Over the last few years, we've made many changes in our home to avoid potentially dangerous chemicals. One of the substances we've recently axed is fluoride; long story short, research appears mixed regarding its safety and whether or not it's actually beneficial for dental health (especially for people who don't eat a lot of sugar and processed foods). We'd been using a natural, fluoride-free toothpaste for several months when I got the opportunity to review an alternative oral care product called OraMD (from Trusted Health Products). Consisting of 100% botanical oils, this single product is designed to replace toothpaste, mouth wash and breath fresheners all at once. I was certainly intrigued and eager to give it a whirl!
Product Information (abridged):
OraMD is the revolutionary, 100% pure and natural liquid toothpaste, mouthwash and breath freshener with ingredients that kill the 22 harmful bacteria that lead to gum disease and other oral health problems.
- Pure Ingredients - 100% Natural Almond, Spearmint and Peppermint Oils
- Ingredients help create a healthy environment in your mouth
- Has interdental access, so it gets in between your teeth and those hard-to-clean areas
- Leaves a fresh and clean feeling unlike anything you've ever experienced
- Safe and effective for everyone ages 3 and up
- Safe for braces, veneers, bonds, crowns, fillings and dentures
- Also available in Extra Strength, a more advanced formula
- Convenient to carry in your pocket or purse, and can be used anytime to keep your mouth fresh and clean
- Manufactured in the USA by Trusted Health Products
- Vegan
- Not tested on animals
- One bottle lasts a month using our 4 step process (2 drops per application)
- Using the OraMD Oral Hygiene Program could prevent expensive oral care costs in the future
OraMD 5 Step Oral Hygiene Program
Step 1 – Brush twice a day in the morning and evening using 2-5 drops of OraMD on a toothbrush and brush normally. Do not swallow.
Step 2 – Floss every evening before brushing – more frequently as needed. Get any food particles out from between teeth.
Step 3 – Use OraMD as mouthwash twice a day: morning and evening. Just put 2-5 drops into an ounce of water, swish and gargle. This is important to kill the bacteria in the entire mouth including the back of tongue.
Step 4 – Mid-morning, mid-afternoon and as needed: put 1-3 drops on the tip of the tongue to coat the gum line and teeth to kill bacteria and keep breath fresh. Care Instructions: Avoid Eye Contact, Do not swallow, Do not use while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Step 5 – Follow the oral hygiene instructions provided by your dentist and hygienist, and have regular dental cleanings and checkups.
More information, including FAQs, can be found on the product's website.
My Review:
I was sent two bottles of regular-strength OraMD to review.
Now, I should probably start out by admitting that I goofed up. I'd gone ahead and merrily brushed using the product a few times when my husband asked, "Are you sure it's OK to use while you're nursing?" Good question, and answered right above in the product info - which I obviously didn't read thoroughly enough initially! (Apparently it's recommended against due to the potential of allergies, and further research of my own also suggested that peppermint and spearmint oils can reduce milk production, which, of course, I want to avoid as well.) That said, the bright side of my blunder is that it allowed me to share a few immediate thoughts on the product:
- Whew, this stuff is potent! It has a strong, somewhat medicinal taste and creates a tingling (borderline burning) sensation in the mouth. But I don't mind this as I feel it's an indication that the product's doing what it's supposed to - obliterating bacteria. That said, I do feel it's too harsh for a young child (even though the product info states OK for 3+ years), when used as recommended. Perhaps it could be diluted in water to lessen the potency in this case.
- On a related note, I was amazed by how fresh my breath felt after brushing! The first time I tried it, I was so blown away that I scampered out of the bathroom and inundated my hubby's face with a long exhale in order to solicit his agreement. (He complied. :)
- I think it may also help clear sinuses! I was pretty gobbed up with some sort of respiratory bug when I first tried it, and had quite the productive "nasal expulsion" shortly thereafter.
- Even after just a few uses, my gums struck me as slightly pinker and healthier.
- The liquid format of OraMD makes it easy to tell which teeth are clean and which still need brushing. Definitely a benefit over traditional pastes which obscure this. The format is also less messy (no more toothpaste smears on the counter!) and eliminates the need to wrestle with the remains of a 98% empty tube. However, getting the desired number of drops on the small surface of a toothbrush can be a bit tricky; you need to hold the bottle straight upside down or the drops can drip off to the side.
I got my husband to try it too, and he agreed to use it longer term which'll allow me to update this review in several weeks to comment on how it's going for him. So far, he primarily agrees with my own early experiences above, and also noted the following:
- With "regular" toothpaste, drinking juice immediately afterwards tastes disgusting. Not with OraMD!
- Regarding the application issue, a dropper applicator would probably make things easier. (Good thinking, Hubs!)
Overall, I really wish I could continue using the product at this point myself. It was disheartening having to go back to my previous paste and note how less clean and fresh my mouth felt compared to OraMD. I really do feel this product does a stellar job at eliminating bacteria, which is the primary culprit of many/most oral hygiene problems.
The above said, one thing I thought it was important to investigate further was how appropriate the product is for long-term use. A few concerns were cited in prior reviews regarding its potency - that it can "melt toothbrushes" and potentially obscure absesses. This, in conjunction with the fact that the tingling sensation reduces each time you use the product, led me to wonder if the combination of strong botanicals could possibly deaden nerves in the mouth. I asked my PR contact about this and he said he doesn't believe there is any validity to the obscured absess claims, and that the reduction in tingling is due to the lessening of bacteria to act on each time. I also found a few very positive Amazon reviews from people who claim to have been using the product for several (plus) years. Third, during my dental cleaning the other day I asked my hygienist for her thoughts. She, herself, is a supporter of fluoride usage as she has seen an increased incidence of cavities in her fluoride-free patients, however she also admitted that, on the flipside, these folks tend to have very healthy gums. Regarding OraMD's specific ingredients, she didn't see them causing any harm to dental health, though she did note that the lack of an abrasive agent means you'd need something else (like baking soda) to combat staining/discoloration. (This is noted right on the OraMD FAQ.) Finally, Google turned up quite a few DIY "recipes" for toothpaste and mouthwash containing similar ingredients which was nice to see as well.
On the DIY topic, some reviewers have argued that OraMD is pricey compared to home-made variants. However as the cost comparison chart above suggests, it's still a more affordable option than various "traditional" approaches to oral care. I do feel that the cost estimates for the other approaches are somewhat inflated, but I also think a bottle of OraMD would last longer than a month for people starting out with decent oral health. I'd use it myself primarily for brushing with occasional supplementation as a mouth wash and/or breath freshener, and I also feel that 2 drops per brushing session is plenty. Given one bottle contains approximately 400 drops, I estimate it would last me 2-3+ months. That's about $5-7/month which is certainly reasonable. Finally, as frugal as I am, I'm not sure I'd be comfortable going the DIY route with something as "intimate" as oral hygiene. That said, it's certainly interesting reading all the recipes and this has opened my eyes to the plethora of safe, natural alternatives there are for maintaining one's pearly whites.
Like I mentioned to earlier, Chris will continue using OraMD regularly. In the meantime, the product gets our enthusiastic thumbs up from a short-term usage perspective. It's natural, effective, affordable, convenient and, well, we actually kind of dig the "burn". :)
One final side comment I thought I'd note is that the product's web presentation is quite...jumbled. First of all, there are a few different OraMD websites (oramd.com, oramd.ca and trustedhealthproducts.com) with slightly different information on each, so it's not clear which is the best to reference. Second, the info and layout on each has an infomercial-esque feel - lots of strong claims and flashy "Buy Now!" buttons. If I hadn't been corresponding with a PR rep who is obviously knowledgeable and passionate about the product, nor tried and researched the product myself, I'd be quite skeptical that this could be the Real Deal. So I'd definitely recommend a consolidation and makeover in this area.
Buy It:
OraMD can be purchased online from Trusted Health Products. The company offers same-day shipping worldwide and touts a one-year, 100% money back guarantee.
Manufacturer's Note: The manufacturer is willing to offer my readers one FREE bottle. They said they would love to have our readers try out OraMD and agreed to send one bottle FREE if our readers would pay a minimal shipping and handling charge. They also agreed to include 2 eye-opening reports called 1) "The 6 Hidden Dangers In Toothpaste" and 2) "Why The FDA Requires A Warning Label On Your Toothpaste." That’s a total value of over $40.00. Click here to get your FREE bottle and FREE reports now.
Win It:
Three lucky Manager to Mom readers will each win a bottle of regular strength OraMD of their own! Open to CAN/US.
To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Please follow all instructions within each entry option to ensure your entries are valid.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: The prize is being provided and shipped to the winner by Trusted Health Products. I received no financial compensation for writing my review or offering this giveaway, although I did receive the sample items free of charge. This is my completely honest opinion above and may be different from yours.
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