Toothpaste and Snoring

My life changed six months ago. John had been working on toothpaste formulations and gave me a sample to try. That night, my husband David and I both used it. I woke up the next morning completely refreshed, and I quickly checked to make sure that David was still breathing. You see, for years, David has jarred the house with bone-rattling snoring. I am sure you think that you have heard snoring before, but his truly would shake the rafters and wake the house. The sounds would hit a crescendo around 3 to 4 a.m. and I was never able to sleep much after this, so you can understand my concern when there was no noise. At first, I hesitated to believe that toothpaste could make that much difference. The next night, I made David try his regular toothpaste, and once again, he roared.

John and I discussed the potential culprit in the regular paste. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is an inexpensive and very effective foaming agent found in most toothpaste formulations. I then began a collection of SLS-free toothpaste. Most were unpleasant, but David no longer snored. We had found the enemy. SLS allergy has been reported in the literature, but I could find little information on an association with snoring. For David, his allergy was severe enough to cause some kind of mucosal swelling that interfered with his breathing. By simply switching to SLS-free toothpaste, the topical exposure to SLS ended and he was able to breathe at night, resulting in a snore-free sleep. Both of us are now well rested!

We began to question the other ingredients in toothpaste, especially as it is something used twice daily at minimum. Toothpaste usually has silica, aluminum or calcium as the base and this is often sourced from China. This was also a cause for concern. John continued to pursue his toothpaste formulation, and I continued to taste test the terrible options that were already available on the market. After much research, the new toothpaste formulation is complete. We use xylitol (Non-GMO) in a concentration high enough to promote dental health. We were able to find a pure calcium base that was actually mined in the United States which we flavored with natural peppermint oil, menthol and tea tree oil. The result is an elegant and tasty all natural toothpaste which passes the David test…no snoring!

While I realize that this toothpaste may not produce the same dramatic results for everyone that I have enjoyed, it is certainly worth trying when dealing with a snoring family member. Having toothpaste with a very clean chemical profile and all natural ingredients helps us all sleep better! The toothpaste will be marketed under the Local Economy label and can be purchased at the pharmacy.

And to say my life changed is no exaggeration….

Healthy living (and a good night of rest) with John Hollis Pharmacy!