I recently picked up a bottle of Eco-Dent toothpowder, and so far I like it. I bought it at the same time I bought my Eco-Dent dental floss, but I only started using it during my vacation to northern California. (Eco-Dent also makes some gel formulations which I’ll probably try at a later date.)

Eco-Dent claims that this toothpowder will harden and strengthen your dental enamel as effectively as fluoride toothpastes, but without harmful fluoride additives. It will leave your mouth and breath clean and fresh, your teeth polished and smooth, and actually be less abrasive than brushing with just water. It contains no water or glycerine — which is what makes up half the weight of pastes and gels, so its tiny 2oz bottle can contain up to 200 brushings, which makes it extremely economical. Also because of its lack of fillers, it produces less environmentally-polluting packaging waste. It contains myrrh to “support the gums.” It comes in Mint, Cinnamon, Anise, and Lemon-Lime flavors. It also comes in some specialty formulations — Res-Q-Dent for sensitive teeth, Tartarguard, and ExtraBrite for teeth-whitening. I couldn’t find any mention of whether or not Eco-Dent tooth powder is vegan or not, but Eco-Dent dental floss and dental gum are both vegan. Eco-Dent tooth powder does not appear to be organic, but it is 100% natural.

I picked the ExtraBrite toothpowder, which contains peroxide to whiten teeth (you’re only supposed to use it for 2-3 weeks at a time, and then switch to nonwhitening toothpaste). The toothpowder is fantastic for travel — it takes up less space and weighs less than an equivalent tube of toothpaste that is filled with water and fillers. Also, since it’s not a liquid, it can’t leak all over your suitcase, which is nice. Also I really like how cheap it is — 200 brushings out of a $7.48 bottle? So much cheaper than normal toothpaste. I didn’t have any trouble using the toothpowder — I just flipped open the lid, poured a little powder in the palm of my hand, dipped my toothbrush into it, and brushed my teeth. The only odd thing about it, I found, was that the taste, while not unpleasant, was very . . . sour. It’s just not what I expect toothpaste to taste like. I suppose that might be from the peroxide? After a while I got over it, but I let a friend of mine try it, and he said it just did not taste “right,” and he certainly wouldn’t use it again. He really likes the chemical additive flavor of most toothpastes, I guess. Unfortunately, my teeth don’t seem that much whiter, but I only used it for a week and a half — maybe it just didn’t have enough time to work?

Eco-Dent ExtraBrite Toothpowder is available for $5.44 (2oz) from Amazon.com.

Ingredients: Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda), Tartaric Acid, Calcium Carbonate, DicalciumPhosphate, Magnesium Carbonate, Calcium Peroxide, Sea Salt, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (Coconut Derived), Hydrated Silica, Natural Flavoring Oils, Guar Gum, Myrrh Extract. 100% CRUELTY-FREE, NO DYES OR SWEETENERS. 100% NATURAL INGREDIENTS.

There are three cruelty-free companies that make dental floss — Dr. Kens, Tom’s of Maine (cruelty-free, but owned by larger company that is not cruelty-free), and Eco-Dent.

I decided to try some Eco-Dent dental floss (but when I run out I’ll try Dr. Ken’s). According to the Eco-Dent website, Eco-Dent makes a range of “premium natural oral care products” — toothpaste, toothpaste for sensitive teeth, tooth powder, whitening tooth powder, mouthwash, dental floss, toothbrushes, and dental gum. I haven’t looked for Eco-Dent products in my local stores (I just ordered the dental floss online), but the Eco-Dent website states that Eco-Dent products are carried in many local natural stores, which is nice.

Eco-Dent GentleFloss is “100% vegan” (though not vegan certified, to my knowledge), and contains no mineral waxes (it uses a completely vegan wax made from rice bran, which Eco-Dent claims is lighter, smoother, and helps the floss glide between teeth better). However, the floss is not organic, and not all-natural — it uses nylon filament, which is not natural, as a base. Eco-Dent explains that this is because the alternative, silk, would be worse because it would require chemical sterilization, might have to be bought from companies that may use child labor, and is not vegan. Each box of GentleFloss contains 100 yards of floss, which is 300% more floss than most dental floss packages (a smaller 40 yards travel size is also available), and each box is manufactured from a water-resistant coated-with-wax paper that is both recyclable and biodegradable.

So far, I have to say, Eco-Dent GentleFloss is great dental floss. Not only is it a bargain, but it glides through my teeth fairly well, it ’s strong, it doesn’t fragment on my teeth, and it has a nice minty flavor.

Eco-Dent GentleFloss is available for $3.79 from Amazon.

Ingredients: 100% Vegan-Waxed Floss impregnated with Natural Menthol & Anethole, Oils of Peppermint, Lemon, Orange, Fennel, Anise, Geranium, Bergamont, Basil, Lavender, Rosemary and Rose, and a naturally derived Enzyme System (water, potassium thiocyanate, lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, glucose oxidase).