I Spent a Month With | CBD Toothpaste

Beauty : Love

26 August 2021

We've seen it in skincare; we've seen it in sleep remedies; we've even seen it in candles: CBD could not be a more hyped ingredient if it tried. Whilst there's good reason for it being so – you can find out some of its benefits here – I've always been dubious of how universal it can be. There's no doubt that we should be harnessing the power of cannabinoids, but is it really useful for everything?

This sentiment was further exacerbated when I learned that the kushty (get it?) component can now be found in... wait for it... toothpaste. Yes, we know that it can be a great anxiety reliever, but is it going to aid my teeth in anyway? It's not like I came across this product in a new-wave boutique, where it would likely sit between a rose quartz crystal and a gratitude journal. It's stocked in the one of the country's most well-known chemists: Boots. With the backing of such a highstreet stalwart, you'd expect that the CBD component to L.A. Pacific's toothpaste would be innovative, to say the least. Well, there's only way to find out.

The Gum Health Enzyme Whitening Toothpaste by L.A. Pacific claims to do two things: whiten your teeth and improve your gum health. As well as the famed cannabidiol, the toothpaste ingredients consist of Aloe Vera, vitamin E and a pioneering enzyme that, according the product page on Boots.com, uses the natural sugars that live on your teeth and turns them into "a natural bleach." And their top tip? Don't wet the paste or the brush before you use it. Dry brushing stops the solution from being diluted and from losing its velocity, reducing the effectiveness of the stain removal. It's quickly building a loyal following; all the reviews on the aforementioned product page give it five stars, and are gleaming with positive comments.

Now after a month of using, I'm starting to see why. I'll keep this brief, as it is only toothpaste after all, but I certainly have noticed an extra toothy twinkle when I smile. Whilst I don't think it's significantly whitened my teeth, I have noticed an almost instant improvement in my gum health – in particular, when I had an especially sore gum from a wisdom tooth coming through – and I love the gentle polish that dry brushing with this toothpaste gives. To my delight, the flavour isn't reminiscent of a doobie, in fact, you're only aware of that ingredient because it's plastered across the weed green bottle. Along with it doing a great job as a toothpaste, another characteristic to note is its bottle. The design avoids the fumble that comes with loose lids, and I honestly can't imagine going back to that method (I'm aware of how lame this sentiment makes me sound but I stand by it).

Does this answer the question as to why CBD seems to be in everything and anything? Not really, but you could argue that this humble dental hygiene product is symbolic. Firstly, of the demand for cannabinoid products in every sector – research predicts that the consumer cannabidiol market in the UK is projected to generate £690 million in annual sales this year – and the reason for its popularity is because it actually works.

Shop Gum Health Enzyme Whitening Toothpaste by L.A. Pacific here.