The 10 Best Natural Toothpastes of 2024

Why We Like It

Spotlight’s Toothpaste for Total Care is a prime example of a natural toothpaste that contains fluoride. The main active ingredient, sodium fluoride, is clinically proven to protect teeth from cavities and reduce sensitivity, Dr. Conn says. “Of all the natural toothpastes I’ve tried, I like the flavor of this one the best,” she adds.

After trying it out ourselves, we have to say we agree. The minty flavor was just right—it doesn’t sting but rather leaves your mouth feeling fresh and clean. We also liked the consistency. Some natural toothpastes feel gritty and don’t foam up, but this one is easy to apply and has a nice mouthfeel. Our editor with sensitive teeth also found that it lived up to the promise of desensitizing teeth, and it didn’t increase sensitivity or cause any tingling. By the end of the testing period, our editor dubbed this the best toothpaste she had ever used.

It’s Worth Noting 

• The 3.5-ounce tube is smaller than most you’ll find at the drugstore, but the price is higher than average.

Product Details

• Key Ingredients: Sodium fluoride
• Fluoride: Yes
• Size: 3.5 ounces
• Flavor: Mint

Why We Like It

Tom’s of Maine has been a mainstay in the oral care aisle for decades now, and for good reason: Many dentists over the years have given it their stamp of approval. It’s also a more affordable and accessible option. 

While most dentists still recommend fluoride as the gold standard for cavity prevention, it may make sense for some people to choose fluoride-free toothpastes, such as infants, people with kidney disease, and people who are allergic to fluoride, Dr. Conn says. Tom’s of Maine Fluoride-Free Antiplaque and Whitening Natural Toothpaste is an effective option that uses other ingredients to support oral health. 

The toothpaste contains calcium carbonate, an ingredient suggested by Dr. Conn to remove plaque and surface stains as well as protect tooth enamel. It’s known as an abrasive ingredient, which means it encourages clean teeth by buffing away food particles and surface stains. This toothpaste also contains xylitol, a sugar alcohol that has been shown to effectively prevent dental caries (aka cavities), adds Sara Larbi, DDS, a holistic dentist in Santa Monica, California.

It’s Worth Noting 

• Many natural toothpastes are free from sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which gives toothpaste its foamy consistency, but this one isn’t. Some research suggests that SLS in toothpaste can cause irritation, especially in those prone to mouth ulcers, but the evidence is limited.

Product Details

• Key Ingredients: Calcium carbonate, xylitol 
• Fluoride: No
• Size: 5.5 ounces
• Flavor: Peppermint

Why We Like It

Jenny Gandhi, DDS, owner of Pearl Dentistry in Charlotte, North Carolina, says Hello’s naturally whitening toothpaste, which contains fluoride, is a favorite among dentists. Dr. Marashi also recommends Hello’s natural toothpastes because they’re SLS-free. If you’re picky about the texture or feeling of your toothpaste, this could be an ideal option for you. Although it doesn’t contain SLS, it still has a foamy consistency.

The natural whitening benefits of its calcium mineral blend are a major draw, too. Additional ingredients like coconut oil and tea tree oil help to gently cleanse the mouth, so fresh breath is pretty much guaranteed.

It’s Worth Noting 

• Whitening toothpastes, in general, can be abrasive on teeth, especially for those prone to sensitivity. They can also only lighten teeth one or two shades, so set realistic expectations for whitening toothpastes.

Product Details

• Key Ingredients: Sodium Monofluorophosphate (0.14% W/V Fluoride Ion) 0.76%
• Fluoride: Yes
• Size: 4.7 ounces
• Flavor: Peppermint

Why We Like It

Toothpaste doesn’t seem like it would contain any animal-derived ingredients, but check the label before assuming your toothpaste is vegan-friendly. For example, it could contain glycerin made from animal fat. One of the perks of natural toothpaste is that they’re usually made with plant-based ingredients and free from animal testing, making them suitable for vegans.

Davids Sensitive Whitening Nano Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste, for one, is 100% vegan and made with glycerin derived from vegetables. It’s also powered by nano-hydroxyapatite, making it a fluoride-free option. Though it works differently, nano-hydroxyapatite has similar anti-cavity benefits to fluoride, and it’s been shown to remineralize small cavities in children just as effectively.

This toothpaste also contains calcium carbonate to break up plaque and xylitol for added cavity protection. We also like that it’s SLS-free, comes in a recycled aluminum tube, and is packed with a metal tube key to squeeze out every last drop.

It’s Worth Noting 

• While it’s not the most expensive toothpaste we’ve seen, a tube will run you far more than the traditional toothpaste you might be used to.

Product Details

• Key Ingredients: Nano-hydroxyapatite, calcium carbonate, xylitol
• Fluoride: No
• Size: 5.25 ounces
• Flavor: Peppermint

Why We Like It

If you’re looking for a natural toothpaste for your kids,Tom’s of Maine Children’s Toothpaste is a great choice, says Dr. Conn. She likes that it’s a fluoridated option, which is the general recommendation for kids ages two and older. Parents can use a tiny smear of fluoridated toothpaste on infants as soon as a tooth erupts. 

Admittedly, we didn’t test this kid-friendly toothpaste on ourselves, but our editor used it to brush her infant daughter’s teeth. Though brushing a wiggling child’s teeth can be a difficult task, this toothpaste made it much easier. It goes on easily and suds up nicely. The best part is the taste. Kids tend to find fruity toothpastes more palatable than minty ones, which may taste spicy to children, and this strawberry-flavored toothpaste was a hit with our editor’s daughter. 

It’s Worth Noting 

• This toothpaste has a simpler and shorter ingredient list than the adult versions, but it’s not SLS-free.
• It’s also slightly grainy and has an off-putting gray color, though some prefer this to artificial dyes.

Product Details

• Key Ingredients: Sodium monofluorophosphate 0.76% (0.13% fluoride ion), calcium carbonate
• Fluoride: Yes
• Size: 5.1 ounces
• Flavor: Strawberry

Why We Like It

Potassium nitrate toothpaste has been shown to significantly reduce tooth sensitivity when used at a concentration of 5%. Fortunately, that’s the amount found in this toothpaste from Twice. Our editor with tooth sensitivity confirmed that it was just as effective as Sensodyne but even more effective at leaving her mouth feeling clean.

Potassium isn’t the only ingredient you’ll find in this formula. It’s packed with beneficial ingredients like fluoride to prevent cavities, aloe vera to soothe irritated gums, and vitamins to promote gum health. The performance of this toothpaste was noticeable. We found it cleaned our teeth better than many others we tested, and it tasted great. It’s also SLS-free and vegan-friendly. 

It’s Worth Noting 

• The consistency starts out thick but quickly becomes runny when combined with water, which was our least favorite thing about it since it made it difficult to brush for the recommended two minutes without needing to spit it out.

Product Details

• Key Ingredients: Sodium fluoride, potassium nitrate
• Fluoride: Yes
• Size: 3.4 ounces
• Flavor: Wintergreen peppermint

Why We Like It

If you struggle to brush your teeth without accidentally swallowing some toothpaste while you’re at it, Gandhi recommends Risewell’s fluoride-free toothpaste, which features hydroxyapatite to strengthen enamel. It helps remineralize teeth, so if you have small cavities, this toothpaste may help reverse them. Other ingredients in this natural option include cavity-fighting xylitol and breath-freshening peppermint and tea tree oils. It also contains abrasives (the good kind) to get your teeth squeaky clean.

This is Dr. Larbi’s go-to recommendation for those looking for hydroxyapatite toothpastes. She calls out its clean, gentle ingredients, which support the oral microbiome. We like that the ingredients are vegan-friendly and SLS-free. Risewell also earns bonus points for its transparency—all of the ingredients are clearly named and not hidden behind ambiguous labeling like “natural flavors.”

It’s Worth Noting 

• RiseWell is a pricier brand, and it’s not typically found in stores, so it can be harder to find.
• It’s also packed with essential oils, which can be beneficial but may also cause allergic contact dermatitis in those sensitive to them. 

Product Details

• Key Ingredients: Hydroxyapatite, calcium carbonate, xylitol
• Fluoride: No
• Size: 4 ounces
• Flavor: Mint

Why We Like It

Natural and sustainable product categories don’t always overlap, but in the case of Simplut Chewable Toothpaste Tablets, they do. Toothpaste tablets tend to have a lighter carbon footprint because they’re water-free, and these ones by Simplut are also free from plastic packaging. In fact, the tin packaging is zero-waste and reusable. 

But we focused more on what’s in the package when we tested this toothpaste. The tablets smell great and closely resemble breath mints. They left our mouth feeling clean and refreshed. These small but mighty tablets also contain fluoride, so they can fend off cavities and promote healthy enamel. The reusable tin also makes the tablets ideal for travel or to bring to work or school.

It’s Worth Noting 

• The texture is a bit grainy, and there’s a learning curve to getting the tablet to fully break down.
• We also noticed how quickly the tablets run out—a pack of 60 only lasts for a month.

Product Details

• Key Ingredients: Sodium fluoride, xylitol
• Fluoride: Yes
• Size: 60 tablets
• Flavor: Peppermint

Why We Like It

Earning a perfect score across the board, Tidalove Smile More Toothpaste Tablets were a close second for our Best Overall pick when we tested them out. All it took was one use, and we were immediately impressed. Our editor even compared using these tablets to that “just left the dentist” clean—the one where you can feel each tooth individually because of how smooth they are.

This toothpaste checked all of our boxes. It was super sudsy and easy to swish around, unlike some natural toothpastes that never fully foam up. We also enjoyed the yuzu flavor, which was a nice departure from the typical mint or cinnamon. The toothpaste never caused any burning or tingling—just an overall clean feeling with fresh breath to boot.

The main active ingredient in these tablets is fluoride, but they’re also packed with other cavity-fighting ingredients, including hydroxyapatite and xylitol. Something tells us our dentist is going to be pleased at our next checkup. 

It’s Worth Noting 

• Like most toothpaste tablets, the texture starts out on the chalkier side, but the consistency gets better quickly as you chew them up. 

Product Details

• Key Ingredients: Sodium fluoride, hydroxyapatite, xylitol
• Fluoride: Yes
• Size: 62 tablets
• Flavor: Minty yuzu

Why We Like It

TheraNeem Neem and Sea Buckthorn Toothpaste comes recommended by Kevin Kremer, DDS, a dentist in Chico, California. Although it doesn’t contain fluoride, it has other ingredients that support healthy gums and reduce tooth decay, Dr. Kremer says. Specifically, he calls out neem and xylitol, which reduce plaque and prevent cavities.

Neem, a common ingredient in Indian Ayurvedic practices, has been shown to reduce plaque and help prevent tooth decay when it’s incorporated into toothpaste, and mouthwashes that include the ingredient also can also improve gum problems. Xylitol is known for its cavity prevention properties—especially in chewing gum—but it can also support healthy gums. Some research suggests that xylitol can help reduce the bacteria that causes periodontal disease, which is one of the most common oral diseases. 

It’s Worth Noting 

• This toothpaste isn’t widely available and is only sold at select online retailers.

Product Details

• Key Ingredients: Calcium carbonate, xylitol, neem
• Fluoride: No
• Size: 4.23 ounces
• Flavor: Peppermint