Natural toothpaste in Canada: fluoride, fluoride-free and hydroxyapatite

Natural toothpaste has come a long way from chalky pastes that never foamed. Today you can choose fluoride or fluoride-free, hydroxyapatite pastes, tablets in glass jars and flavours from frosty mint to star anise, many of them made right here in Canada, for a fresh mouth and a smile you're happy with.

Natural toothpaste in Canada: what's in the tube

A natural toothpaste cleans with gentle minerals like calcium carbonate, hydrated silica or bentonite clay, gets its flavour from essential oils, fruit or mint rather than artificial flavours, and is sweetened with xylitol or stevia instead of saccharin. Most skip dyes, parabens and sodium lauryl sulfate. Many are vegan, cruelty-free and alcohol-free, and some, like Nelson Naturals' peppermint paste, add activated charcoal.

Beyond that, the biggest choice is the active ingredient: fluoride, hydroxyapatite, or neither. Then come the everyday questions of flavour, foam and format.

Fluoride or fluoride-free?

We stock both, and both are popular. Fluoride is the long-standing anti-cavity ingredient in toothpaste, with decades of research behind it. Fluoride-free toothpastes use other ingredients, often hydroxyapatite or xylitol, and are a common choice for little ones still learning to spit and for people who simply prefer them. Here's how the main types line up.

Whichever you choose, the habits matter just as much as the tube: brush for two minutes twice a day with a soft brush, and clean between your teeth once a day. Your dental hygienist is a good person to ask which type suits your teeth.

Hydroxyapatite toothpaste, nano and otherwise

Hydroxyapatite is the mineral your tooth enamel is made of, and it's become the go-to active ingredient in fluoride-free toothpaste. Nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste uses ultra-fine particles of it. Before Self Care uses nanoXIM hydroxyapatite, developed in Portugal. Nelson Naturals uses a natural-origin hydroxyapatite instead of synthetic nano-hydroxyapatite. Green Beaver's Enamel Protect pairs 4.25% calcium hydroxyapatite with 20% xylitol, and its ingredients are safe to swallow.

Hydroxyapatite pastes tend to foam less than conventional toothpaste. Green Beaver's take a day or two to get used to, then simply leave your mouth feeling clean and fresh.

Tom's of Maine

Tom and Kate Chappell started Tom's of Maine in 1970, and by 1975 they were making natural toothpaste in a tiny factory in an old railroad depot in Kennebunk, Maine. Tom's became a Certified B Corporation in 2019. Simply White is a fluoride-free peppermint toothpaste that brightens your smile by lifting surface stains, sweetened with xylitol and made without artificial flavours or dyes. For kids, Silly Strawberry comes in both fluoride and fluoride-free versions, flavoured with real fruit.

ATTITUDE toothpaste with fluoride

ATTITUDE is a proudly Canadian company, founded in 2006. Its adult toothpastes contain fluoride (sodium fluoride 0.243%) in a plant- and mineral-based formula with hydrated silica, papaya leaf and green tea leaf extracts and a little stevia. They're vegan, cruelty-free and EWG Verified, and they foam and rinse like an ordinary toothpaste. Enamel Care adds baking soda and a spearmint flavour; Fresh Breath is peppermint.

Toothpaste for sensitive teeth

If cold drinks or ice cream make you wince, look for potassium nitrate, the ingredient used in sensitivity toothpastes. We have it with fluoride and without.

Natural toothpaste, Canada-made: Green Beaver and Nelson Naturals

Green Beaver was founded in 2002 by two scientists, Karen Clark and Alain Ménard, and its products are made in Canada. Its fluoride-free toothpastes come in flavours that go well beyond mint, including green apple made with real apple juice, star anise, cinnamon and zesty orange. Green Apple is mild enough that kids who refuse mint usually take to it. For younger brushers, the Kids Bubblegum toothpaste is fluoride-free and safe to swallow.

Nelson Naturals is a women-owned company run by a mother-daughter duo, and everything is made in Nelson, British Columbia. Their toothpastes are sold in glass jars, with nothing to throw away when they're done. Crush & Brush tablets are toothpaste without the tube: pop one in, crush it between your teeth, then use a wet toothbrush as usual. The glass jar suits humid bathrooms and coastal climates like ours, where tablets can soften.

The best toothpaste is the one you're happy to brush with for two full minutes, twice a day.

Toothpaste for kids

Kids are more likely to brush when they like the taste. ATTITUDE Kids toothpaste has fluoride, is alcohol-free, and comes in blueberry, watermelon and mango. Tom's of Maine Silly Strawberry comes with fluoride or without, and Green Beaver makes fluoride-free kids' toothpaste in strawberry and bubblegum. A small bamboo brush helps too.

Oral care extras: toothbrushes and floss

A soft-bristled brush is all most people need. The Future is Bamboo, featured on CBC's Dragons' Den, makes bamboo toothbrushes from FSC-certified bamboo; when it's time for a new one, pluck the bristles and the handle can go in the compost. Replace your brush every three months or so.

For between your teeth, The Humble Co. floss picks are made mostly from cornstarch, and its bamboo interdental brushes reach the gaps a toothbrush can't. Flosspot Gold is corn-fibre floss in a refillable stainless steel jar.

Switching to a natural toothpaste

1. Pick your active ingredient. Decide on fluoride, hydroxyapatite or a simple fluoride-free paste, then choose a flavour you'll enjoy.
2. Use a pea-sized amount. Natural pastes go a long way, and kids need even less.
3. Give the foam a few days. SLS-free and hydroxyapatite pastes foam less. Keep going for the full two minutes anyway.
4. Keep tablets dry. Close the jar tightly and keep it away from the shower so tablets stay firm.

Questions we get a lot

What toothpaste is fluoride-free?

All the Green Beaver and Nelson Naturals toothpastes and tablets we carry, Tom's of Maine Simply White and Children's Fluoride-Free, and Before Self Care hydroxyapatite toothpaste are fluoride-free.

Is toothpaste without fluoride better for you?

Neither is better for everyone. Fluoride is the most widely used anti-cavity ingredient, and fluoride-free toothpastes with hydroxyapatite or xylitol are a popular alternative. Choose the one that suits you, and ask your dental hygienist if you're unsure.

Does nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste really work?

Hydroxyapatite is the same mineral your enamel is made of, and many people now choose it as their fluoride-free option. Green Beaver Enamel Protect, with calcium hydroxyapatite and xylitol, is a fluoride-free anti-cavity toothpaste.

What is the most natural toothpaste?

Look for a short ingredient list: gentle minerals for cleaning, essential oils or fruit for flavour, and xylitol or stevia for sweetness. Nelson Naturals and Green Beaver are good examples, and both are made in Canada.

Where is Nelson Naturals toothpaste made?

In Nelson, British Columbia, by a mother-daughter team.

What flavours of Tom's toothpaste do you carry?

We carry Simply White in peppermint and Children's Silly Strawberry, with and without fluoride. Stock changes from time to time, so check the oral care collection for what's on the shelf today.

Natural toothpaste, brushes and floss are in the personal care aisle at both stores: 486 Starboard Drive in Bedford and 590 Portland Street in Dartmouth, open seven days. For clean skin care, hair care and deodorant too, browse our natural beauty and personal care department, or read our guides to natural shampoo and natural deodorant. In HRM, order by 11 am with Luminate Express for same-day delivery, or choose pickup. Anywhere else in Canada, orders over $80 ship free.

Sources: Tom's of Maine, Who We Are; ATTITUDE, About Us; Green Beaver, About Us; Nelson Naturals; The Future is Bamboo; product labels. This article is general information, not dental advice.