Things change fast these days. One minute fluoride is a dental must-have; the next, studies suggest it might not be so great. So, who’s right? Honestly, the debate continues. But one thing most of us can agree on: the fewer suspicious ingredients in our toothpaste, the better, right? Still, it needs to keep our breath fresh and actually clean our teeth. Let me walk you through the options I’ve tried and where I landed with a healthier option that worked.
Crest and Colgate: The Reliable Veterans
Crest and Colgate were my go-to for years. With so many options—whitening, gel, cavity protection, Total Clean—it seemed they had something for everyone. I didn’t even search for anything else. I would buy the 6 pack at Costco. Why not? I didn’t get cavities (since the one I got 25 years ago when I added the huge container of lollipops to my Costco shopping cart along with the toothpaste). Ok, that aside, Colgate Total toothpaste fulfilled all my needs—fresh breath, easy to find, (almost) no cavities, good price. But ingredient-wise? Not the best. It contains Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, which can cause mouth irritation and canker sores, and Titanium Dioxide, the “maybe, possibly, we’re not sure” carcinogen, which made me rethink my love affair. Time to break up and find a healthier rebound.
Tom’s of Maine: A Natural Disappointment
I ventured into the world of Tom’s of Maine Antiplaque and Whitening, feeling optimistic. It was easy to find (grocery stores, Target, Amazon etc) and was a good price-generally around $5 or $6, but I just didn’t like it. The clean-mouth feel I craved was MIA and oh, it has the same Sodium Lauryl Sulfate as the Colgate! So, despite its “natural” label, it didn’t score much higher on the health front. Onward!
David’s Whitening and Antiplaque Toothpaste: A Surprising Contender
Enter David’s Toothpaste. Found in specialty/health food grocers such as Whole Foods or Amazon, it sells for around $10 a tube. It didn’t foam much, which took some getting used to, but it left my mouth feeling genuinely fresh. It rates an excellent on the health scale and features hydroxyapatite, a natural alternative to fluoride which research has shown is effective in cavity prevention. They even offer fun flavors like orange vanilla if that’s your thing.
Hello Toothpaste: Simple, Minty, and Effective
If you like variety, Hello has you covered with options like antiplaque, whitening, activated charcoal, watermelon, and even unicorn sparkle! I kept it classic so I stuck to the antiplaque option which I got at Target (also available on Amazon) for around $5. It earns all the right marks (an excellent) in the health department. It doesn’t lather much, but it leaves a clean, minty finish and I preferred its taste slightly over David’s, making it a top contender.
Native Toothpaste: So Close, Yet So Far
This one was really good. I thought it had the best minty freshness, it foamed a bit more and had the best taste of all the options besides my old standby Colgate, and at around $7 a tube I almost declared it the winner, but a closer ingredient check revealed it wasn’t much healthier than my old standby.
Radius Toothpaste: Organic but Underwhelming
Radius had “super healthy” written all over it, but it didn’t quite deliver. At nearly $12 a tube, it was thin, watery, and not the most pleasant-tasting option. Despite its certified organic label, it didn’t feel worth the price and it scored exactly the same as the David’s and the Hello toothpastes on the health meter. I gave it a try and I was not thrilled.
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I’m not going to lie, if health ingredients weren’t an issue for me then I would make another trip to Costco for the Colgate 6 pack but since I am really trying to use cleaner products, Hello toothpaste is my winner. Although it was just about a tie with the David’s toothpaste in all categories, it had the slight edge on price, and flavor.