I clean my house with, wash my clothes with, wash my body with, etc...

Sunflower
Raw Food Chef and Writer
Comfortably Raw
[www.comfortablyraw.com]

Hi Everyone,

Great posts. I am also looking for alternatives. I just started raw in Jan. so most of my focus has been on buying live foods. I've used lever soap for years & I'm getting really dry skin lately. I don't know if its because of working in a computer room, taking paxil, or a combo of both but it's great to have all these alternatives in 1 place.

Thanks to everyone.........
Joe