Inside Laro’s First Lunch & Learn with Samantha, Founder of Happy Body
Women’s health is often spoken about in fragments. Hormones sit in one conversation. Gut health in another. Skincare, mental wellbeing, fertility, energy, mood - all treated as separate systems, managed by different products, protocols, and advice.
At Laro, we believe this fragmented approach is part of the problem.
That belief is what inspired our Lunch & Learn series - intimate, educational conversations with leading voices across women’s health, wellness, dentistry and functional medicine. The aim is simple: to explore how small, everyday choices connect to bigger patterns of health, and to create space for nuanced, empowering discussion without fear or overwhelm.
Our first session brought together Laro founder Beth and women’s health educator Samantha Gnimavo for a conversation on hidden chemical exposure, hormones, and why oral care deserves a seat at the table.
Below, we share the key themes and takeaways.
Women’s Health Isn’t Fragmented - Even If We Treat It That Way
One of the strongest themes from the conversation was how disconnected women’s health education has become.
Hormones don’t operate in isolation. They act as messengers, influencing everything from digestion and sleep to skin health, mood, energy levels - and yes, oral health. When symptoms are treated individually rather than as part of an interconnected system, women are often left managing surface-level issues without understanding the underlying pattern.
This fragmentation can be costly. It can leave women feeling like their symptoms are random, personal, or “all in their head,” rather than connected, explainable, and shared by many others at similar life stages.
A more integrated lens helps reframe symptoms as signals - not failures.
The Quiet Impact of Everyday Chemical Exposure
When people think about “toxins,” they often imagine rare or dramatic exposures. In reality, much of the hormonal burden women experience comes from low-level, daily exposure to ingredients we rarely question.
These aren’t one-off events. They’re cumulative.
Samantha spoke about how endocrine-disrupting chemicals can subtly interfere with hormone signalling over time, particularly oestrogen balance. Because women experience cyclical and life-stage-specific hormonal shifts - PMS, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause - this cumulative exposure can matter more at certain points than others.
It’s not about panic. It’s about awareness, especially in categories we use multiple times a day, every day.
Oral Care: A Major Blind Spot in Women’s Health
One of the most striking parts of the discussion was how oral care has been separated from the wider wellness conversation.
We’re taught to scrutinise skincare ingredients. We’re encouraged to think carefully about nutrition. But oral care - despite being absorbed through the mouth twice daily - is rarely questioned.
Why?
Partly because oral care has historically been positioned as purely functional and clinical, rather than biological. But the mouth is not a closed system. Ingredients used here can be absorbed directly into the bloodstream, bypassing some of the body’s usual detox pathways.
This makes formulation choices particularly important - especially for women navigating hormonal sensitivity.
Fluoride, Hormones & Informed Choice
Fluoride is often where conversations become polarised. One of the most important reframes from the session was moving away from fear-based thinking and towards individualised, informed choice.
Concerns around fluoride are not about absolutes. They’re about:
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Dose and frequency
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Cumulative exposure from multiple sources
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Individual sensitivity, particularly for women with thyroid issues or hormonal imbalances
Rather than asking “Is this good or bad?”, a more helpful question is: Is this appropriate for me, my body, and my current life stage?
That shift alone can be deeply empowering.
Why One-Size-Fits-All Oral Care Falls Short
Most oral care products are still designed with a universal user in mind - despite the fact that women’s bodies are anything but static.
Hormonal fluctuations can influence gum health, inflammation, sensitivity, and even the oral microbiome across the menstrual cycle and throughout life stages. Yet very few products acknowledge this reality.
A more female-aware approach considers:
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Hormonal changes over time
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Sensitivity rather than harsh intervention
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Supporting balance, not stripping or “blasting” the mouth
It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing better.
What’s Next in the Laro Lunch & Learn Series
This was just the beginning.
Our Lunch & Learn series will continue to explore women’s health through conversations with practitioners, educators, and founders who believe in nuance, evidence, and thoughtful choice. From hormones and oral health to ingredients, life stages, and daily rituals - we’re here to learn together.
If you have questions or topics you’d like us to explore, we’d love to hear from you. This is an ongoing conversation - and you’re very much part of it.
Email us at info@larolondon.com if you have a particular question or topic you would like covered.
Explore Laro's gentle formulations here.