GoodGuide Oral Care Products Ratings

As you brush your teeth in the morning, you’re swirling around a chemical mixture in your mouth for 30-60 seconds and swallowing some percentage of these chemical ingredients every time you brush. Fluoride, one of the active ingredients in toothpaste, is a remarkably effective cavity-fighter, which is why, in addition to being added in very low concentrations to tap water, it’s found in many oral care products. At higher doses, however, it’s also a potentially toxic chemical linked to human nervous system, reproductive health, and endocrine system disruption and linked to cancer in lab animals. The problem: Scientists aren’t yet sure if the amount added to toothpaste plus the amount you get in tap water equals a hazardous dose. To be safe, we recommend that young children (who swallow more of their toothpaste) should use fluoride-free toothpastes. (more)

Fluoride isn’t the only potential health and safety issue with oral care products. Some toothpastes and mouthwashes contain an anti-bacterial cleaner and pesticide called triclosan, a strong skin irritant and organ toxicant that, if it gets into the environment, is hazardous to marine life. (Even good city sewers dump raw sewage sometimes, meaning the toothpaste you spit out can make it into the environment.)

There are less-well known chemical ingredients to avoid in toothpaste, as well—immune system toxicant BHT (short for butylated hydroxytoluene), potential endocrine disruptors parabens, and hydrogen peroxide, which is banned for use in cosmetics in Japan.

It’s a long list of ingredients to check, but there are toothpastes that don’t contain any of these chemicals. Find them on GoodGuide by browsing for the best toothpastes for health and environmental performance, or by checking each oral care product’s ingredient list. You can also browse our social ratings to find companies that don’t test their oral care products on animals—most do, especially when strong chemicals (such as fluoride or triclosan) are among the ingredients.