We took a deep dive to pick out the best toothpastes on the market, because if you’re like us, your oral hygiene routine likely hasn’t changed much since you were a kid: Flossing every night, brushing two times daily, and visiting the dentist twice a year for a cleanup. And while you can pick from a variety of toothbrushes, mouthwash, and floss, toothpaste is where the rubber really meets the road.
Maybe it’s time to make some tailored changes to your toothpaste, too, depending on your particular needs. Say, for a sensitive smile, plaque proclivity, or even a bigger budget… Maybe you’re chasing a bright, made-for-TV smile? Or perhaps you’re prone to killer breath and need to counter the odorous bacteria? And, every so often, gingivitis comes for us all, whether we’ve been neglecting the floss, brushing with the same brush for too long, or ducking the dentist.
So we rounded up the very best toothpastes (and, more importantly, our most-trusted dentists’ favorite toothpastes) that take aim at a variety of concerns. It’s time to brush up.
How We Tested
We brushed. Sometimes more than twice a day. For years on end. Look, not all of these pastes are new to the market. This isn’t “Best New Toothpastes”, this is “Best Toothpastes”, and some of our old-school drugstore favorites will forever reign; they’re top-shelf despite being low cost (we see you Colgate, Crest, and Sensodyne). And with a lifetime of experience, some added expertise from the dentists we trust most, and a few focused years of testing the latest innovations—like vVardis, Selahatin, and Chilly on this list—we arrived at the 10 picks below.
What We Looked For
No two toothpastes are meant to be the same: Typically, they call their shot, and their ingredients back up any claims. One says it fights cavities by building enamel. Ok, so is it heavy on fluoride? Another promises to “remineralize” your teeth by doing the same, but without potential fluoride sensitivity; alright, so it had better use hydroxyapatite to do so. In short, then, we looked at the key ingredients in each formula in order to position these pastes towards peoples’ particular needs. (Even the one that uses ghost pepper does so with good reason.)
The Best Toothpastes, At a Glance
- The Best Toothpaste for Gum Health: Crest gum detox toothpaste, $7
- The Best Toothpaste for Sensitive Mouths: Sensodyne whitening toothpaste for sensitive teeth, $6
- The Best Toothpaste to Counter Bad Breath: SmartMouth zinc ion toothpaste, $7
- The Best Whitening Toothpaste: vVardis strong mint toothpaste whitening toothpaste, $29
- The Best Toothpaste for Cavity Protection: Colgate anti-cavity toothpaste (6 pack), $10
- The Best Premium Toothpaste: Selahatin whitening toothpaste, €22
- The Best Purifying Toothpaste: Davids natural toothpaste with charcoal, $10
- The Best Fluoride-Free Remineralizing Toothpaste: Boka fluoride-free mint toothpaste, $12
- The Best Natural Toothpaste: Tom’s of Maine natural toothpaste, $16
- The Oddest Toothpaste (In a Good Way): Chilly ghost pepper + menthol toothpaste, $16
The Best Toothpaste for Gum Health
Crest gum detox toothpaste
- Key Ingredient: Stannous fluoride
- Flavor: Mint
Gum care is the key to perfect teeth. When gum tissue is strong, it prevents bone loss and tooth decay. “Crest Gum Detoxify Deep Clean toothpaste contains stannous fluoride, which has a greater range of benefits compared to the more common sodium fluoride,” says Dr. Keith Bracy, DDS, in NYC. “In addition to cavity and sensitive teeth protection, stannous fluoride fights bacterial endotoxins in your gums, reducing bleeding and inflammation.” In other words: better toothpaste means a healthier mouth.
The Best Toothpaste for Sensitive Mouths
Sensodyne whitening toothpaste for sensitive teeth
- Key Ingredients: Sodium fluoride, Potassium nitrate
- Flavor: Mint
Sensitive toothpaste is one of those “suitable for all smiles” options since it caters firstly to the most sensitive among us. “No whitening toothpaste is strong enough to dramatically whiten teeth on its own,” says Dr. Timothy Chase, DDS, of Smiles NY in NYC. “But if you’re looking to achieve a brighter smile, I would recommend Sensodyne Extra Whitening toothpaste. It is one of the least abrasive options out there with fluoride, whitening and anti-sensitivity ingredients, for those with sensitive teeth. Many of the other whitening toothpastes are too abrasive and can cause loss of tooth enamel. Sensodyne helps remove stains for a whiter smile with twice daily brushing.”
The Best Toothpaste to Counter Bad Breath
SmartMouth zinc ion toothpaste
- Key Ingredients: Sodium fluoride, zinc
- Flavor: Mild mint
“SmartMouth’s toothpaste fights the real cause of bad breath: sulfur gas,” says Bracy. “Many oral care products just mask bad breath with a mint flavor. This toothpaste contains zinc ions that bind to sulfur, eliminating a common source of bad breath.” If bad breath haunts you, then consider investing in SmartMouth’s oral rinse as well, since it also contains zinc ions. If you brush and rinse in the morning, you’ll have fresh breath all day, and if you do the same at night, you should wake without morning breath.
The Best Whitening Toothpaste
vVardis strong mint toothpaste whitening toothpaste
- Key Details: Senolytic hydroxy-peptide complex
- Flavor: Strong mint
Swiss-owned vVardis has been a chic addition to the toothpaste category these past few years, and its smile-brightening formula is powered by the brand’s patented “Senolytic Hydroxy Peptide 200” complex that helps reinforce enamel production better, faster, stronger, etc. The senolytic nature of that complex also helps nix any dead cells in your mouth that otherwise refuses to disappear (in essence, it ensures that all the cells in your mouth are vital, necessary, and productive, as well as reproductive), making this the first truly “anti-aging” toothpaste we’ve seen. Leave it to the Swiss, eh.
The Best Toothpaste for Cavity Protection
Colgate anti-cavity toothpaste (6 pack)
- Key Ingredient: Fluoride
- Flavor: Mint
Truth be told, using toothpaste is cavity protection in and of itself. So, while many on this list have their own specific targets, it’s this excellent baseline product from Colgate that promises the absolute essential: It prevents cavities by fortifying and rebuilding enamel thanks to its fluoride formula. Plus, this 6-pack of 6-oz. tubes is a steal…
The Best Premium Toothpaste
Selahatin whitening toothpaste
- Key Ingredients: Sodium fluoride, Hydroxyapatite, Sodium bicarbonate, Hydrated silica
- Flavor: Eucalyptus, Cardamom, Honey, Menthol
The entire line of Swedish-owned Selahatin toothpastes reads like a fragrance assortment, since each recipe builds a flavor profile around various notes. In Eukalypse, you are smart to assume that eucalyptus takes center stage; it’s supported by refreshing menthol, spicy cardamom, and sweet honey. (You can even purchase the flavor as a fragrance…) Selahatin’s formula goes above and beyond by deep cleaning with sodium lauryl sulphate, exfoliating with hydrated silica, polishing with hydroxyapatite, fortifying enamel with fluoride, and brightening with sodium bicarbonate. It’s a naturally hydrating and anti-inflammatory paste, too, and is suited for sensitive smiles.
The Best Purifying Toothpaste
Davids natural toothpaste with charcoal
- Key Ingredients: Bamboo charcoal powder, Xylitol
- Flavor: Peppermint
Davids’ natural, charcoal toothpaste derives its key ingredient from coconut charcoal, which is enamel-safe, and adds peppermint oil to the mix for a refreshing tingle. Charcoal is itself a powerful ingredient when it comes to removing plaque buildup and surface stains. It’s a detoxifying agent, and it shows up in all kinds of grooming products. Brushing with charcoal toothpaste is safer than brushing with charcoal powder, since the toothpaste is more gentle on your enamel. And, like every tube of Davids toothpaste, this one comes with a roller, so that you don’t waste a single ‘drop’.
The Best Fluoride-Free Remineralizing Toothpaste
Boka fluoride-free mint toothpaste
- Key Ingredients: Nano hydroxyapatite, Xylitol
- Flavor: Mint
Boka ditches fluoride since the ingredient can cause sensitivities for some quarter of the population. This remineralizing toothpaste substitutes nano-hydroxyapatite (N-Ha) in place of fluoride. N-Ha is the foundation of our teeth and bones, and rebuilds tooth structure while reducing sensitivity. So, the more, the merrier! On top of that, peppermint oils provide a refreshing kick.
The Best Natural Toothpaste
Tom’s of Maine natural toothpaste
- Key Ingredients: Fluoride, Licorice root extract
- Flavor: Peppermint
Tom’s prides itself in being free of artificial additives like dyes and sweeteners, and this toothpaste is no exception. With it, you fortify and mineralize any soft spots in your teeth before they become cavities, and this 100% naturally derived formula (down to the peppermint-oil fragrance) even feels gentle on teeth.
The Oddest Toothpaste (In a Good Way)
Chilly ghost pepper + menthol toothpaste
- Key Ingredients: Ghost pepper, Xylitol, Calcium carbonate, Hydrated silica
- Flavor: Spearmint
There is nothing like Chilly when it comes to toothpaste: The brand legit infuses its formula with ghost pepper. The result isn’t alarmingly spicy, but it does give quite the fiery kick. The idea here is that bad breath can’t overcome the capsaicin in those peppery flakes; really, only the menthol and spearmint in this recipe hold a candle to the intensity of that fire. It’s a great smile brightener too, thanks to calcium carbonate and hydrated silica which both help lift away discolorations. You might be thinking “this would make a great gag gift,” and while you are absolutely correct, the real gag is that this is a terrific toothpaste too, all in.