Quick question: How often do you think about your toothpaste?
Oral care is incredibly important: The smile is a pillar of the aesthetics of the face.
Having bright teeth and healthy gums can transform an overall appearance.
But it’s not just aestheticsa healthy smile is vital for digestion and overall inflammation in the body.
Seriously:Periodontal disease1is linked to chronic, systemic inflammation in the body.
Enter: These high-quality, safe, and natural toothpastes.
Here, the best options according to the mbg editorial team.
My smile looks shinier, my gums look healthier, and most importantly, my teeth feel stronger.
And my gums feel more comfortable with each passing day.
It also gently brightens (sans peroxide) with minerals and hydrates and soothes the gums with coconut oil.
Its particularly good at targeting funky breath, as it contains antibacterial tea tree oil.
Weleda Salt Toothpaste
To an extent, your mouth is self-cleaning.
Your saliva hasantimicrobial properties3and enzymes that help combat unwanted bacteria.
The salivation increases the cleansing power of the other ingredients, too.
This is important as some folks dont produce as much saliva, especially with age.
There’s also peppermint oil, so you don’t feel like you’re swishing saltwater.
This one gets the job done without artificial flavors and colors.
Plus, its budget-friendly.
This powder is highly effective at targeting stainsonly using natural ingredients.
With peppermint oil for taste, it’s just like your conventional tubejust a bit cleaner.
A dazzling, minty white.
But it also supports the teeth long-term, so overtime they naturally become less sensitive.
This option is topped with a natural strawberry flavoring to help sweeten the deal.
It honestly doesnt feel much different than a conventional toothpaste, which I love.
Even house guests have used it and noted how much they liked it.
We only recommend formulas we trust and would use ourselves.
Were also experts in overall health and longevity.
Before attendingGoldman School of Dental Medicine at Boston University, Dassani operated a successful dental practice in Mumbai.
For the past 18 years, she has been practicing in Houston, Texas.
What do you mean by “natural” toothpaste?
There is no regulated definition of the word natural in the beauty or personal care industries.
At mindbodygreen, we most often recommend clean and natural-leaning formulas.
Clean ingredients can be both natural and lab-derived.
Natural ingredients are those that are extracted from the earth, such as minerals and botanicals.
Many plant- and mineral-derived ingredients can be hugely beneficial for the bodysometimes more so than lab-derived ingredients.
However, we do not think every formula needs to be 100% natural.
In fact, there are many synthetic ingredients that are safe, effective, and useful.
They can also disrupt the oral microbiome, trigger inflammation, and cause flare-ups of oral conditions.
Fluoride
Fluoride is used tostrengthen enamel and fight cavities12(good things!).
This is why you should never swallow or eat fluoride toothpastes.
Given its potential for toxicity, some choose to avoid it altogetherand instead opt for fluoride alternatives.
Finally, some folks avoid it as it can trigger irritation for those who are sensitive.
For example, some dermatologists note it can makeperioral dermatitisworse.
Oral health is critical to overall health.
These are our favorite natural toothpastes.
Ready to learn about how to brighten that smile?
Read all about how towhiten your teeth at home.
