A 100% natural oral care range for children
Several fluoride dosages
Our Plan A was to create two fluoride dosages in our 100% natural children's toothpastes.
If you want to know more about fluoride, we will talk about it at length in this article.
We had planned to create a 1000 ppm dosage for children aged 3 to 6, and a 1450 ppm dosage for children over 6, according to UFSBD recommendations.
Finally, we also created a toothpaste with a 500 ppm dosage for very young children.
Several children's toothpaste flavors:
It all started with an observation: when it comes to children's toothpaste flavors, you almost exclusively find: strawberry, raspberry, grenadine – in short, pink.
To summarize, we find this world of flavors a bit too homogeneous and in the country of gastronomy, we find that quite a shame.
So, we decided to call on our contacts in French haute patisserie to delight the taste buds of our little ones and make them want to take care of their teeth!
We currently offer raspberry and lychee, to mimic the freshness of kids' toothpastes, vanilla and banana, and apple, like applesauce for gentle brushing.
The ingredients of our 100% natural formula
For the formulation, you're starting to get to know us, we leave nothing to chance. We worked in collaboration with dentists on a formulation to protect the oral health of your little ones.
Aqua (Ultra-pure water)
To make liquid toothpaste, we need water, waaaterrr (do you get the reference?)
But above all, we need this ultra-pure water for fluoride to play its role and work correctly. Yes, for it to work, fluoride must turn into an "ion" and for that: it needs water, waaaterrr! (sorry, we're a bit much...)
Of course, here we use pharmaceutical-grade sterile water in our formulations.
Polyols: Xylitol, Sorbitol and Erythritol
We use these three "polyol" sugars to make our toothpaste suitable for children. These are "fake sugars" that are therefore not cariogenic (yes, that would be a bit counterproductive...) and do not promote bacterial growth.
The 3 polyols could be used as sweeteners in food, but not in this toothpaste. Many wonder: are we getting children used to consuming even more sugar? We explain below:
For preservation
First of all, for a toothpaste to be liquid, it must contain water and since water is life, microorganisms love it.
Usually, children's toothpaste brands add preservatives (whether synthetic or natural), but we say no to preservatives. Even with a regulated limit, we do not want our children to ingest preservatives.
But how do we preserve our products then?
Simply by drawing inspiration from nature! By using the "osmotic" method, without chemical preservatives. For example, in a very sweet solution: it's a party for microorganisms, some use salt (like for hams).
But you'll probably agree with us that brushing your teeth with brine isn't a great idea...
Then there are self-preserving sweet solutions, like honey, which was our inspiration for this toothpaste.
But how do you create a non-cariogenic "honey" toothpaste? Well, yes, generating cavities once again seems uninteresting for a toothpaste...
That's why we created this unique blend of our three polyols, to preserve the toothpaste well without having to add any preservatives (synthetic or natural).
Each of these polyols also offers a benefit for preserving our children's teeth.
Sorbitol
Naturally present in prunes (between 10 and 20%), we use it in our formulation for its liquid form and viscosity. But also, as we saw above, for its major role in preserving the formula.
Xylitol
Also known as "birch sugar", because it is naturally present in the juice of... Birch! (Bravo, we see you're paying attention.)
This non-cariogenic sugar is widely used in sugar-free chewing gums.
Several fluoride-free toothpaste brands also use it, claiming its effectiveness against cavities.
However, the benefits of xylitol alone on cavities have never been solidly proven.
On the other hand, coupled with fluoride, xylitol creates a scientifically proven synergy that significantly improves its effectiveness. (1)
Erythritol
By now, you should be familiar with this one; it's found in several LiLiKiWi formulations.
Also non-cariogenic, this sugar is derived from algae or fungi. We use it for its refreshing effect when it comes into contact with saliva: a little burst of freshness in the mouth without having to use menthol, which is much safer for children.
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Ah, here's the incomprehensible ingredient you've all been waiting for; it's the best cleansing agent for oral care products.
First, because it foams up well even in small quantities, but also because its taste is not as bitter as decyl glucoside; with our 3 polyol sugars, we easily mask its taste.
Organic Rapeseed Glycerin
By now, you should also be familiar with these ingredients.
Firstly, glycerin helps prevent dry mouth and maintains optimal hydration.
Meanwhile, amino acid foam provides gentle cleansing for a healthy mouth!
Xanthan Gum and Microcrystalline Cellulose
Xanthan gum is derived from fermentation, and microcrystalline cellulose comes from wood waste.
We use them for the texture of our toothpaste: so it flows well with our pen-shaped tube, but not too much.
Sodium fluoride
Finally, the thorny issue of fluoride, which we have already discussed more extensively in a previous article. Please note that sodium fluoride is the only source of fluoride authorized by Ecocert. This is why, among other reasons described in the article, we chose it.
And there you have it, our oral care products hold no more secrets for you now! If you still have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at coucou@lilikiwi.fr or via private message on Instagram. We'd be happy to clarify things for you :D
Sources:
(1) Janakiram et al. Xylitol in preventing dental caries: A systematic review and meta-analyses.
(2) J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2017 Jan-Jun ; 8 (1) : 16–21.