FAQ

This is what we call an ingredient when it hasn't changed much from how it occurs in the identified source material. An example of this is peppermint oil. The peppermint oil we use in our products has been removed and concentrated but it is otherwise much the same as it would be found in the peppermint leaves.

Naturally derived ingredients have been modified from their original state through additional processing.  This is generally done to improve the ingredient’s safety or efficacy. An example of this is silica. In its natural state, silica would be too abrasive, so it goes through some processing to improve the ingredient's safety.

In reviewing ingredients for our products – whether naturally sourced or derived – we do consider the preparation processes involved. And it is our practice to only allow preparation processes which support our philosophy of human and environmental health, by working strictly with verified suppliers who agree to our code of conduct.

With our Stewardship Model, we not only review the starting material(s), but also the processing steps used to obtain the ingredients we use in our products.

As examples we accept fermentation and saponification, but would not allow ethoxylation, propoxylation and quaternization.

See our full policy here.

Yes, natural toothpaste can expire! While it's packed with awesome ingredients, we don't recommend using expired toothpaste, as its effectiveness may be reduced, and the ingredients may not perform as intended. At Tom's of Maine, you’ll find an expiration date printed on the tube so keep an eye out!

Absolutely—adults can enjoy kids’ toothpaste too! Our natural kids’ toothpaste shares many of the same great ingredients as our adult versions — some with fluoride and some without but always with tasty flavors like our best-selling Silly Strawberry. If you're asking can an adult use kids toothpaste and craving something different, give it a try. After all, a smile is a smile, no matter the flavor!

Transition toothpaste is perfect for that age when kids have outgrown fruity or bubblegum toothpaste flavors, but don't yet like the strong mint flavors in many adult toothpastes. To help make the switch, try a transition toothpaste with a minty flavor that’s a little more grown-up but still subtle. Consult your child’s dentist to ensure they’re using the correct type and amount of toothpaste.

When children reach age 2 and older, it’s time to start brushing their teeth. It’s important to teach proper brushing habits and supervise kids’ brushing. For children who haven’t yet learned to spit, we recommend Tom’s of Maine fluoride-free training toothpaste. Consult a dentist or doctor for children under age 2.

Tom’s of Maine Rapid Relief for sensitive teeth goes to work by actually blocking the pathways to sensitive tooth nerves. With a powerful blend of arginine and calcium carbonate that seals out the pain, Rapid Relief works at the source.

We all love a bright white smile, but it’s important to whiten teeth. Luckily, we've got the answer for how do I make my teeth whiter naturally. Tom’s of Maine Whiten + toothpastes are the perfect options for you. Choose from Whiten Plus Deep Clean Whitening Toothpaste Peppermint, Whiten Plus Deep Clean Whitening Toothpaste Spearmint or Whiten Plus Coconut Oil Fluoride Free Toothpaste Gentle Mint. Ready to smile brighter, naturally? Try these options today!

Not a fan of mint? No problem! At Tom’s of Maine, we’ve got many toothpastes without mint to make your brushing routine fresh and fun. How does Cinnamon Clove, Silly Strawberry, or Orange Mango sound? And even more great news—adults can totally enjoy our kids' toothpaste too! Whatever your flavor preference, we’ve got the perfect option to keep your smile feeling great.

All Tom’s of Maine toothpaste is safe for use as directed, and we also offer natural toothpaste for kids. Ask your child’s dentist if you have questions about which product might be the best fit. For children who haven’t yet learned to spit, we recommend a fluoride-free training toothpaste.

We have always respected that no two individuals are alike, and there are a variety of reasons why an individual may choose to avoid an ingredient. When safe and practical, we have tried to provide options so people can select the product that is right for them. We have offered a choice of fluoride toothpaste and natural toothpaste without fluoride since the 1980s.

Fluoride is often used as an active ingredient in traditional and natural toothpaste to help prevent cavities and tooth decay. Tom’s of Maine uses sodium fluoride and sodium monofluorophosphate in some of our natural toothpastes with fluoride, and , and we also offer natural toothpaste without fluoride.

Tom’s of Maine natural toothpaste gives you the benefits of conventional toothpaste—without the artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Whether you're looking for natural whitening, a fluoride option, or a fluoride-free formula, we’ve got it. You deserve to choose the ingredients you want (and avoid the ones you don’t). Tom’s of Maine makes it easy to pick what’s best for you!

Natural toothpaste focuses on natural goodness! At Tom's of Maine, the ingredients and materials we select are core to our promise to make the world a better place - a promise we have tried to keep since 1970. Ingredients that are naturally sourced and derived. Formulas that are safe and effective and our packaging that strives to be responsible and sustainable. Learn more here.  Go natural and feel amazing!

Vegan toothpaste is made without any animal-derived ingredients.

We're excited to share that we’re constantly working to make our packaging more sustainable. For example, all our full-size toothpastes are now in a first-of-its-kind recyclable tube—a small but important step in our mission to reduce waste and send less to landfills.

But we’re not stopping there. We’re building momentum in our efforts to educate everyone about the new recyclable tubes, and we’re doing everything we can to make sure they’re easy to recycle. While some communities may not yet accept these tubes, we encourage you to check with your local recycling facilities to see if they do. We’re also working hard to increase our use of recycled plastic, like in our post-consumer recycled mouthwash bottles. Plus, we're exploring innovative ways to deliver our natural products without plastic packaging at all!

While we work towards achieving this goal, discover how to recycle deodorant barrels, bottles and more with TerraCycle. Learn more.

Your tube has the flag above on it? Great! Getting your tube ready for recycling is easy: simply squeeze out as much of the toothpaste from the tube as you can, replace the cap, and place the tube in your recycling bin. The Tom's of Maine toothpaste tube can be put into your household recycling bin for curbside recycling if your community accepts #2 HDPE plastic. #2 plastic is a commonly recycled plastic and is what many laundry detergent bottles and milk jugs are made from.

Please don't cut open the toothpaste tube to try and remove excess toothpaste! During the processing of the tube at the recycling facility, the tube is ground up and goes through a "rinsing" process, where all the residual toothpaste is washed off of the plastic. So there's no need for you to do any rinsing at home. 

Our toothpaste is made for brushing, so it’s best not to swallow it. Don’t worry though—if a tiny bit gets swallowed by accident during brushing, it’s generally not harmful. But to be safe, always remember to spit out the toothpaste and give your mouth a good rinse afterward.

For young children, we recommend keeping an eye on their brushing session to make sure they’re using the right amount of toothpaste and not swallowing it. It’s all about making brushing a fun, healthy habit!

If more than used for brushing is accidentally swallowed , get medical help or call (412) 390-3381 right away (Poison Control Center)

Let’s talk about antiperspirant and deodorant – Great question! Antiperspirants contain aluminum salts to keep you dry, offering sweat and odor protection to keep you feeling fresh and confident. They ensure all-day freshness, especially for those who aren't afraid to break a sweat! Deodorants, on the other hand, focus on keeping you smelling fresh. Tom's of Maine stick deodorant is a breakthrough in odor and wetness protection, powered by naturally sourced and derived, moisture-locking ingredients that keep you feeling confident all day long.

Tom’s of Maine natural deodorants give you  24 hours of odor protection—perfect for staying fresh all day (and beyond)! Just check the label for the specifics on your product. Keep in mind, results can vary when it comes to how long  it takes for natural deodorant to work, depending on your unique body chemistry and other factors. And if our deodorant doesn’t quite hit the mark for you, don’t worry! Give us a call at 1-800-FOR-TOMS, and we’d be happy to chat and help you find the perfect fit. We’re here for you!

Great question! Our antiperspirants contain aluminum salts to keep you dry, offering 48 hours of sweat and odor protection to keep you feeling fresh and confident. They ensure all-day freshness, especially for those who aren't afraid to break a sweat!

Tom’s of Maine aluminum-free deodorant does not contain aluminum and does not clog pores, giving you the natural protection you need.

If you’re a parent, you know every child is different! That goes for knowing when kids should start wearing deodorant, too. Some kids may need odor protection sooner than others because of their lifestyle, diet, body chemistry and other factors. Tom’s of Maine makes safe deodorant for kids in various formulas and scents; best of all, they’re natural! Explore our range of products to find the best children’s deodorant for your child’s needs.

Tom’s of Maine deodorants are safe when used as directed. For kids and pre-teens using deodorant for the first time, check out our fun, kid-friendly deodorant, Wicked Cool, designed to provide 24-hour odor protection.

We're excited to share that we’re constantly working to make our packaging more sustainable. For example, all our full-size toothpastes are now in a first-of-its-kind recyclable tube—a small but important step in our mission to reduce waste and send less to landfills.

But we’re not stopping there. We’re building momentum in our efforts to educate everyone about the new recyclable tubes, and we’re doing everything we can to make sure they’re easy to recycle. While some communities may not yet accept these tubes, we encourage you to check with your local recycling facilities to see if they do. We’re also working hard to increase our use of recycled plastic, like in our post-consumer recycled mouthwash bottles. Plus, we're exploring innovative ways to deliver our natural products without plastic packaging at all!

While we work towards achieving this goal, discover how to recycle deodorant barrels, bottles and more with TerraCycle. Learn more.

Your tube has the flag above on it? Great! Getting your tube ready for recycling is easy: simply squeeze out as much of the toothpaste from the tube as you can, replace the cap, and place the tube in your recycling bin. The Tom's of Maine toothpaste tube can be put into your household recycling bin for curbside recycling if your community accepts #2 HDPE plastic. #2 plastic is a commonly recycled plastic and is what many laundry detergent bottles and milk jugs are made from.

Please don't cut open the toothpaste tube to try and remove excess toothpaste! During the processing of the tube at the recycling facility, the tube is ground up and goes through a "rinsing" process, where all the residual toothpaste is washed off of the plastic. So there's no need for you to do any rinsing at home. 

In 2019, we earned recognition for technical recyclability from the APR (Association of Plastic Recyclers), showing that tubes of the right design are compatible with the HDPE #2 container recycling process. We also tested the sortability of tubes in the lab as well as in the field at MRFs (sorting facilities); data from these efforts shows that our full size tubes are able to make it through to the container line successfully, and there is minimal mis-sorting. 

Now that we’ve solved technical recyclability and proved compatibility with HDPE container recycling including sortability, we have been sharing the technology as well as the approach with tube suppliers, other brands, and any interested parties so that the transition to recyclable tubes can happen quickly, and recyclers can be confident that the tubes they receive are compatible. Because of this momentum, all major toothpaste brands have publicly committed to transition their tube portfolios by 2025, and a Squeeze Tube Design Guide is publicly available.

In addition to helping the industry transition their tubes, Tom’s, in partnership with the Colgate-Palmolive Company, is focused on working with the recycling community by sharing our work on compatibility of recyclable tubes within the current recycling system, and partnering with key third parties to address turning "recyclable" into widely accepted and "recycled." 

A key collaborative effort we are funding is the Journey to Recyclability for Plastic Squeeze Tubes project, managed by our partner, Stina Inc. Anchored in the importance of avoiding contamination and improving the quality of recycled feedstock, this project is working through the critical elements needed for all tubes to be included in community lists of acceptable items in the recycling stream.

Another example of work we are contributing to is The Pathway to Circularity: Recyclability Framework with The Recycling Partnership, which is creating the Framework to define a clear set of criteria to help companies successfully navigate the recycling system, and take action to address challenges, thereby making circularity tangible. We are active participants, having helped initiate the project, using tubes as a helpful case study, and are planning additional testing as the Framework protocols are agreed-upon by the Circularity Council driving the project. 

Even with all of these efforts, however, during this transition phase your community may not yet accept tubes for recycling. Check locally.  Consumers should check with their local community programs to ensure that tubes are accepted.  We are proud to be the leaders in this space and our goal is to continue developing innovative science that creates products that are ultimately better for our planet.

The caps are made of a different plastic than the tube; however, as with bottles, recyclers are used to dealing with caps made from a different resin and encourage replacing the cap to help prevent litter. We will continue to research conversion to an HDPE cap.

The plan is for all of our full size tubes to be recyclable by the end of 2020 and our toothpastes will transition into the recyclable tube by sub-brand. During this transition, some of our toothpastes will be in the recyclable tube while others won't have transitioned yet. Additionally, it will take time for other tube manufacturers to also make the transition. When in doubt, throw it out!

Plastic is not designed to be biodegradable. The #2 HDPE plastic used in our tubes is designed to be "circular," so that the material can be re-processed into new products and packaging.

Yes, TerraCycle is still a partner with Tom's of Maine to offer recycling for our smaller toothpaste tubes, toothpaste tubes that are not yet recyclable, toothbrushes, and for packaging we use for our other products that are not recyclable in municipal recycling programs. Participation is limited.

We are making our recyclable tube with #2 HDPE, which continues to have a strong recycling stream for packaging as well as other uses. It is also a common type of plastic used by other personal care and beauty brands, as well as home care and food brands, which is why we are collaborating with the broader industry, to include retailers.

At Tom's of Maine, we have a commitment to lessen our product and packaging waste and improve recyclability of our packaging material as part of our Goodness Goals . We continue to work on ways to minimize the environmental impact that both our products and packaging have on our natural environment.

Recycling practices vary by municipality and not all types of materials are accepted in all towns. If your town doesn't accept #2 plastic, we encourage you to recycle your toothpaste tubes through Terracycle

The impacts of climate change are a daily reality for many communities across the U.S., yet those hot the hardest are often underserved and underrepresented in the climate movement. Through this incubator program,Tom’s of Maine is investing in the next generation of underrepresented climate change leaders — providing resources and creating opportunities to elevate the voices of these emerging leaders and helping them scale solutions that will benefit all people.

While specifics of the program may change from year to year, members of our first two cohorts received $20,000 in funding, mentorship support from climate-involved business and advocacy leaders, and multiple opportunities for training and peer-to-peer relationship building. Each of our Incubator members were environmental leaders before they joined the Incubator program, and we were also proud to amplify their work and voices where we could through our website and social media channels.

While all of our past members have been united in a desire to make the world a better place, their areas of focus have been very different!  These have included empowering BIPOC women, girls and non-binary individuals to stand up for environmental justice,helping Gen Z build careers to fight climate change, helping people grow their connection with their food and community through gardening and driving awareness and engagement with ocean climate solutions.  

While specifics of the program may change from year to year, past Incubator members completed an online form and submitted video entries detailing their work and what they would do with support from the Incubator program.  Five entrants were selected to receive support in our first two years.  

We are currently finalizing the details for year 3 of the Tom’s of Maine Incubator, so stay tuned!  Following us on social media is the best way to be informed when the next application period is open. 

Follow our past members and mentors on social media, and engage and amplify their content!  This is a great way to spread the word of the work being done by these incredible individuals, and to help share their vision for a better future.