What Switching to All Natural Toothpaste Is Really Like

Natural products are better for your family and the environment, but it can be difficult finding a reason to try something new when you don’t know what to expect. That includes toothpaste, something you (should) use at least twice a day. I recently made the switch myself and was surprised to learn that my experience with all natural toothpaste was not only different—it was indeed better.

All-natural toothpaste tastes as simple and natural as its ingredients. As well, the flavor doesn’t taste artificial or like processed chemicals.

Genuine Taste, Familiar Clean

If you’re considering a switch to all natural toothpaste, you may wonder how it’s different and, more specifically, how it tastes. I’ve always been picky about my toothpaste with respect to flavor and type. And it was with trepidation that I decided to put my old standby aside and try a natural toothpaste. I’ll admit, I fully expected to hate it. It would probably taste like clay. But I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed a difference in taste immediately. The flavor is derived from a natural source and, therefore, doesn’t taste processed. In fact, working the bristles across my teeth, the paste that hit my tongue tasted as if I was brushing with an actual fresh sprig of peppermint—not just a flavoring. Natural toothpaste is also smooth and delicate in texture, rather than dense and sticky like others that are just as abrasive.

Pleasant Post-Rinse

The moment I was fully sold, however, came at the end: the aftertaste. Brushing your teeth is about keeping them clean and healthy, but let’s be honest: How your mouth tastes afterward is a huge factor in your willingness to use it in the first place. You expect to have that refreshed, clean-breath feel, and the all-natural toothpaste didn’t disappoint. If anything, my mouth felt genuinely clean for the first time. The taste was much more subtle than the almost overpowering sensation I had grown accustomed to with regular toothpaste.

The Kid Seal of Approval

It’s difficult to convince your children to go natural when regular toothpaste feature their favorite characters and is their favorite color. But when my daughter kept complaining that her toothpaste was too sweet, it dawned on me that maybe she would be willing to switch if it tasted better. Still a sucker for packaging, she was immediately enticed by the strawberries on the front of Tom’s of Maine Silly Strawberry, and smiled in surprise when she discovered what seemed like a real strawberry in toothpaste form.

Does It Work?

Ultimately, all natural toothpaste is just as effective at cleaning your teeth as its conventional counterpart. The best part is it does its job without a laundry list of chemical ingredients, many of which you can’t pronounce. Instead, a few simple natural toothpaste ingredients keep your mouth clean and your family safe. Sodium fluoride, derived from a natural ore, is one of the main decay-preventing ingredients in all-natural toothpastes, whereas naturally sourced silica provides a safer alternative to the bleaching chemicals typically used for whitening. There are also fluoride-free varieties available if your family prefers to avoid the ingredient. And while natural flavors like peppermint and spearmint oils leave your mouth tasting fresh, natural xylitol gives it just the right hint of sweetness to balance out the mint.

Why Go Natural?

Simply reading a label on a natural product can tell you a lot about why making the switch is a good idea. The key is ultimately what you won’t find listed on the label: manmade chemicals, dyes, or sweeteners. Besides keeping your teeth clean and healthy, you can rest assured you’re not exposing yourself or your family to anything that wasn’t naturally sourced.

As I often tell my daughter, the best way to really know if you’ll like something is to just try it. Challenge yourself to a natural product swap, and you’re sure to find yourself wishing you’d taken the plunge a long time ago.

Image source: Sher Warkentin

This article was brought to you by Tom’s of Maine. The views and opinions expressed by the author do not reflect the position of Tom’s of Maine.