[jrayn]

Yesterday I bought some new toothpaste, Toms of Maine, it is really good, I love the aftertaste! But I noticed one of the ingredients is fennel oil... I read that it stimulates uterine activity. I don't typically swallow the toothpaste of course, but can't get every bit out... would it be dangerous to continue using it? I didn't notice a significant increase in braxton hicks today.
Fennel oil is near to the last ingredient on the list along with.... "other natural flavors" whatever those are.

 

[SheBear]

I

the fennel flavor! It's the only toothpaste I buy! Don't you LOOOOOVE how clean your whole mouth feels for HOURS??? Ahh! My kids like it too, but my dh prefers the peppermint or the cinnamon.

Anyway, as far as the oil being safe--I'm no expert, nor do I pretend to be, but IMHO, you would have to ingest several tubes all at once in order for it to be a problem. The oil is only in there as a flavoring, and in general, the caution against any essential oils refers to using them in a theraputic way, not as flavoring or fragrance, in which case the dosage is generally super small and diluted with other things anyway.

Of course, I may be totally off-base in my thinking (it has happened before, on occassion!

) but if so, I can still offer my personal testimony, which is: I have used that exact same toothpaste at least twice a day every day for the last prolly 6 years, and I've used it through 3 pregnancies, with never a flitter of early contractions....I generally don't even have very many BH contrax until after 34 weeks.

Hope that helps! Congrats on your baby--how far along are you?

 

[Gumby]

I used that brand all pregnancy-long and my baby was still over 3w late. I agree w/ PP, you'd have to ingest a number of tubes first.

 

[jrayn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SheBear Hope that helps! Congrats on your baby--how far along are you?

Thank You

I am around 24 weeks I think... due October 7th. I have braxton hicks throughout the day normally, I guess everyone's pregnancy is different.

good to hear other pregnant people use it and are fine, I did several searches and didn't come up w/ anything.

 

[sambelina]

I just love that toothpast too! I have nothing else helpful to say.

 

[mwherbs]

I am thinking it is fine- folks in India eat tons of fennel seeds and tea- if it worked so well to cause labor we would be inducing with fennel instead of pit-- KWIM