Updated October 2025
Introduction:
Unfortunately there are currently NO perfect options for toothpaste that I know of. This was one of the deepest and darkest rabbit holes to research, because there was no light at the end of the tunnel; no perfect options. All toothpastes contain at least one ingredient that some people think is problematic.
I’m not going to get into details of why toothpaste is so bad, but so many toothpaste ingredients (even “natural” ones) may have some benefits for teeth, but are problematic for toxicity, heavy metals, and other hazards, especially for children: Carageenan, xanthan gum, propandiol, artificial colors and flavors, sodium lauryl sulfate, triclosan, sodium benzoate, colloidal silver, bentonite clay (has lead), calcium carbonate (has lead), coral (lead risk), essential oils (many, including peppermint are not safe for kids), nano silver, nano-Hydroxyapatite, plastic micro beads, and especially fluoride (a neurotoxin that may not be very effective for cavity prevention and may affect children’s development or IQ).
Titanium dioxide is another ingredient sometimes seen in toothpaste. It is most dangerous when inhaled, so isn’t as dangerous when bound in a product like toothpaste. Still isn’t great to swallow more than small bits, so personally I wouldn’t feel good using for a small child. But if your child spits and rinses thoroughly you might consider it. I almost considered Hello brand until I realized some of them contain this ingredient.
I couldn’t find any research to back but the rumor that glycerin shouldn’t be used in toothpaste, so I don’t avoid that one.
See my recommended products below and also check out my teeth whitening tips!
This post may contain Amazon Associates or other affiliate links, that I may earn small amounts from. See the bottom of this page for more details about why this doesn’t bias my recommendations.
Recommendations:
Kids Toothbrush: Radius; Amazon Associates link: https://amzn.to/3tWqbNC
Another good kids brush is Jack n Jill. Amazon Associates link: https://amzn.to/3um40jb
Kids Electric Toothbrush: Brush Baby; Amazon Associates link: https://amzn.to/3F4La6f
Another good kids electric brush is Jack n Jill. Amazon Associates link: https://amzn.to/3VquOL3
Adult Electric Toothbrush: I bought Burst brand https://amzn.to/45PqISm, which recently switched away from charcoal infused bristles (so you may still see some for sale). Charcoal has a small risk of have heavy metals in it, but it is a very small amount, so the risk is low if you want to use these. Quip is another brand to look into. At the least, they don’t use dye on their bristles. Be aware that some models have Bluetooth, which is an EMF concern. The kids brush has Bluetooth and appears to have yellow dye in the bristles so I don’t recommend that one.
Floss: Radius Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3ogXKXl or Desert Essence. I greatly prefer Radius. Almost all other brands contain PFAS chemicals. To make it easier with kids, you can get reusable floss pick devices to use with regular floss (Affiliates link: https://amzn.to/3CXjptn). Flossing the back teeth at night is most important.
Toothpaste for Adults: For many years I used no toothpaste (just wet the brush with water), or sometimes use plain baking soda. Some say it’s too abrasive, but I read a compelling source that actually compared abrasiveness of compounds and found it was safe for teeth. My dentist also approves and says my enamel is great, even when I used to brush with baking soda every day.
However, I my efforts to have more opaque, brighter looking teeth, I decided to try a hydroxyapatite toothpaste. The toothpaste with the least concerning ingredients, in my opinion, is Wellnesse and it does not contain PFAS or nano particles. It can be ordered through Amazon https://amzn.to/3BTvMup. It can also be ordered from their website. This post is NOT sponsored and I selected this brand only after a thorough search. I have tried their whitening and charcoal versions.
There are conflicting opinions about whether nanohydroxyapatite is safe. There was some research showing hazards if swallowed in large amounts, but many proponents claim that the nano form is safe and necessary for the tooth mineralization / anti cavity benefits. Depending on your oral health needs, if you want a nano hydroxyapatite toothpaste, this one has the least toxic ingredients list I could find, and has the recommended 10% concentration: https://amzn.to/3YKTWic. I have not tried this.
Toothpaste for Kids: For ready made kid toothpastes, if I had to recommend one it would be Wellnesse https://amzn.to/3ZMTkLa. We recently tried this after one of my kids requested to try toothpaste. The taste is a little chalky and not much like strawberry, but is tolerable by some kids. It can also be ordered from their website.
For kids up until age 4, no toothpaste is recommended because of the propensity of swallowing it; just water is fine. You can also try straight coconut oil, especially for kids who won’t like the taste of baking soda. A successful idea I had is to put it into a “Squeezey Snacker” silicone squeeze bottle to make it easier to put on a toothbrush (as long as it doesn’t get too cold and hardened). Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3tV1m4I.
Radius used to be an ok choice for kids toothpaste but they recently added citric acid (and their website may not yet reflect this): https://amzn.to/3Pn5fJC. In the past I used Jack n Jill for a while for my toddler because it doesn’t have ingredients risky for lead, which was my foremost concern because at her age, kids end up swallowing most of it. They have great flavors. But I stopped using it because it contains citric acid that the company says is derived from corn. But that means that mold was probably used for the fermentation process. If she would use just coconut oil I would do that, but she doesn’t like it. I then switched back to just water. What I might try is making a DIY toothpaste with coconut oil, baking soda, and some kind of flavoring… maybe vanilla or monk fruit ? I’ve also heard that a tiny amount of castor oil can be used.
Mouthwash: This contains xylitol which has great benefits for teeth (including helping them look whiter), and is the least toxic brand I could find if you really want a mouthwash. It does contain natural flavors and a few things I’d normally avoid, but I everything else I’ve seen is much worse. Do check the ingredients of each flavor as they do differ between flavors. I rotate between some of the flavors. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1RPCS4/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_8R9SJX4HYPT4V2G5MYC7?linkCode=ml2&tag=cleangreentox-20 (Amazon associates link).
Xylitol gum is another product to consider, but I haven’t looked deeply into the toxicity of different brands.
Nutrition for Healthy Teeth:
Remember that teeth are alive and part of the body, which needs to be supported by good nutrition from the inside out. Check out this article about nutrition for teeth, including why milk may not be great. Sugar is definitely not good for teeth, as well as anything that acidifies your mouth.
Bonus Brushing Tips for Kids (if you’re having difficulty):
-Play a short video on your phone or tablet about teeth brushing (or just a fun video) while you brush. We are a low-screentime house, but this was a game changer and had the additional benefit of making our daughter actually be excited and willing to start bedtime instead of fighting it.
-Try one of those silicone brushes that goes on your finger (but watch out for biting).
-Give the child a toothbrush to hold, help use on herself, or use on you.
-Has daddy tried? For some reason at some points in time my kids were more cooperative when my husband did it.
-Try a different position. Standing, sitting, laying in your lap.
Bonus Dentist Visit Tip:
Instead of that aspartame tasting tooth polish, you can ask for plain pumice. Doesn’t taste like anything and is the same stuff without added flavor or color. Or, the polisher tool can still work with just water. That’s what I do for my kids, because they don’t like the taste of the paste and I don’t like the ingredients.
Also, if you need to have silver colored amalgam fillings removed, you should look for a SMART Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique (SMART), which is a protocol developed through the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) to safely remove amalgam fillings and reduce mercury exposure to patients, doctors and clinical staff. The Andy Cutler group has great tips on more details to look for to make sure dentists are following correct protocols because even dentists following SMART protocols sometimes differ on certain parts.
Also check out my teeth whitening tips!
Please follow my Facebook page here to see new posts:
https://m.facebook.com/CleanGreenToxicantFree/
***Thank you for visiting Clean Green Toxicant Free! I started this site simply because I want to help people and share information. I dig deep and seek the most truly non-toxic products, without bias. I am not paid to write anything and I don’t sell anything. In 2022 I became an Amazon Associate, which does NOT bias my recommendations. I may earn small dividends from purchases made after clicking my clearly labeled links (even if you don’t buy those specific items), which covers the costs I pay to maintain this site, at no cost to you. More info is on the About This Website page.***