Supersmile's product line is one of the first whitening and cleaning systems to be 100% Halal and Kosher-certified.

Since its launch, Supersmile has held the OU (Orthodox Union) Kosher seal of approval, which is respected as "the world's best Kosher trademark." The term Kosher is derived from the Hebrew term Kasher, and is defined as "proper, legitimate, or pure." It applies to Jewish dietary laws and is separated into 3 categories: meat, dairy and pareve (food that is neither dairy nor meat).

Mixing meat and dairy (eating one after the other or with each other in the same meal) is considered Treyf (non-Kosher, or unfit for consumption) while eating vegetables or pareve foods with either meat or dairy can be Kosher, as long as all of the ingredients consumed are Kosher-certified.

In the Islamic faith, "Halal" refers to conduct, dietary and otherwise, that is considered lawful or permitted. Pork and its byproducts, meat slaughtered improperly, and alcoholic beverages and intoxicants are considered "Haraam," or unlawful.

These days, monitoring and tracking food and other products, particularly meat and animal byproducts containing preservatives, is a strenuous task. There are countless steps involved. Thus, there are many agencies - IFANCA for Halal certification, OU for Kosher - testing foods to ensure they adhere to the appropriate respective standards-for example, whether or not the product is processed on the correct equipment, if meat/animal products are clean or unclean, and so forth.

So what makes Supersmile teeth-whitening products earn our Kosher label? Unlike most other toothpaste and teeth-whitening brands, Supersmile products do not contain glycerin-an animal byproduct made out of fat from certain meats (such a beef or pork, for instance). In general, non-Kosher toothpaste ingredients include about 1/3 parts glycerin of their overall chemical make-up. Dr. Smigel states: "Those who are forbidden to eat pork or certain kinds of meats should beware of any toothpaste which isn't Kosher yet contains glycerin."

In fact, many beauty products on the market contain glycerin as a lubricant-shampoo, conditioner and soap, to name a few. There has been some debate among authorities regarding the need for the certification of toothpaste. Some believe it's not necessary, claiming that toothpaste is not a food, while others assert that toothpaste should meet the appropriate standards.

Dr. Smigel explains that "there was no debate" concerning the need to Kosher-certify toothpaste. At Supersmile, we make sure that all our teeth whitening products are 100% Kosher-certified.