Brushing with Clay: Zion Health ClayBrite Natural Toothpaste Review

Have you ever thought to brush your teeth with clay? Me neither.

When California-based natural health company, Zion Health reached out to me to try some of their products, my curiosity centered around ClayBrite, their popular mint-flavored, non-fluoride toothpaste that contains clay minerals. I was most intrigued about claims that ClayBrite’s natural mineral ingredients “help heal gums, prevent cavities, and neutralize bad breath.” As someone who has sensitive gums, this caught my attention. Additionally, Zion Health maintains that these natural minerals get in between teeth and beneath gum layers to absorb and diminish bacteria, eliminate bad breath, and also whiten teeth. Xylitol and Green Tea extract prevents bleeding gums and plaque buildup.

I have to admit, I haven’t tried many natural toothpastes. The only natural toothpastes I’ve used have been Tom’s of Maine products and I never liked any of them. They never made my teeth feel clean enough or taste as fresh as when I used non-natural toothpastes. I was very interested to see if ClayBrite would make me want to put down my less-green toothpastes forever. (Tom’s toothpastes do indeed contain sodium lauryl sulfate which many people like to avoid.)

The brown, muddy color of the ClayBrite toothpaste is enough to make many people gag at first sight. I, however was pleased. Clay minerals, remember? The color doesn’t last though, as soon as you brush your teeth and spit out the product, the dark brown hue lightens and it doesn’t seem so abnormal to be sticking this in your mouth. The texture was malleable and soft though a bit grainier and stiffer than regular toothpastes. Overall, the formula didn’t seem much different to brush my teeth with.

I can say after using ClayBrite for many weeks, I love how gentle and effective it is at cleaning and maintaining my teeth. My teeth feel clean without feeling sore. Usually, my gums are easily irritated especially if I get a cold sore in my mouth, but ClayBrite made brushing my teeth painless and actually pleasant. I even believe this toothpaste have helped to strengthen my sensitive gums. I can’t say for sure if this has whitened my teeth overall, but I have noticed my teeth seem to be consistently whiter even after days of excessive tea-drinking.

The toothpaste’s mint flavor, derived from natural mint, stevia leaf extract, and grapefruit seed extract ingredients, leaves my breath feeling extremely fresh and retains a minty taste, something I enjoyed and didn’t expect from a natural toothpaste.

As for details about Calcium Montmorillonite, the toothpaste’s clay mineral ingredient, I inquired with Zion Health about what it was exactly, why it is a key ingredient, and where the company acquires it from. Here is part of their interesting response:

Calcium Montmorillonite comes from a remote region near Palm Desert, CA- Originally sold as a mineral supplement to astronauts in the 1960s-due to its high calcium content-this unique clay helped prevent bone decay.

Because of its high mineral content this special type of clay provides healthy nutrients to the body when consumed internally. Founder Haim Zion, discovered when he started drinking these minerals in powder form with water, he experienced immediate benefits to his sore, bleeding gums. Upon further research, he discovered this clay worked better than standard toothpastes and dentist recommended toothpastes for healing the gums, along with controlling cavities. He teamed with a group of natural health chemists to create a toothpaste formulation that had a pleasant flavor along with a proper amount of CM Clay to offer maximum benefits to the gums and teeth.

More details about this clay here: We get our clay from California Earth Minerals.

My own research did confirm that calcium montmorillonite has been used to aid astronauts suffering from calcium loss and bone decay due to the effects of weightlessness and other environmental factors in space. Calcium montmorillonite, also known as the “living clay” was also traditionally used by Native Americans healers as a internal and external healing agent. The mineral deposits originated from volcanic ash, minerals and eons of weathering. (Read more here.) Additionally, Zion Health’s ClayBrite Natural Toothpaste scored a low “1” rating in the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database for overall health hazards.

I was really pleased with ClayBrite Natural Toothpaste and using it surpassed my expectations. Would I purchase this again? I think so! It’s certainly affordable: $7.49 for 3.2oz. at Adama Minerals or $5.59 at Vitacost. 

PLUS get $10 off orders of $35 or more and free shipping at Adama Minerals! Use code: “pleinvanity” at checkout.

Ingredients: Sorbitol, Glycerin, Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Montmorillonite Desert Clay , Hydrated Silica, Kaolin, Carboxymethyl Cellulose, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate (derived from coconut), Sodium Lauryl Sarcosinate (derived from sodium salt), Stevia Extract, Purified Water, Grapefruit Extract, Xylitol, Green Tea Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Menthol, Spearmint Oil, Sodium Ascorbate, Calcium Ascorbate, Boron Citrate, Zinc Citrate

What are your thoughts on natural toothpastes? Would you try ClayBrite? Let me know if you have any natural toothpaste suggestions to try!

 

*Products were kindly provided to me for consideration. Reviews are based on my honest opinion and personal experience. I am never paid for my opinions. Post contains an affiliate link.