Photo Courtesy of Ken Aschliman

Toothpaste contains cellulose gum, which is made from a complex polymer that binds to wood’s cellulose fibers in order to harden and strengthen the cell walls of plants. This gum is the result of wood hydrolysis, when a wood product (sawdust, slabs, edges, and trimmings) is heated in the presence of water and other catalysts to transform these products into other useful products. The powder produced can absorb up to 20 times its starting weight and is what makes toothpaste “paste.”