When it comes to wellness and beauty, it appears the final frontier is our teeth. Yes, oral care is no longer a simple question of "are you a Colgate or Oral B person?", we're now giving our personal dental hygiene the same attention that we would allocate to our skin or hair by reaching for more natural toothpaste brands.
Of course, it's clear that we've landed at this new destination in an effort to keep on top of our environmental footprint and identify the ingredients we're introducing into our daily routines. And with brushing our teeth being such an important step in our day-to-day life, it's a wonder that we hadn't thought to shake up the way we do it sooner. But before we launch into some of our most loved natural toothpaste brands, we thought we might break down what exactly natural toothpaste is?
What is natural toothpaste?
It's all in the name, one might say. But with the growing tide of greenwashing, I wouldn't blame you for being sceptical at the first sight of buzzwords like "natural" or "organic". The definition of what makes a natural toothpaste varies from label to label, but what unites them all is a desire to only include ingredients that are naturally derived. Think aloe vera, coconut oil, tea tree oil — that sort of thing.
Where things get tricky is when the natural ingredients included aren't always the best for you. Charcoal is abrasive and can wear down your teeth enamel. Sodium laureth sulfate can be made from petroleum oil but it can also be derived from coconut and palm kernel oil. It's often included to make products lather and foam but it is well known as an irritant to sensitive skin and in pure, undiluted forms it can be toxic to sea life. As for the contentious territory of fluoride, the ingredient occurs naturally, and while it has become unpopular in recent years many dental academics and professionals still sing its praises. So while whether a brand chooses to include fluoride is relative, you can count on these brands to be transparent with their ingredients, and as a general rule of thumb avoid sweeteners, red or yellow dyes, preservatives, and artificial flavours.
With that being said, we're diving into our favourite natural toothpaste brands below.
Aesop
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Here at RUSSH we never stray too far from our tried and tested favourite, Aesop. It helps that they've got every inch of our beauty routine covered with earthy, highly-covetable products. When it comes to toothpaste, rather than limit themselves to the pedestrian spearmint, Aesop's fluoride-free (and rather thick) formula offers up a spicy, Anise-forward flavour. So if you're new to the natural toothpaste realm, this small deviation from the norm may take you by surprise.
Buly 1803
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If you're doing it everyday, that's two times if you're being conservative, you may as well do it in style. That's exactly what Buly 1803's fluoride-free toothpaste range, Opiat Dentiare, has set out to achieve. Arriving in three distinct flavours, and three equally as memorable tubes to match, Buly's oral care range brings joy to an otherwise tedious routine. Pick from orange, ginger and clove, apple from montauban, and mint, coriander and cucumber. Also, if you're looking for a chic toothbrush to match, you've found your new source.
Dr. Bronner
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A hippie brand that won't let up! We all have a soft spot for Dr. Bronner, especially its low-foaming, fluoride-free toothpaste. One of the more affordable tubes on this list, and a brand that is strictly cruelty free and vegan, what's not to love? Plus, the toothpaste is made from 70% organic ingredients. Select from peppermint, spearmint, cinnamon and anise flavors.
ROCC
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A newcomer to the natural toothpaste scene. What ROCC lacks in years in the game, it makes up for in style and affordability. Available in two palatable flavours, mint and coconut oil, and river mint paired with green tea, ROCC is the Australian born toothpaste brand with wellness in mind. It's free from fluoride and sodium laureth sulfate, vegan, cruelty free and arrives in a biodegradable tube. And if you're looking to cut out toothpaste from your shopping list completely, you can sign up to the ROCC toothpaste subscription service which, depending on how many people you live with, will deliver toothpaste (and toothbrushes) to your home every three months. Handy!
Gem
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We can always get behind products made in Australia, especially when they look this cute. There are six options to choose from in Gem's toothpaste range, offering formulas both with and without fluoride — the latter employing sodium bicarbonate and silica to clean and whiten tooth enamel. What we love about Gem is that its website features a complete breakdown of the ingredients in each product and what they do in the interest of transparency. There's a subscription service option if you so choose and it's the first toothpaste in Australia to contain an oral probiotic.
Grants
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A pharmacy fave. Grants has been doing this whole natural toothpaste thing for over thirty years, the whole time ensuring that all its products are free from sodium laureth sulfate, parabens, preservatives and also fluoride. It's Australian owned and made, and if you're the outdoorsy type or find yourself camping, take a tube of Grants with you so as to not disrupt the ecosystems you're passing through.
Marvis
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If flavour is the big decider in your search for natural toothpaste, then Marvis is serving you an oral feast. The offering begins at the mandatory classic mint and quickly descends into some sort of rogue Willy Wonka hellscape of options, from amarelli licorice mint to black forest. This all makes sense when you realise the brand hails from Florence in Italy. Either way, Marvis is fluoride-free and will look chic on your bathroom vanity. J'adore.
Keeko Oral Care
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New kid on the block Keeko Oral Care has all your oral concerns sorted. While you can get swept up in its range of dental floss, tongue scrapers and tooth brushes, you came here for a natural toothpaste. This one features native Australian kakadu plum complex, sea salt and hydroxyapatite for mouth health. It also includes a blend of natural extracts including spearmint, peppermint, anise, thyme, sage, tea tree and nutmeg. Yum.
Image: Pinterest
