Our original Peppermint and Wintergreen has been a firm favourite since Truthpaste was just beginning in 2015. For those that want serious freshness, then the dynamic combination of Peppermint and Wintergreen is just the thing for that ultimate clean feeling.  With such lovely feedback as “The cleansing ability of this toothpaste as close to perfect as it can be” and “Love the taste and my mouth and teeth feels fresh and clean.”, we thought it was time to have a more in-depth look at nature's aspirin. Wintergreen for the win!

Nature’s Aspirin

The mint-like flavour of wintergreen that you can taste is from a compound called methyl salicylate. Its chemical make-up is remarkably similar to aspirin and this is possibly why it’s been used for centuries to cure multiple ailments. 

What is Wintergreen?

Wintergreen has a very distinctive minty flavour that you will recognise from many oral care products. It’s sometimes used to flavour sweets and cakes. Although often mistaken for mint, it’s actually not part of the mint family. Rather it’s a small creeping shrub that produces small red berries. 

Where does Wintergreen come from?

Like our other ingredients, we try to find the most responsibly and sustainably farmed product. The Wintergreen in your Truthpaste comes from Nepal and is certified organic by the soil association. Wintergreen is also native to North America where it grows wild. 

What are the health benefits of Wintergreen?

They are many and varied! It was used by Native Americans to treat minor ailments like sore throat, arthritic pain and menstrual cramps. Today studies have shown that, used topically it can help alleviate pain such as back pain and muscle strain.

Wintergreen benefits in oral health

As an ingredient for Truthpaste, it helps soothe gums and fight bacteria that cause plaque. Like many botanical ingredients, the research to back up the claims is, relatively speaking, still in its infancy. Wintergreen, however, is making some promising progress with many studies backing up its benefits, especially in oral health care. 

The active chemical in Wintergreen is called methyl salicylate. A subcommittee in 2013 agreed that methyl salicylate was demonstrably beneficial in reducing both plaque and gingivitis. It should be noted that there are ‘safe’ levels of wintergreen oil that need to be carefully observed. It’s fair to say that this is true of most essential oils, particularly if being taken orally or in oral care products. 

Wintergreen for Toothache

If you are familiar with our story, you will know that Truthpaste was initially formulated to relieve toothache. We can’t stress the importance of checking any issues with your dental practitioner if you are experiencing tooth pain in the first instance. However, it’s good to know that nature’s aspirin in Truthpaste is ready and waiting to soothe that pain!

What products is it in?

Wintergreen is only found in our Original Peppermint & Wintergreen

RESOURCES

Hebert PR, et al. (2014).Treatment of Low Back Pain: The Potential Clinical and Public Health Benefits of Topical Herbal Remedies. PMC Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

Higashi Y, et al. (2010). Efficacy and safety profile of a topical methyl salicylate and menthol patch in adult patients with mild to moderate muscle strain: A randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, multicenter study. 

Vasudevan, K., Stahl, V. (2020):  Cannabinoids infused mouthwash products are as effective as chlorhexidine on inhibition of total-culturable bacterial content in dental plaque samples. J Cannabis Res 2, 20 (2020),  retrieved 2021 

Tisserand R, et al. (2013). Essential oil safety: A guide for health care professionals. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Church Livingstone Elsevier

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