The best natural toothpaste

• Natural toothpaste formulas don’t have to be lacking in powerful ingredients or great flavor.
• Take our top pick, Desert Essence Natural Tea Tree Oil and Neem Toothpaste, for example. It cleans teeth and keeps breath fresh, thanks to naturally occurring tea tree oil, neem, baking soda, and sea salt.
• Editor’s Note: The British Dental Journal has released new research that says there is insufficient scientific evidence to prove the cosmetic and health benefits of activated charcoal toothpastes and powders, and that they may cause decay.

Brushing your teeth is an intimate thing. And yet, we don’t tend to give our toothpaste selection careful thought. Most of us just go to the drugstore, pick up whatever is on sale, and go on our merry way. Can you even tell me what brand is in your medicine cabinet right now?

Now more than ever, buyers interested are interested in ingredients. They want to know what’s in their products, and why. Although there is a significant amount of debate about what really counts as “natural” and whether “natural” is automatically preferable to synthetic formulations, more and more people are making the switch to products that use all or mostly natural ingredients.

Maybe you’re here because you’ve already overhauled your skin care, cosmetics, cleaning supplies, and deodorant to include only natural products, and toothpaste is just the next item on your list. Or perhaps you simply want to learn about the alternatives to whatever is currently sitting on the shelf in your bathroom.

But first, a note about fluoride: Though some people prefer to avoid it, there are several options in our guide that do include the ingredient. As Allure points out, “contrary to what many believe, fluoride is natural.” It’s “found throughout the earth’s crust, in rainwater, in plants, and it’s the only ingredient that is proven to reduce cavities,” as dentist Caroline Barsoum told the publication.

Still, some people don’t want fluoride in their toothpaste, so if you prefer to do without fluoride, there are some options for you in our guide, too. However, before you go the natural route, make sure you discuss with your dentist on whether a natural toothpaste is right for you.

Here is the best natural toothpaste:

• Best overall: Desert Essence Natural Tea Tree Oil and Neem Toothpaste
• Best for sensitive teeth: Hello Sensitivity Relief Fluoride Toothpaste
• Best fluoride-free: Tom's Antiplaque Whitening Fluoride-Free Toothpaste
• Best for kids: Hello Kids Fluoride-Free Natural Watermelon Toothpaste

Updated on 10/25/2019 by Connie Chen: Updated prices and links.

The best overall

Thanks to its natural ingredients, Desert Essence Natural Tea Tree Oil and Neem Toothpaste keeps your mouth clean and healthy.

Desert Essence Natural Tea Tree Oil and Neem Toothpaste appears on tons of "best natural toothpaste" lists and has racked up tons of rave reviews on Amazon. Why? Because it's effective but lacks most of the ingredients you probably came here to avoid.

This toothpaste is mentioned all over the internet as a top natural toothpaste - it has more than 1,500 Amazon reviews (77% of which give the product 5 stars) and earns high marks from experts as well.

Tea tree oil is the hero ingredient, and it's said to be antibacterial and freshen your breath. Good Housekeeping did note that its testers didn't love the flavor of this toothpaste, so if you're really sensitive to taste, you may want to read on for other options.

In a review, Anna Hoffman of Apartment Therapy writes, "Overall, I really liked this toothpaste - it tasted pretty good and was effective at keeping my mouth as fresh and non-swampy as my normal drugstore toothpaste."

Evita Ochel, a holistic nutritionist, writes, "Given this and the quality of ingredients, I can definitely recommend this toothpaste as a good option for the natural-oriented and health-conscious consumer." She recommends avoiding commercial toothpaste in general.

Pros: Natural ingredients, contains antibacterial tea tree oil

Cons: No fluoride, "earthy" flavor

The best for sensitive teeth

Got sensitive teeth? Hello Sensitivity Relief Fluoride Toothpaste is packed with soothing ingredients and lacking in dye, artificial flavor, parabens, and SLS.

Toothpaste for sensitive teeth doesn't tend to inspire medicine cabinet envy - the packaging is often clinical and unattractive. But Hello Sensitivity Relief Fluoride Toothpaste is the exception. The metallic pink tube looks great next to all your fancy face creams, while the formula delivers soothing ingredients and a fresh, minty taste.

There's so much to love about Hello Sensitivity Relief that it's hard to know where to start. It has all the great benefits you get from the brand's other formulas, like teeth-whitening and cavity-fighting, plus the addition of desensitizing ingredients like aloe vera, xylitol, and coconut oil (commonly used in a dental care technique called oil pulling).

Then, there are all the things this toothpaste doesn't have: parabens, artificial dyes or flavors, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), gluten, preservatives, etc. Additionally, all Hello products are cruelty-free, vegan, and packaged in boxes "made from 100% recycled paperboard and printed with soy inks."

Allure named Hello Sensitivity Relief as a great pick in an article on natural toothpaste, and it has a 4.3-star rating on Amazon based on more than 500 customer reviews.

Pros: Contains soothing and moisturizing ingredients for sensitive teeth, cruelty-free, comes in recycled packaging, no SLS, contains fluoride

Cons: Contains fluoride

The best fluoride-free

If you really want to avoid fluoride, try Tom's of Maine Antiplaque and Whitening Fluoride-Free Toothpaste, which uses naturally derived silicas to whiten teeth and comes in a variety of great flavors.

While most experts agree that fluoride is safe in small doses - and recommend for its teeth-protection properties - Tom's of Maine Antiplaque and Whitening Fluoride-Free Toothpaste is a good option if you prefer to avoid the ingredient.

This toothpaste helps brighten your smile and prevents plaque buildup thanks to naturally sourced ingredients like zinc citrate and hydrated silica. There's also a comprehensive breakdown on the Tom's of Maine website that shows you exactly what's included in the toothpaste, why it's there, and how it was sourced.

Tom's of Maine toothpastes are highly recommended by experts and reviewers, including us - we love it as a great natural option for people with sensitive teeth. Good Housekeeping listed the entire brand among some of the best natural toothpastes on the market, and Best Products named the Antiplaque and Whitening Fluoride-Free formula the "Best Organic Toothpaste." The product has more than 2,600 Amazon reviews and a 4.4 rating.

Pros: Great taste, fluoride-free, antiplaque and whitening properties

Cons: Contains SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) which some people prefer to avoid, fluoride-free (could be a pro or a con, depending on preference)

The best for kids

For a natural toothpaste that kids will love, consider Hello Kids Fluoride-Free Natural Watermelon Toothpaste.

It's hard enough for me to make myself brush my teeth after a long day, so I can only imagine what that experience is like with children. A lot of natural toothpastes are known for tasting a little, well, different, but Hello Kids Fluoride-Free Natural Watermelon Toothpaste's fruity flavor is bound to be youngster-approved.

Parents, on the other hand, will love that it's formulated without "dyes, sls/sulfates, artificial sweeteners/flavors, microbeads, triclosan and gluten," just like all of the Hello Oral Care toothpastes. This variety is sans fluoride, but the brand carries some kid-friendly options that do contain fluoride, in other flavors like "Bubblegum" and "Blue Raspberry."

Pros: Great taste, BPA-free packaging, cruelty-free and vegan, made without artificial ingredients like dyes and flavorings

Cons: Fluoride-free (but brand carries fluoride options if you prefer)

The best with activated charcoal

Don't let the color of Schmidt's Activated Charcoal Tooth and Mouth Paste fool you. This is an excellent whitening toothpaste that tastes minty fresh.

Editor's Note: The British Dental Journal has released new research that says there is insufficient scientific evidence to prove the cosmetic and health benefits of activated charcoal toothpastes and powders, and that they may cause decay. We are doing our best to keep up with recent news as well as try each and every one of our picks for you. We'll update this article accordingly when we learn more. You can read more details in this Business Insider article that summarizes the study.

Don't be alarmed: Schmidt's Activated Charcoal Tooth and Mouth Paste comes out of the tube a disconcerting shade of dark gray, but it's worth overlooking the initial shock because of the whitening benefits. It is part of a lineup of natural toothpaste from Schmidt, which is known for its natural deodorants. Of the Schmidt's natural toothpaste flavors I tested, my favorite is the Activated Charcoal.

I get bad stains on my teeth, which are partially due to the texture of my tooth enamel and partially due to my insistence that water and coffee are interchangeable substances. This toothpaste lessened the impact of those stains so much that my mom noticed without me even mentioning it, which is pretty much the highest compliment I can give it.

My teeth stayed even noticeably lighter after I moved on to using a formula without the activated charcoal. Schmidt's Activated Charcoal Tooth and Mouth Paste is formulated with COQ10, vitamin E, and goji berry and pomegranate extract, and is vegan and cruelty-free.

Fast Company writer Rina Raphael gave it a mostly positive assessment, though she was initially put off by the grey color of the activated charcoal toothpaste. Best Products listed it as one of the activated charcoal toothpastes you should buy.

Editors' note: According to a recent study released by the British Dental Journal, activated charcoal toothpaste was found to be ineffective at whitening teeth. Researchers also found that it could damage teeth and gums. Activated charcoal toothpaste isn't approved by the ADA, and there isn't a consensus among dentists on whether it works. If you have concerns, you should consult your dentist before trying. Click here to read more.

Pros: Nice minty flavor, whitening activated charcoal

Cons: Toothpaste is dark gray and will stain your sink if you don't rinse thoroughly after brushing

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