Sodium Laureth Sulfate – SLS or SLES

Sodium Laureth Sulfate is the culprit, it is present in most toothpaste brands as a foaming agent. It allows the tooth paste to easily and uniformly spread around your mouth and it also helps the toothpaste remove surface stains and dissolve food rests. But it is also the ingredient responsible for altering your taste buds.

SLES and SLS affects your taste buds in a couple of different ways. It reduces the function of the receptors that detect the sweetness and  it increases the activity of those receptors that sense the bitter tastes. This combined effect transforms the taste of sour food or beverage into bitter. Fortunately, twenty to thirty minutes after brushing your saliva has diluted and washed away all the SLS from your mouth and the taste receptors return to normal function.

So, if you feel a funny taste shortly after brushing your teeth, it is normal. Wait for half an hour and then you can enjoy the taste of food again. Please don’t hesitate to contact our team if you have more questions about SLS or changes that happen to your taste.