Natural Oral Care Products

This post reviews the best natural oral care products including toothpaste, floss, mouthwash, toothpaste tablets and floss picks. Learn how to choose safe, non toxic dental products and which brands are both safe and effective.

A cover image for The Best Natural Dental Care Products with images of toothpastes, mouthwash and flosses.

Taking care of your teeth and gums is very important. Not only does poor dental health put you at risk for cavities, tooth decay, gum recession, gum disease, dental infections and other local oral issues, but it also puts you at greater risk of developing systemic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Because of that it's very important that you care for your teeth and gums. But, you want to make sure that the products you are using to clean your teeth and gums are safe and non-toxic.

Unfortunately, the personal care industry is very poorly regulated. And in many cases the ingredients found in oral care products like toothpaste, floss or mouth wash can be harmful or toxic to your health. You don't want to have to sacrifice your overall health just to keep your teeth clean. You want to choose products that are good for your teeth and gums. Yet safe for your overall health too.

Fortunately, in recent years there has been an increasing consumer demand for non-toxic and natural personal care products. Including natural dental products and oral care products so it's not nearly as hard to find safe options as it used to be. You no longer have to worry about visiting specialty stores to find safe products to keep your teeth and gums healthy and clean. As most drug stores and grocery stores now carry non toxic and natural options. In this post, I am going to share my favourite natural oral care products, and ones that actually work!

Natural Oral Care Products

Bamboo Toothbrushes

Brushing your teeth regularly is so important for your dental health. But most of the conventional toothbrushes on the market are made from plastic, which unfortunately is not only bad for the environment, but is also bad for your health. Plastics are full of harmful chemicals including hormone disruptors that you really don't want to be ingesting or putting in your mouth. Instead of plastic toothbrushes I recommend using a natural toothbrush made of bamboo instead. They are great because not only are the better for your health, but they are compostable and biodegradable too!

These are my favorite bamboo toothbrushes:

Non Toxic Toothpaste

Another product that you want to ensure is safe and non toxic is the toothpaste you are using. There is a big chance that you are going to end up ingesting some of that toothpaste. So you want to make sure the ingredients in that product are natural, safe and healthy or non toxic. I personally prefer using natural toothpastes that are fluoride free, given the health risks of fluoride including fluorosis, cognitive deficits, thyroid problems and potentially cancer. But if you prefer products with fluoride you will have an even easier time finding toothpaste.

I also recommend using toothpastes that are free from artificial flavours, colours and fragrances to help you avoid any hormone disruptors or other toxic ingredients that are often found in traditional toothpastes. Most natural toothpastes contain baking soda and essential oils. But there are even some brands that use activated charcoal to help pull out impurities from your teeth and gums as well.

My personal favorite non toxic toothpastes are:

Theodent Classic Toothpaste - This is my favourite non-toxic toothpaste. It's fluoride free and uses an ingredient called Rennou instead (which actually comes from chocolate!).
Boka Ela Natural Toothpaste - I just recently discovered this toothpaste and love it! It uses nano-hydroxyapatite to help remineralize teeth, and it's also great for whitening. It's fluoride free and dentist approved. I personally love the mint flavour.
David's Natural Toothpaste - This is another fluoride free option and this brand also uses metal sustainable packing to keep it eco-friendly as well.
Periopaste Natural Toothpaste - Another fluoride free toothpaste that is a professional-grade cleaner filled with wild-crafted herbs like calendula and green tea and essential oils like peppermint and oregano.
Jason Toothpaste - Another one of my favourite fluoride free toothpastes that is easily found in grocery stores and drug stores.

Toothpaste Tablets

Instead of traditional toothpastes, some brands are now making toothpaste tablets. These are great because they don't come in tubes. So they are free from plastic, produce no waste, and are therefore great for the environment. They can be a great non toxic dental care option. Just be sure to stick to brands using safe and natural ingredients.

To use toothpaste tablets you chew them, use a wet toothbrush and brush your teeth as you normally would.

My favourite fluoride free, non toxic toothpaste tablets are:

Bite Toothpaste Bits - these come in glass jars so there is no plastic used at all making them a great, waste free choice. I love the Naturally Whitening and Charcoal options the most.
Hello Activated Charcoal Whitening Toothpaste Tablets - these are also vegan and gluten free!
Superbee Dentos Eco Toothpaste Tablets - another great option that comes in a metal tin. They are sugar free, eco friendly, fluoride free, talc free, cruelty free and travel friendly.
One Living Earth Whitening Toothpaste Tablets - another great option that is gluten free, vegan, eco friendly and travel friendly!

Floss

Did you know that some flosses are coated in the same non-stick chemicals or coatings that are used on non-stick cookware? More specially, the same chemicals that are used in Teflon coatings. In fact, a recent independent investigation found that 33% of the flosses tested (13/39) contained evidence of PFAS (these are the chemicals used in Teflon and non-stick coatings).

It's a very scary fact because PFAS and their related chemicals are extremely bad for our health and can cause numerous health problems like colon cancer, thyroid disease, inflammatory bowel disease, renal cancer, testicular cancer, impaired fetal development, increased cholesterol and ADHD (you can read more about those health risks in this post). You really don't want to be ingesting those chemicals.

The flosses that tested positive for PFAS that you will want to avoid include: Oral-B Glide; Oral B Glide Pro-Health Deep Clean Floss; Up & Up (Target Brand) Smooth Slide Floss Mint; Colgate Total Mint Waxed Dental Floss; Solimo (Amazon Brand) Extra Comfort Mint Dental Floss; Burst Refillable Dental Floss Juniper & Berry; drTungs Smart Floss; EcoRoots Bamboo Floss; Listerine Reach Ultraclean Floss; RiseWell Scrubby Floss; Rite Aid Premium Waxed Dental Floss; Wellnesse 100% Biodegradable Silk Peppermint Floss.

Besides non-stick coatings on floss, you also need to be cautious of the artificial flavours, colours, and fragrances that some brands use in their floss. Depending on the ingredients used, these could contain hormone disruptors or other toxic chemicals.

My favourite non toxic floss options that tested negative for PFAS include:

Cocofloss - this is my personal favourite non toxic floss option. It tested negative for PFAS. It is a coconut-oil iInfused woven dental floss that comes in many different flavour options. It's also vegan and cruelty free. My personal favourite is the mint option.
Tom's of Maine Natural Waxed Antiplaque Flat Floss - a well known brand, Tom's is another safe and non toxic floss option that tested negative for PFAS.
Desert Essence Tea Tree Dental Tape - this brand of floss is readily available in many grocery stores and drug stores and is a great affordable option. It's gluten free and naturally waxed with beeswax to help remove plaque build up.
The Humble Co. Natural Dental Floss Picks - if you prefer floss sticks or floss picks these are a great natural option that are plastic free, bio-degradable and vegan.

Mouthwash

Another great way to combat bad breath and help improve your dental health is by using mouthwash or mouth rinse. But again, you want to make sure the ingredients in your mouthwash are safe and non toxic in case you end up ingesting any of it. As well, most conventional mouthwashes are made from alcohol and alcohol-based rinses are harsh and dehydrating for teeth and gums, and they can cause hypersensitivity in some peoples so you will want to avoid alcohol based mouth washes.

My personal favourite non toxic mouthwashes are:

Essential Oxygen Organic Brushing Rinse - this stuff is great for all oral issues including teeth whitening, gum pockets, receding gums, tooth sensitivity, bad breath, tartar, and canker sores and each ingredient is all-natural and safe.
Dental Herb Company Tooth and Gum Tonic - This helps prevent gum disease, gum bleeding, bad breath, and oral bacteria and is made with deionized water, vegetable glycerine, extracts of echinacea angustofolia, echinacea purpurea, gotu kola, pure essential oils of peppermint, red thyme, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus globulus and lavender, plant saponins.

Frequently asked questions:

Are there other ways to help improve my dental health?

Oil pulling is a great way to help improve the health of your teeth and gums. To oil pull, you put a tablespoon of oil (I prefer coconut oil) in your mouth in the morning when you get up, let it melt, and then swish it around for 5-20 minutes. Then spit it out and brush your teeth as you normally would. Oil pulling is also helpful if you suffer from dry mouth or have Sjogren's syndrome.

Another option for improving your oral health is tongue scraping. It’s best to scrape your tongue in the morning when your body is rested and before you eat. Bacteria sit at the base of your tongue. And, if they are not removed, they can cause bad breath and an imbalance of oral bacteria. This is the tongue scraper I use and love.

Another very important factor for teeth and gum health is what you eat. Processed and refined ingredients wreak havoc on our teeth and gums. The book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration shows just how important what we eat is for our dental health. In fact, most of the dental disease that we see today is completely preventable just based on what we eat. As much as you can, stick to eating real food, and avoid white flours, sugars, processed ingredients and refined and artificial ingredients to help keep your teeth and gums healthy.

How do you make homemade mouthwash?

You can easily make your own natural mouthwash at home by combining 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and 1 cup of distilled water. Mix the baking soda and sea salt with the distilled water and use it after brushing your teeth. Rinse your mouth well.

Other health information you will like:

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References:

DISCLAIMERS: The statements made on this website have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. You assume full responsibility for how you use this information. Always consult with your physician or other health professionals before making any diet or lifestyle changes. This post may contain affiliate links whereby if you purchase these products I receive a small percentage of the sale price. This allows me to keep the blog running and I thank you for allowing me to do that!