Darryl Bosshardt is passionate about healthy living, healthy eating and life-long learning! Darryl is currently employed by Redmond Trading Company which is a manufacturer and distributor for natural, healthy, sustainable products. Darryl grew up working for the family mineral business in Redmond, UT and then earned a Bachelors of Science degree at Southern Utah University followed by an MBA at Western Governor's University. In his spare time Darryl enjoys the outdoors, hiking, fishing, canyoneering, beekeeping, and just about anything else he can get is hands on. He currently lives in Heber City, UT with his wife and three boys.

He is a spokesperson for Redmond, manufacturer and distributor of Real Salt unrefined crystal sea salt, Redmond Clay Powder, an all-natural bentonite healing clay that has been used for generations, and Earthpaste, an all-natural clay & salt solution for cleaning, brightening, and remineralizing tooth enamel.

Everything you've always wanted to know about

brushing your teeth with clay

...but didn't know who to ask

An interview with Darryl Bosshardt of "Earthpaste"

As a kid growing up in Redmond, Utah, Darryl Bosshardt rarely saw a tube of toothpaste on the family's bathroom sink.

"Maybe because my dad was cheap, or maybe because he was a genius, he had us dip our wet toothbrushes into a bowl of tooth powder he created by mixing together powdered clay and ground-up crystal sea salt in a 50-50 combination," says Bosshardt. "Although it didn't taste great, brushing with the clay-salt mixture worked amazingly well and kept our mouths and gums healthy and our teeth strong, clean, white and largely cavity-free."

Bosshardt says when he had children of his own years later, he decided to update the family toothpowder recipe and began studying toothpaste labels to find ingredients to improve the taste and consistency of his father's formula.

"I was shocked to discover the dozens of potentially harmful chemical additives being put into toothpaste by all the top brands," says Bosshardt. "What really got my attention was the warning printed on every manufacturer's product: If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center immediately."

Amongst the dozens of worrisome additives Bosshardt discovered in most top toothpaste brands were: 

1. Sodium fluoride:
Many health experts agree that sodium fluoride is a neurotoxin and unfit for human consumption. This is why toothpastes containing fluoride have a warning advising to call poison control if more than a small amount is swallowed.

2. Synthetic dyes 
Food dyes, synthesized originally from coal tar and now petroleum, have long been controversial. Many dyes have been banned because of their adverse effects on laboratory animals. A recent report titled "Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks" from the Center for Science in the Public Interest finds that many of the nine currently approved dyes raise health concerns. 

3. Glycerine:
Among other things, glycerin is the base for many liquid soaps and on the body isn't a problem. However, in the mouth, glycerin creates a coat or film that won't rinse away. Many natural dentists say this glycerin film on teeth can prevent the teeth from being able to re-mineralize, thereby weakening the teeth.

4. Foaming agents such as SLS 
Among other things, foaming agents such as SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) are said to have a drying effect on the mouth which can increase mouth acidity. These chemicals are also known to cause membrane disruption and trauma in the mouth leading to canker sores.

5. Titanium dioxide
A fine powder that makes toothpaste, and vinyl fencing, bright and white, but is classed as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" if inhaled.

"We decided to keep the Earthpaste formula simple and natural," says Bosshardt, now a spokesperson for Redmond, makers of Earthpaste. "We use only food grade Redmond clay, unrefined crystal sea salt from the Redmond mines, purified water, essential oils and menthol for flavor (there are five), and a pinch of xylitol for a hint of natural sweetness. I think we did a pretty good job because Earthpaste became a success virtually overnight. It might look like mud, but it is delicious, healthy mud!"