FURTHER READING
Vitamin E for Gums: 3 Reasons You Need This Nutrient In Your Routine
If your gums ever bleed when you floss or brush, you’re not alone. Nearly half of all adults over 30 have some form of gum disease. And while our usual advice to brush and floss daily still applies, there’s one overlooked nutrient that could help: vitamin E. You’ve seen it in skincare. You’ve seen it in supplements. But vitamin E is also an unsung hero for your gums. In this article, we’ll cover: What vitamin E actually does for your gums What science says about its benefits Why we put it in our Detoxify toothpaste Let’s get into it. First Things First: What Is Vitamin E? Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant, which means it helps protect your cells from oxidative stress—the damage that happens when free radicals go unchecked. These unstable molecules can come from pollution, processed foods, stress, and even your own metabolism. Your body stores vitamin E in fat cells and uses it to reduce inflammation, repair tissue, and boost immune function. The recommended daily intake for adults is around 15 mg per day. When it comes to gum health, vitamin E’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory powers make it a compelling ingredient to have in your oral care routine. 3 Reasons Vitamin E Is Good for Your Gums Here are three science-backed reasons this antioxidant deserves a permanent spot in your oral care lineup. 1. Helps Reduce Inflammation Gum disease—whether it’s mild gingivitis or periodontitis—is essentially inflammation of the soft tissues around your teeth. That puffiness, redness, and occasional bleeding mean your immune system is reacting to bacteria buildup. Vitamin E has been shown to calm inflammatory markers in the gums. A 2021 study found that vitamin E supplementation actually reduced inflammation and improved periodontal indices, including less attachment loss (which is good, because that’s how teeth become loose). 2. Supports Healing in Gum Tissue Vitamin E is also involved in cell regeneration and tissue repair, helping cells recover and rebuild after stress or injury. In the mouth, that translates to faster healing for irritated, receding, or damaged gums. And because it’s naturally present in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (the liquid between your gums and teeth), the body clearly knows it belongs there. 3. Defends Against Oxidative Stress Your gums are exposed to all kinds of daily stressors: acids from food, bacteria from plaque, environmental toxins, and even your own immune response. Over time, that can lead to oxidative damage. Vitamin E neutralizes free radicals before they can mess with your tissue. In fact, a meta-analysis of 8 studies found that people with low vitamin E levels were more likely to have periodontal disease, suggesting a strong link between this antioxidant and gum resilience. Can Vitamin E Soothe Irritated Gums? Yes, vitamin E may help soothe irritated gums for some people. Bleeding gums are often a red flag for inflammation and plaque buildup, but vitamin E can help soothe and protect irritated areas. Whether you’re flossing for the first time in months or dealing with early-stage gum disease, this antioxidant can help minimize sensitivity and promote healing. How Vitamin E-Infused Toothpaste Promotes Gum Health We made it easy to get your daily vitamin E: just brush your teeth. Our Detoxify Toothpaste is infused with 1.4 mg of vitamin E per brush, which means you're supporting your gums every time you clean your teeth. It's like multitasking, but for your mouth. And that’s not all Detoxify delivers: Vitamin B12: Supports healthy red blood cell formation and may help reduce oral ulcers and inflammation Zinc: Balances bacteria levels, helps control plaque, and neutralizes bad breath without drying out your mouth Hydroxyapatite: A non-fluoride mineral that naturally remineralizes enamel and strengthens teeth Calcium: Works with hydroxyapatite to reinforce tooth structure and protect against erosion Detoxify gives you the best of both worlds: clean teeth and calmer gums. Get Vitamin E, Every Time You Brush When it comes to gum health, the little things matter. Daily brushing. Gentle flossing. And smart ingredients—like vitamin E—that do more than just freshen breath. By adding a microdose of vitamin E to your daily brushing routine, Detoxify does double duty: protecting your enamel and nourishing your gums. No supplements. No mouthwash cocktails. Just one tube that gets it done. Ready to make vitamin E part of your oral care routine? Try Detoxify.
Learn moreNano-Hydroxyapatite vs. Hydroxyapatite: 5 Key Differences
Fluoride-free toothpaste is having a moment—and for good reason. More and more people are waking up to the fact that stronger enamel and healthier mouths don’t have to come at the cost of questionable ingredients. So it’s no surprise that hydroxyapatite is finally getting the attention it deserves. But like most buzzed-about ingredients, hydroxyapatite (or HA) comes in more than one form. And not all of them are created equal. Specifically, there’s growing debate around micro-hydroxyapatite vs. nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA). Same ingredient, different particle size—and a completely different story when it comes to sourcing, formulation, and safety. At Better & Better, we chose a naturally derived micro-hydroxyapatite for all our remineralizing toothpastes. Here’s why. The Basics: What Is Hydroxyapatite Anyway? Hydroxyapatite is a calcium phosphate mineral that makes up 97% of your tooth enamel and 70% of your dentin. In short: It’s the stuff your teeth are made of. So it’s not surprising that hydroxyapatite is so effective at restoring and repairing enamel. Because your body already recognizes it, it can seamlessly reintegrate into your teeth—unlike other ingredients that may work on your teeth, but not with them. According to a 2019 study published in Nature, hydroxyapatite is just as effective as fluoride in preventing and reversing cavities. A 2014 study found that brushing with HA significantly reduced tooth sensitivity, especially to cold air and tactile stimulation. This enamel-restoring mineral has been used in oral care in Japan and Europe for decades—and with good reason. It’s safe, effective, and biomimetic (AKA your teeth welcome it with open arms). But while the ingredient itself is powerful, the way it’s made—and the size of its particles—can drastically change its story. Hydroxyapatite vs. Nano-Hydroxyapatite: 5 Key Differences When you zoom in (literally), the difference between HA and nHA comes down to particle size. Micro-hydroxyapatite (HA): Particle size in microns Nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA): Particle size less than 100 nanometers And that one small detail changes everything—from safety and sourcing to how it behaves in your mouth. Here’s how they stack up: 1. Particle Size HA = microns. nHA = nanometers. Nano sounds high-tech (and it is), but smaller isn’t always better. Yes, nHA particles can penetrate enamel microdefects more easily—but they can also potentially cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and enter your body more easily, too. Micro-HA stays on the surface where it belongs, bonding with enamel without slipping past your body’s natural barriers. It does the job—without going overboard. 2. Source & Clean Label Better & Better’s HA: Derived from natural calcium carbonate, mined from French quarries.Nano-hydroxyapatite: Always lab-synthesized. Our mineral-origin HA is exactly that—a mineral. Not a lab-made replica. While synthetic nHA is chemically engineered to mimic your enamel, our HA is your enamel. It’s nature-made, sustainably sourced, and minimally processed. Just the way we like it. 3. Safety & Regulation Nano-materials often occupy a regulatory gray area—especially in the EU, where strict cosmetic safety standards apply. There’s an ongoing debate around the potential for nanoparticle absorption or inhalation, especially in aerosolized products (think sprays or powders). While this is less of a concern in toothpaste, it’s still enough to raise eyebrows Our micro-HA is stable, well-researched, and comfortably outside that gray area. No guesswork. No hand-waving. 4. Trust & Transparency If you’re reaching for clean-label, minimal-ingredient toothpaste, you probably don’t want to brush your teeth with something that sounds like it belongs in a chemistry lab. Even if nHA is technically safe, it feels like the kind of ingredient that deserves an asterisk. Our HA? No asterisk needed. It’s biomimetic, bioavailable, and fully disclosed on every label—because trust isn’t built on vague promises, it’s built on clarity. 5. Efficacy & Texture Sure, nanoparticles may sneak into enamel defects. But they also require more reactive formulations to stabilize. That means more tweaks to the ingredient list, more potential for irritation, and more trade-offs. Micro-HA? It still remineralizes, strengthens enamel, and reduces sensitivity, just without the extra formulation baggage. And when it’s sourced and processed properly (like ours is), it has a smooth, non-gritty feel that blends beautifully into your brushing routine. Why We Chose French-Mined Micro Hydroxyapatite Let’s recap. Our hydroxyapatite is: Naturally derived from French calcium carbonate Cruelty-free, vegan-friendly, and non-GMO Regulatory-safe with no nano complications Perfectly aligned with our clean-label approach You’ll find it in all three of our enamel-supporting toothpaste formulas: Fortify: Our GQ award-winning toothpaste that pairs HA with calcium and vitamin D3. Detoxify: For a deeper clean that supports your oral microbiome with added vitamins and minerals. Kids Multivitamin Toothpaste: Fluoride-free, watermelon-flavored, and packed with nutrients for tiny teeth. The Bottom Line: Not All Hydroxyapatite Is the Same Nano isn’t evil. But it’s not always necessary. We built our formulas around a source that’s natural, safe, and effective—without cutting corners or complicating things. Because “better” isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about being intentional with every choice we make—from what’s in the tube to what’s left out. Micro-hydroxyapatite is just one more way we’re making your oral care routine smarter, simpler, and cleaner—one brush at a time. Ready to remineralize the better way? Explore our fluoride-free toothpaste collection.
Learn moreMeet Our 4 New Toothpaste Formulas—All Built to Be Better
We launched Better & Better with a simple but bold mission: Create personal products that are better for our bodies and better for the planet. We focused on the mouth for a reason. Your teeth, gums, cheeks, tongue, and entire oral microbiome do more than chew and smile—they set the stage for your overall health. Since then, we’ve stuck to clean, plant-powered formulas and delivered products that do more with less. Our toothpastes ditch the fluoride and harsh chemicals, our floss is completely plastic-free, and our bamboo toothbrushes are designed to last without ending up in a landfill. Every choice we make is intentional, and that includes knowing when to keep improving. So, we went back to the lab. Tweaked. Tested. Rinsed. Repeated. And we’re proud to introduce four new toothpaste formulas built around the same mission: better for you, better for the world, better with every brush. Purity: Whiten the Way Nature Intended Purity was born out of frustration with unnecessary chemicals, aggressive whiteners, and that unmistakable artificial toothpaste flavor you can smell from across the room. So we simplified. This fluoride-free formula gently polishes your teeth using coconut-based foam and brightens your smile with naturally effective ingredients. We use a crisp trio of organic spearmint, peppermint, and menthol—fresh enough to feel clean, never overpowering. Purity skips harsh detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and synthetic additives, instead relying on a minimalist formula that gets the job done without irritating your mouth or confusing your gut. It’s vegan, cruelty-free, and thoughtfully made to be safe for your body and kind to the planet. If you’ve been looking for a toothpaste that doesn’t make you second-guess what’s going in your mouth twice a day, this is the one. Fortify: Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste Infused with Micronutrients Fortify won a GQ grooming award for best toothpaste—and we took that as a challenge. The new and improved formula still features hydroxyapatite, a natural enamel-restoring mineral that your body already knows how to use. But we added a daily dose of calcium and vitamin D3 to help support remineralization from all angles. The result? Stronger enamel, less sensitivity, and a fresh minty clean that actually lasts. Unlike fluoride, which can come with its own set of complications, hydroxyapatite is non-toxic, biocompatible, and clinically proven to work. Fortify builds up your enamel, not your tolerance for burning gums. And because we formulate without harsh abrasives, this one’s especially great for people dealing with sensitive teeth or early enamel erosion. It’s like strength training for your smile—without the heavy lifting. Detoxify: A Fresh Start for Your Smile Detoxify delivers the deep clean you crave, without any of the harsh ingredients found in mouthwash. Our formula combines the enamel-restoring power of hydroxyapatite with a blend of vitamins and minerals that help support your mouth’s natural defenses: Zinc fights odor-causing bacteria, while vitamin B12 and vitamin E help maintain healthy gums. The whole formula works together to create a more balanced oral microbiome, which means better breath, stronger teeth, and a cleaner mouth overall. Think of it as a reset button for your smile. Detoxify uses coconut-derived foam to gently polish away plaque and stains, while organic mint delivers a refreshing finish. No fluoride, no sketchy additives, and no need to wonder if your toothpaste is working against you behind the scenes. Kids Multivitamin Toothpaste: Free of Fluoride, Full of Nutrients Our new Kids Multivitamin Toothpaste skips fluoride—but not the science. Instead, we loaded it with hydroxyapatite and calcium to help prevent cavities and support growing enamel. We also added safe, effective doses of vitamin D3, B12, and E to care for tiny gums and developing teeth. It’s everything their mouths need (and nothing they don’t), in a formula that’s gentle enough for daily use and tasty enough to make brushing less of a chore. Flavor-wise, we kept it real. No synthetic bubblegum or radioactive-looking sparkles. Just a naturally sweet watermelon taste with a little help from organic xylitol. It’s safe, effective, and dentist-approved—which, let’s be honest, matters a lot more when your kid is actually willing to use it. Better Isn’t a Destination—It’s a Direction Better isn’t a finish line. It’s the daily choice to question what’s “normal,” improve what we can, and ditch what doesn’t serve us—or the planet. That’s how we approach everything we make. From toothpaste to toothbrushes to whatever comes next, we’re not chasing trends—we’re building smarter habits, one tube at a time.
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