The Vine: September 14, 2007
Hey Sars,
Here’s a question for Vine readers. I’m wondering if there is a neutral or unflavored toothpaste. Toothpaste flavors are, to me, so over-the-top intense and sweet that they make me gag almost every morning. Not a pleasant way to start the day, especially at 6 AM. I’m looking for a toothpaste that is very mildly flavored, not too sweet and minimal lingering after-taste if at all possible. I would like to be able to purchase it at my local grocery or drug store (I live in West Hollywood, CA) and for the price to be on par with the name brands on the shelf. I can buy online, if necessary.
Crest, Aqua-Fresh and Colgate are the worst culprits, I have tried Rembrandt and that’s better but dude, seven or eight bucks a tube? Are they kidding? Any help your readers can give is greatly appreciated.
Signed,
Do I really have to toss my cookies in order to have clean teeth?
Dear Cook,
Coincidentally, I was just telling someone at work how excited I was that Aim toothpaste is still in existence. My grandma used Aim, but we were a boring Colgate household; I liked Aim much better, because it was much lighter and the gel was prettier. The someone at work smiled fakely and then edged away from me. Weird.
Heh. Anyway: I think Aim might still be too strong for you, so I’d suggest Tom’s of Maine. Tom’s makes a wide variety of pastes; you see them in all the drugstores now, even in chains, at least here (and you live in a big enough city that it shouldn’t be a problem to find); and even the flavors I don’t really like are pretty mellow. Skyrockets got a tube of the strawberry-flavored stuff, which I just can’t co-sign — toothpaste is minty, dammit! — but while it does taste like strawberry, it’s not that overwhelming Big-League-Chew blast of fakeberry badness.
You could also try a flavorless toothpaste, like this one, or old-school homemade pastes you stir up yourself using baking soda (or, according to one Googlee, cream of tartar…geeaacchh), although evidently, baking soda in commercial toothpaste doesn’t do much.
Or we could ask the readers. Oh reeeeeeaders, come out and bruuuuuush!
Tags: Ask The Readers health and beauty retail
I second the Tom’s of Maine suggestion! Instead of using artificial sweeteners like Colgate, Crest, etc., TOM’s uses natural ingredients. The flavor effect is milder and also seems to rinse cleaner. As Sars said, they come in traditional mint flavors, but also some unusual ones like anise (which one of my friends swears by!). In WeHo, you can find TOM’s at Whole Foods, Target, and sometimes Vons and Pavilions (although the regular grocery stores tend to have a smaller selection). It’ll be a little more expensive than Crest, but definitely cheaper than Rembrandt. It’s funny, once I switched to Tom’s, I can’t go back to regular toothpaste because the sweetness is too gross…
I was very sensitive to minty toothpaste for a while (pre-root canal teeth plus mint equals OH GOD STOP THE PAIN) and can second Tom’s of Maine. Their fennel flavor is very pleasant and mild. It can be hard to find but it’s worth the look; places like Whole Foods are your best bet.
Jason is another brand that might work (same niche as Tom’s of Maine). I’ve used Jasons and Tom’s for years and can’t understand how I could stomach the sickly sweet overpowering Colgate that I used growing up.
According to this link, it looks like Tom’s of Maine is discontinuing its fennel, gingermint baking soda, and cinnamint flavors (but perhaps they can still be found in retail stores for a while longer). Another option might be toothpaste for sensitive teeth. My dad uses Sensodyne and its “flavoring” doesn’t seem to be as intense as regular toothpastes.
When I’m having a sensitive teeth day or can’t handle the flavor, I just brush with baking soda. It’s quite effective and more salty than sweet.
Maybe I’m just gross, but I skip the toothpaste about half the time, with apparently no ill effects – checkups are good, gums are pink and healthy. Sometimes I just can’t cope with the oral assault of toothpaste (although if I switched to Tom’s or some such, I would probably find it easier to take).
But, seriously, bad breath comes from having plaque and leftover food moldering on your teeth and tongue. If you clean up the plaque and food residue by brushing and flossing, you won’t have bad breath. Without toothpaste you won’t have MINTY breath, but you won’t have bad breath either.
I got some Go-Smile Nighttime toothpaste at Sephora once – and it was really very nice and soothing (lavender and chamomile) – but also pricy ($16). I haven’t bought it since – but it was great.
I’ve liked Tom’s of Maine too. Most of the flavors are mild. The Vermont Country Store (available online and by mail order) has some tooth powder that is also a possibility. Actually, just googling “tooth powder” gets a lot of hits, many from travel sites or natural health shops, and it looks like some would be less flavored. It might be worth a little time to look and shipping costs to see if any are what you are looking for.
I second the recommendation for Jason toothpaste. You should be able to get it at any Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. They have a lavender flavor that’s quite nice and not at all sweet, and from what I remember, it’s about four bucks a tube.
Arm and Hammer makes (or used to make) baking soda toothpaste that is not “flavored” (as in, it just tastes like baking soda). It took me a while to get used to it back when I used it, but it’s pretty tasteless.
I actually use Colgate, but only the “original” flavor – which isn’t particularly flavorfull. I really hate mint flavors, so anything to minty makes me want to gag. The first time I had original flavored colgate was when my parents brought me back some from Spain, and now I hunt for it here in the states, but it’s certainly findable.
But seriously, baking soda toothpaste – just thinking about it now I’m contemplating running out to the store to get some for when my current batch of toothpaste runs out.
just discovered tom’s of maine and i’ll never return. before i found it, i was using crest (?) and their vanilla mint and lemon ice toothpaste. i still use vanilla mint listerine.
Burt’s Bees makes, or used to make, a lavender toothpaste as well as a tomato toothpaste. They are very light and non-minty. There are also black licorice toothpastes from a variety of sources, and I think Lush also makes a non-minty toothpaste.
You might also like French toothpastes. I can’t think of a brand offhand, but there are several vintage brands with devoted followings (both for taste and for the remarkable ability to kill smoker breath.) Though they’ll probably run you about $12 a tube, so that’s probably out.
You can brush your teeth with Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap, and while it does a great, squeaky-clean, gentle job on them, it tastes completely icky (even the peppermint version; like mintily washing your mouth out with soap.) I second baking soda, which has a strong, but non-minty and completely not sweet taste. You can put in a few drops of any edible oil (peppermint oil; clove oil, which also has a dental-numbing effect in case you have sensitive teeth) to improve the taste of it. I read somewhere that baking soda is very gentle on the enamel, but that might not be true.
Try Arm & Hammer’s Baking Soda toothpaste. Its easier on the palate than straight baking soda, but far less sweet than almost any other paste. Just make sure you don’t grab the whitening formula UUGGGHH!
I was going to recommend A&H but Rob beat me to it. So I will instead simply mourn the passing of the ToM gingermint, which I MUCH prefer to their true mint flavors. If only I’d known I would have bought five tubes at TJs last time! ToM peppermint etc. are incredibly minty in my opinion, though definitely not as ‘sweet’ as Crest etc.
Someone else mentioned Sensodyne and I agree on that one. I’m using maximum -strength Sensodyne with baking soda these days and it’s not very sweet at all. The sweetness of normal Crest (what I normally use) doesn’t bother me, but the Sensodyne is noticeably less sweet. Of course, it’s more expensive than regular toothpaste, so if you don’t actually have sensitive teeth as well, there’s probably a better option.
And I guess it would help if I actually posted that link:
http://www.tomsofmaine.com/toms/product.asp?dept%5Fid=450&pf%5Fid=TP%2DFL
Lush makes good, mild toothpastes; they come in tiny tubes, but seem to last a long time. I can’t find them online *at all*, which is bizarre to me, since I know they have them at the stores. One is White Toothpaste, which contains salt for scrubbing (although too much salt toothpaste used for too long can eat away at your enamel–ask my husband) and tastes vaguely of vanilla. The other is Black Toothgel, which polishes with charcoal powder and tastes vaguely of lemon and sandalwood. And I mean *vaguely*, for both of these.
But by far my favorite toothpaste “treats” are the flavors in the Margaret Josefin Breath Palette boutique line:
http://breathpalette.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=2
I have Fuji Apple and Bitter Chocolate. The coordinating single-use cups of mouthwash are nice, too, especially after a long plane ride.
Add me to the throngs supporting Tom’s of Maine. Good variety of flavors, and I don’t ever find it overly sweet because it doesn’t use artificial sweeteners. (And putting sugar in would just be counterproductive. :) )
That stuff is my savior. I’m allergic to artificial sweeteners and it is not fun to feel sick every time you brush your teeth. Made me avoid it too much when I was younger and damaged the poor things.
Cinnamint flavor is my favorite, though apparently going away? There’s also a cinnamon clove now though that’ll do.
I use a brand called Squigle that I can only find on the internet, but it’s sold through Amazon so that makes it pretty easy to order. It’s still $7.95 a tube but I just order a few at a time to take a single hit and then I have a supply for months. It’s minty, but extremely mild — I had run out and needed to go back to drugstore brands until I could order more and my mouth couldn’t handle the taste shock at all. The added bonus to the Squigle is that if you are prone to canker sores, this is really gentle and cuts down significantly the number that you’ll get. That’s actually how I found it in the first place, it was recommended by my dentist for that reason but I also love it so much all around that I can’t go back to anything else.
Hey everybody,
Thanks for all the info. I haven’t tried Tom’s since my hippie days. It was pretty gross tasting back then (in the olden days), but I’ll definitely give it a whirl, especially since there’s a Trader Joe’s two blocks from my house and I know they carry it. I just found another toothpaste that I can recommend to anyone who has the same issues as I do. Crest’s Cinnamon Rush. It’s pretty strong but it doesn’t seem to bother me, like the really minty tastes do. But my next tube will definitely be Tom’s.
I hate minty toothpaste – refuse to use it. I like Crest original paste – it doesn’t really taste like anything – it’s pale green and well, paste-y. It’s about the only thing I’ve ever tried that doesn’t make me gag. Also, it’s about $2 a tube, at least in Canada, and available pretty much everywhere.
If you haven’t already, give Mentadent or Viadent a try. They’re both pretty mild and are great products. You should be able to find either one locally.
I agree with the recommendations of Arm & Hammer’s, or Tom’s of Maine or some of the other varieties you might find at a Whole Foods-type store. Another alternative is to try some of the toothpastes aimed at kids, who often reject eye-burningly minty flavored toothpastes. They come in fruity or bubblegum flavors and still have all the fluoride and stuff you need.
I’m in the same boat, and I’ve found that Crest Vanilla Mint toothpaste is quite tolerable. It might be sweeter than Cook can stand, because I have a pretty robust sweet tooth, but it’s not all violent aggressive minty like most other toothpastes, which I can’t stand.
I’m joining the chorus on Tom’s of Maine toothpaste. Milder flavors, many of them not at all minty. I’m bummed that they’re discontinuing fennel, though. It’s my favorite.
“Cook” should hit a natural food store…there are several natural brands out there with mildly flavored toothpaste.
My cheapskate husband got the Arm & Hammer toothpaste (2 tubes of it… sigh) and I am juuuuuust barely tolerating it. It’s baking soda-y with a hint of mint, so it might be what you’re looking for.
The husband, however, is never allowed to go to Target by himself EVER AGAIN.
I never knew so many people feel the way I do! I prefer less sweet and I HATE eye-watering mintiness, so I use Sensodyne in the evenings for my sensitive teeth and the mild mint flavor, and Tom’s of Maine Apricot toothpaste in the mornings because I eat breakfast on the way to work. And minty toothpaste plus juice is poison.
One thing to add as advice to everyone: make sure that the toothpaste has flouride. For many years, Tom’s of Maine toothpaste’s did not, which kept them from getting the ADA seal of approval. They have since added flouride to (I think) all of their varieties of toothpaste. For the most part, if your toothpaste doesn’t have flouride in it, you might as well save your money and just use your toothbrush and water–which, if you are meticulous, floss regularly, have flouridated water, and aren’t genetically prone to gum disease and/or tooth decay, can work well. But that list defines approximately 2-3% of the US.
Wow. I just read that. I’m a dork AND a buzz-kill.
Heh.
Another suggestion that hasn’t been mentioned: how about toothpaste for babies/kids? They’re usually flavored like bubblegum or something, so I don’t know if the asker would like that, but at least they are mild.
Once a week, I brush with baking soda, floss, then swish with hydrogen peroxide. My teeth feel like I just came from a cleaning! It’s great.
(I use AquaFresh Extreme Clean on regular days. It’s orange-y and not too strong.)
I use toothpaste by Weleda. I get the Sea Salt version, which is extremely minty, but I know they have other flavors too. I get it at my local co-op. I think Whole Foods has it too.
Be careful with that sea salt toothpaste. The Weleda brand is exactly what my husband used exclusively for ten years, and it literally scrubbed away the enamel in spots all over his mouth. The dentist (the first he’d seen in a while, unfortunately) said it was only to be expected when you vigorously rub salt all over your teeth twice a day for extended periods. He’s now using some orange-mango Tom’s paste, whitening and fluoridated, and doing much better.
I’ll put in the zillionth vote for Tom’s of Maine. I use the Anticavity whitening paste formula with fluoride (I like the peppermint, but it comes in lots of flavors). I’m allergic to saccharine (it gives me hives if ingested, and makes my mouth swell if it’s in toothpaste or mouthwash), so it has probably saved my teeth. The dentist has even noticed a difference, mainly because I’m able to brush for longer and more often since I’m not worried about my throat starting to close up. I can find it lots of places, most drugstores, supermarkets, and mass-market places carry it, although you sometimes have to look harder for the less mainstream flavors. The taste took a little getting used to because it’s so much less sweet and intense than the big brands, so it’s probably what you’re looking for.
i use aquafresh…it’s not that minty AND it’s 89 cents a tube.
Although they are slightly more expensive, you could try a homeopathic or ayurvedic toothpaste. I’m not sure where you’d find them (I got a tube while travelling in Australia) but they must have them in North America, probably at food stores. These toothpastes aren’t “allowed” to be flavoured so you might give them a whirl if nothing else works.
Don’t worry about the fluoride. The studies aren’t as definitive as dentists would have you believe (or have been taught) on whether it helps or hinders tooth decay. Especially if your water supply is fluoridated you don’t want to compound it by having fluoride in your toothpaste anyway.
Agree with Tatianaa on the fluoride issue – google “bone cancer fluoride” or “china IQ fluoride” to get some input. Long story short, it’s not required by the body, it has questionable effects on our health, and our teeth aren’t made of it so can’t be “remineralised” by it.
It’s a hot potato, all I’d urge is do your own research and draw your own conclusions, but don’t do them on the basis of a sales pitch.
I love Pepsodent toothpaste, but I can only find it at RiteAid these days. It’s less than $2 a tube, and while it’s minty, it’s mild and not too sugary.
Another vote for Arm and Hammer. It tastes very baking soda-y (but not sweet) while you are brushing, but one you rinse the taste is gone and your mouth feels really clean.
Tom’s of Maine Apricot or Cinnamon Clove. Mint toothpaste makes me ill and the Apricot isn’t too sweet.
Aim, huh? Excited enough to clutch it to your chest and possibly do a little dance in the drug store selling it?
Not that I’ve ever done that. No sirree.
I agree with Agnes – love me some Pepsodent! It’s pepsin-flavored & pretty mild.
Try brushing with your mouth closed & your mouth half-full of water – it dilutes the over-the-top mintiness.
Add me to the adoring horde for Tom’s. It is a little more expensive than most mainstream pastes, but I find I only use the tiniest bit so it lasts forever. It makes my teeth and mouth feel much cleaner than the other stuff as well. No sugary nasty mint residue.
Emily: Actually, there’s a lot of debate about the fluoride issue. Some people actually avoid it on purpose–there’s evidence that too much can actually damage your teeth, and there’s already so much in the water (if you drink tap water) that you don’t need more in your toothpaste.
I agree about Tom’s–vote # 28642938–and second (I believe) Burt’s Bees lavender. It sounds kind of weird, but it’s excellent. Not too strong at all, leaves your mouth feeling squeaky and fresh, and very non-toxic. We have also been using some kind I don’t know the name of from our favorite natural foods store…Nature something. Same deal as Tom’s.
I think the lesson in all of this is to avoid the name brand toothpastes with lots of chemical flavor and look for natural toothpastes. They’re pretty much all going to be much less strong and sugary than the big boys.
funny how personal tastes run. I’d like to find some toothpaste that’s as minty and astringent as Altoids.
I was able to find some fennel Tom’s of Maine at Trader Joe’s the other day, even though they don’t have the gingermint anymore, so some of it is still around. It uses xylitol instead of fluoride.
i like the new line by crest, nature’s expressions. i got a free sample and i am won over by the gentle flavor of the green tea and mint. mr. herschel’s toothpaste tastes like burning.
Someone’d mentioned hydrogen peroxide, which is what I use when I’ve got a sore throat, but I did have a doctor tell me to make sure to dilute it with a little bit of water first, apparently the full-strength is a little tough on the enamel. (But diluted it must be fine, I’ve been gargling it like that when sick for years now, and no complaints from the dentist.)
I’m gonna third the vote for Pepsodent. It was the first thing I thought of when I read the entry. It’s really, really mild, but still leaves your teeth feeling clean. Plus? It is dirt cheap, I recently bought it for $1 a tube at Walgreens. Can’t beat that!
Well, this post and all the replies convinced me to try Tom’s of Maine. I always gag when brushing my teeth (I’m not the one who wrote in though) and so I went and bought a tube of the Cinnamon Clove last night. It’s really good. The flavor is strong so it probably woudn’t work for the orginal question-asker, but the flavor isn’t really sweet… just really naturally strong. Someone up there said they’d like to find a toothpaste (btw, it’s actually the gel) that was as strong as Altoids. Well, this isn’t too far off. But, I liked it and I’ll continue to use it unless I get a bad review from the dentist next week.
I’ve been using Kiss My Face Triple Action Toothpaste for several years and love it. I’m allergic to artificial sweeteners and a supertaster, so I’d always had problems with toothpaste before finding that. It’s aloe based and has lots of natural tooth strengtheners in it, with just a very light taste.
You can find it online or in a natural food store.