Baking soda

Carrageenan

Chamomile (German)

Fluoride

Ginger

Glycerin

Glycyrrhizin

Glyceryl laurate

Hectorite clay

Hops

Lemongrass

Lichen

Natural flavors

Poloxamer 335 and 407

Potassium nitrate

Propolis

Propylene glycol

Sage

Silica, hydrated

Silica shells

Sodium lauryl sulfate

Sorbitol

Sucrose cocoate 

Xanthan gum

Xylitol

Zinc citrate

Zinc ricinoleate

Further ingredient research:

Search the databases of the American Botanical Council for the latest research on herbal ingredients.

Ingredient Fact Sheet: Natural Flavors

What are they?

Our natural world contains so many exciting tastes and flavors. Rather than use artificial flavors or strong sweeteners, our philosophy is to use the many flavorful fruits, plants and roots that are already present on the Earth. Our products are flavored with natural ingredients like pure mint oils and fruit extracts. We believe creating a pure flavor experience is worth the effort.

All of our essential oils are steam distilled, rather than chemically distilled. This is the simplest way to extract oils and poses the least risk for chemical contamination. Some oils are distilled more than once as necessary to ensure quality and unique taste and flavor profiles.

What are "other natural flavors?"

Given the details presented about the ingredients in Tom's of Maine products, it may seem odd to find an ingredient listing such as "strawberry with other natural flavors." We have received many questions from people concerned about which other natural flavorings might be present. Please be assured that this phrase is not used to describe added sugar, or to hide less than natural ingredients.

Our flavor blends have been developed exclusively for Tom's of Maine for use in our products. Maintaining some degree of secrecy about the exact flavor compositions is therefore a necessity, both for us and for our flavoring suppliers. There are, for example, more than a half dozen different types of peppermint leaf in one of our unique peppermint natural flavor blends. Although these peppermints may retain unique qualities when grown in different regions, they are all the same species and are reported on the product simply as "leaves of the peppermint plant."

Fruit-based flavors typically require the inclusion of many different ingredients to give the product the proper balance. Because it is not possible to expect that a strawberry toothpaste will taste exactly like a ripe strawberry, flavor developers must find a blend of fruits that evokes the experience of strawberry. Silly Strawberry, for example, blends many natural ingredients, including banana.

What are the risks?

Tom's of Maine recognizes that no two people are alike, and even with pure and natural ingredients, some individuals may develop an allergic reaction that is unique to them. If you have sensitivities to any fruits or other natural flavorings and wish to use a Tom's product that contains "other natural flavors," please call our Consumer Dialogue Team at 800-775-2388; they will help you to determine whether the ingredient you wish to avoid is present in our product. As with any product, be sure to discontinue use if you experience discomfort or other indications that the product may not be appropriate for your individual body chemistry.