What inspired you to create Davids Toothpaste?
One evening I was looking at a tube of toothpaste, and was curious about the list of funny names included in the ingredient list, so started Google searching....it didn't take long to figure out that a lot of the ingredients were not great for you and controversial, so in that moment the idea of creating a better toothpaste was born. As I began diving deeper into studying the ingredients, it became a full blown obsession to personally formulate the highest quality natural toothpaste available, so I ended up spending 1000's of hours of research and development over a three year period before launching in 2015.
Why was it so important to you to source your ingredients from the U.S?
While I was doing the R&D on the formulation, I discovered, that so many of the ingredients being offered from the top distributors and manufacturers that supply ingredients to the toothpaste industry were from China, Malaysia, India, etc. because of the lower cost. In my previous life, I really made an effort to buy Made in USA items to support the US worker, and for the higher quality that typically came with these items, so applied this same ethos to sourcing our ingredients. And when you take the very best US ingredients, and mix them together, you actually end up with a premium product that stands out amongst the competition.
Toothpaste seems to be one area where people are hesitant to switch over to naturals. Why do you think that is and what would you say to people who think natural toothpaste doesn’t work?
We have had so many of our customers tell us that they've tried many of the natural toothpastes trying to find a healthier option, and have had a hard time finding one that seemed to work as well as the conventional toothpaste they had been using....until they tried Davids. It really comes down to the ultra premium ingredients used in Davids that allows our toothpaste to function at a higher level. In my opinion, Davids is really the first high performance natural toothpaste that actually outperforms many mainstream toothpastes. This is why so many people that try Davids toothpaste get hooked and come back for their 2nd, 3rd and 20th tube.
What are your thoughts on fluoride?
Fluoride is a strong chemical designed to do one main thing.....harden the enamel on your teeth. We all get some plaque that can build up on our teeth, and it's the bacteria in the plaque that works to eat though the enamel, and this is what causes cavities. Since plaque is what causes cavities, the number one thing you can do to prevent cavities is to stop plaque formation, and Davids is an antiplaque formulation. The premium mint oil we use not only gives fresh breath, but is also designed to kill the bacteria in your mouth that forms plaque. The baking soda also works to kill the bacteria that forms plaque. The xylitol is a natural sweetener, but also works to kill the bacteria that forms plaque, so a number of things work together to stop the plaque from forming. Davids also uses ultra fine micro abrasives to polish the surface stains for natural whitening, but these also work to remove the biofilm that forms plaque. A lot goes into making Davids an effective toothpaste without the use of fluoride.
What about sulfates?
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is one of the most common ingredients in conventional toothpaste. If you look on your shampoo bottle, most mainstream shampoo has SLS as the top ingredient...it's basically liquid soap....it's the ingredient used in toothpaste to make it foam up in your mouth. SLS is also the ingredient that creates the burning sensation when brushing with conventional toothpaste. The sulfates are harsh and for many people cause mouth sores to develop, so many people are forced to look for a Sulfate Free (SLS free) toothpaste to avoid these mouth sores. With Davids, we use a more natural alternative to SLS, which is derived from coconut oil. With Davids, there is a more mild foaming action, and you will not feel that same burning sensation. As a side note...You know that weird taste you get when drinking orange juice after brushing?....that's the sulfates interacting with the citric acid in the OJ. You don't get that when brushing with Davids.
What is xylitol and why did you choose to include it in your products?
Xylitol is a natural sweetener and it's included for two main reasons. Firstly it helps sweeten up the mint oil to create the sweeter (not overly sweet) mint flavor that consumers prefer, but most importantly, xylitol is included in our toothpaste to help kill the bacteria that forms plaque. Xylitol has also been shown to stimulate our natural saliva production, and our natural saliva helps remineralize the enamel on our teeth, so it is a critically important functional ingredient in our toothpaste. There are two primary types of xylitol... a lower grade made from beets, however, we use what's considered a more premium xylitol, which is made from the sap of birch trees....birch xylitol.
Talk to us about your packaging and how sustainability ties into Davids?
Over 1 billion plastic tubes end up in US landfills each year and we wanted to do better, which is what prompted us to look for alternatives. We landed on the recyclable metal tube for its sustainability and also for its chic aesthetic. Also, the paperboard packaging we use is FSC Certified, meaning the paper pulp is certified as coming from forests that are responsibly managed, so sustainability is a big part of our ethos.
How important is mouthwash?
Mouthwash is great to use to quickly refreshen your mouth, but not really needed if you have a good toothpaste that adequately cleans and freshens at the same time.
What other advice do you have for optimal dental care?
Many do not brush long enough, so really just make sure to follow the old rule of making sure to brush the full two minutes, and brush after every meal. In Japan the schools train children to brush their teeth, and there is a time during school where all the children stop to brush. We would be wise to break the US tradition of not brushing after lunch. With the new Davids travel size coming out, think of it as a portable Davids that you can now carry in your purse, and start a new habit of brushing after each meal.
Anything else you would like to share?
A lot of people ask why our toothpaste is named Davids, since my name is Eric.....my middle name is David and didn't like how Eric's toothpaste sounded, so went with my middle name, plus it's Davids vs. "Goliaths" of the toothpaste industry, so it works that way too!
