Why do I have a mini-meltdown when I buy toothpaste?

I’m not a fan of shopping for toothpaste. It’s a necessary evil. For whatever reason, I have the least amount of patience for reading ingredients lists when it comes to what I brush my teeth with. Maybe it’s because there are so very few options out there that are glycerin free.

Before I avoided glycerin like the plague, my gums bled every time I brushed my teeth. When I mentioned it to my dentist, they suggested I switch to a less harsh brand. That helped a little, but there was still always some blood. I accepted that as a fact of life for years.

Once I switched to a glycerin free toothpaste- no more blood. It’s so nice to not spit out red when I brush my teeth. For quite a while now I’ve been using Arm & Hammer Advance White Extreme Whitening toothpaste. I didn’t really want or need a whitening toothpaste, but it was the first one I found that was glycerin free after reading what felt like every damn tube of toothpaste in Target. I’ve been very happy with it as a conventional mass market toothpaste.

For a more natural/organic toothpaste, I was unable to find anything in stores locally. Every single natural toothpaste I looked at in my local health food store had glycerin in it. However, based on a friend’s recommendation on Instagram, I found Fat and The Moon’s Anise & Clove Tooth Cleanse. I’ve really been enjoying it. I also use their Tooth Polish once a week to help whiten my teeth after all the tea I drink.

I did try LUSH’s Tooth Fairy Tooth Powder because I was looking for a non-liquid toothpaste for travel, especially via airplane. While it worked just fine, I really did not like the taste of it in my mouth. I’m thinking about trying one of their Toothy Tabs. The Miles of Smiles one sounds like something I would like.

Have you found a glycerin free toothpaste that you love?