When shopping for toothpaste, steer clear of products made with sulfates, poloxamer 407, cetylpyridinium chloride, and microbeads. Fluoride strengthens teeth, prevents tooth decay, and remineralizes decaying tooth enamel. It is also famously the subject of a great debate, which we won’t get into here. When it comes to whitening ingredients, blue covarine and hydrogen peroxide are both safe chemicals. Our favorite toothpastes are certified by EWG (which ensures the product is free from chemicals of concern) and PETA or Leaping Bunny (which ensure no animal testing was performed using the product). If you can, buy toothpaste that’s packaged in a recyclable tube or choose plastic-free toothpaste tablets. 

Ingredients

Sulfates 

Sulfates are a kind of surfactant, which is used to clean and create the foam we know and love. Sodium lauryl sulfate, also known as SLS, is an emulsifying cleaning agent sometimes found in toothpaste. It’s used to break down and wash away the dirt and grime that water can’t get rid of on its own. It also happens to be a highly toxic threat to aquatic life, from algae, to frogs, to fish. Although there is some debate on sulfates, the World Health Organization (WHO) unequivocally states that SLS “...is toxic to aquatic organisms. It is strongly advised not to let the chemical enter into the environment.” 

Poloxamer 407

Poloxamer 407 is used to mix different ingredients into those wacky bright blues and greens we associate with toothpaste. P407 is proven to cause hyperlipidemia in animals, which is the overproduction of fats in blood, which in turn creates an increased risk for heart attack or stroke. Steer clear of those neon colored toothpastes to avoid this one. 

Cetylpyridinium Chloride

Cetylpyridinium Chloride, aka CPC, is found in all kinds of toothpastes, but is also used in the poultry processing industry to reduce microbes. Everything about the poultry processing industry is gross, including this chemical. It has been proven to cause reproductive disruptions and infertility in animals exposed to it. There are existing petitions that ask to have CPC added to the USDA National Organic Program’s National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances, and Japan has even banned it from use in cosmetics.  

Fluoride

Fluoride compounds are to cavity prevention what blueberries are to blueberry pancakes. That is to say, they’re the distinguishing component. Fluoride strengthens teeth, prevents tooth decay, and remineralizes decaying tooth enamel. It is also famously the subject of a great debate, which we won’t get into here. 

Microbeads

Whitening toothpastes typically contain abrasives like microbeads that are harder on stains but less hard on enamel, and/or peroxides that help dissolve stains, and/or a chemical called blue covarine, which shifts the reflected color of teeth from yellow to blue (leading to a whiter appearance). When it comes to the environmental impacts of these whiteners, microbeads are by far the most worrisome. Microbeads are visible particles of plastic that are smaller than 5mm. Wastewater treatment facilities aren’t very good at capturing them, which means they often make their way into our waterways and break down into microplastics. In Istanbul, 871 million grams of microplastics are going down the drain annually from toothpaste alone. That’s the same weight as almost 80 school buses. It’s time we make moves to avoid all of that unnecessary microplastic waste. 

Blue Covarine

While blue covarine may sound scary, it’s actually not. Wastewater treatment facilities should have no trouble picking up blue covarine based on its chemical structure, so its release into our waterways is unlikely. And as a bonus, it’s a pretty effective whitener. 

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a fabulous whitener, and it’s safe for the environment. We actually use hydrogen peroxide in wastewater treatment plants as a way to break down the (literal) crap people flush down the toilet. It’s widely regarded as the safest oxidant imaginable and is even lauded as “the ultimate ‘green’ reagent”. 

PACKAGING

Traditional toothpaste tubes are trash when it comes to their recyclability and reusability. However, innovations are being made. Dr. Bronner's toothpaste cap, tube, and carton are all made out of recyclable materials including cardboard and HDPE. Davids comes in a recyclable metal tube, and Tom’s has a recycling partnership with Terracycle. But to us, the most compelling packaging innovation is the introduction of toothpaste tablets that don’t even require a tube. Humankind makes tablets that are stored in a reusable glass and silicone container and shipped in compostable paper pouches. Bite makes tablets that come in a glass bottle and have a 4.9 (out of 5) star review based on over 11,000 reviews. Traditional toothpaste is made up of about 20-40% water, which makes it heavy and increases fuel and energy needed in shipping and transportation. The tablet/bit format eliminates this unnecessary water weight and is much easier to store and ship in reusable containers. However, it’s more expensive than conventional toothpaste (costing about $.20 per use), and not everyone loves the texture. 

Fun Fact

As many as 20 billion toothpaste tubes are made every year, according to Colgate

Certifications

Here are some certifications to look for when shopping this category.

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