I’ve been using Tom’s of Maine Natural Simply White Fluoride Toothpaste in Sweet Mint for 6 months now. Before that, I used the Tom’s of Maine Fluoride Children’s Toothpaste in Silly Strawberry for about 5 months (as an adult because I like the flavor!)
This is a first-hand, non-sponsored review of these two toothpastes. Plus a comparison table of all of the Tom’s of Maine toothpastes that made me change my mind on what I will buy next.
This article contains affiliate links, upon purchase I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tom’s Natural Simply White Flouride Toothpaste, Sweet Mint REview
Claims
Tom’s Simply White toothpaste claims to be “natural” and it does have all naturally derived, or partially naturally derived, ingredients, with “clinically proven whitening” due to the silica, and “remineralizing” due to fluoride and xylitol.
It’s gluten-free, paraben-free, triclosan-free (not found in toothpaste anymore as far as I know, but still technically allowed), formaldehyde-free, artificial-color-free, artificial flavor-free, and no preservatives in this variety.
Extra credit: All of their toothpaste lines are not tested on animals, and they are also a B Corp.
Ingredient Specifics
- Simply White does have fluoride (sodium fluoride, the type that is naturally derived and without tin) as I was looking for a fluoride-based toothpaste after my teeth started quickly deteriorating prior to using this. Tom’s also has fluoride-free options (also see chart at bottom of this post for the full comparison).
- It contains sorbitol and xylitol, both naturally derived, for sweetening, and it does have a decently sweet taste (not overly, as the mint part is quite strong). Xylitol is also anti-cavity.
- Silica is the natural teeth-whitening component.
- Glycerin, a humectant, naturally derived in this case.
- The surfactant is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), a common surfactant that makes the toothpaste foam up really well, it has a rating of 1-2 on EWG depending on the use; this is not the higher risk use. It’s naturally derived in this case. They offer options without SLS which you can see in the table at the bottom of the post.
- Natural flavor which is made of peppermint oil (very strong in this case, almost burns my sensitive mouth!) and other natural flavors. Though because it’s natural it doesn’t stay around for too long preventing you from ever drinking orange juice.
- Xanthan gun and Carrageenan – these are thickeners and stabilizers. Xanthan gum is only partially naturally derived.
- Sodium Hydroxide – pH adjustment, naturally derived.
- Titanium Dioxide, they use non-nano Titanium Dioxide as a pigment which is naturally derived (though not too much of it because the toothpaste is an almost clear gel).
First Impressions
Coming off of a more natural “crunchy” variety of toothpaste with odd flavors, I like the mint flavor though it is very strong while brushing, and I like how it foams up and gets into the crevices of the teeth.
While this toothpaste isn’t in the most extreme “natural” category, for me it was a good mix of ingredients. I needed something like silica for whitening, SLS for foaming, and fluoride to help repair my teeth while still being 100% naturally derived and avoiding problematic ingredients.
6 Month Review
After 6 months of using the Simply White (or maybe more if we include my time using the kid’s version reviewed below), two of my small cavities have naturally repaired themselves. Before using these two fluoride toothpastes I was using an all-natural fluoride-free type.
In terms of whitening the results are very subtle but I do think it helped a very small amount.
Overall I think Simply White is a good mix of effectiveness and natural ingredients. I’m going to try their charcoal type next which I decided after seeing the comparison chart I made at the end of this post.
Cost
$5.99 for 4.7 ounces on their website. On Amazon, you can find even better deals on the three-pack with the subscribe option.
Tom’s Children’s Toothpaste, Silly Strawberry Review
Claims
Tom’s Children’s Toothpaste is a natural toothpaste (all ingredients are naturally derived), with fluoride or without fluoride (two versions) that provides cavity protection while calcium and silica gently clean teeth. It comes naturally flavored in Strawberry or Orange-Mango.
It’s dye-free, no artificial preservatives, gluten-free, paraben-free, triclosan-free, formaldehyde-free, artificial-color-free, mineral-oil-free, phthalate-Free, sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) free, artificial sweeteners-free, microbeads-free, diethanolamine (DEA)-free, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-free, triethanolamine (TEA)-free.
Ingredient Overview
Tom’s Children’s Toothpaste has a version with fluoride (sodium fluoride, the type that is naturally derived and without tin) but it has less than the adult’s version. They also have the same version in fluoride-free.
Silica is the natural teeth-whitening component.
Calcium Carbonate, a naturally derived abrasive mineral.
Glycerin, a humectant, naturally derived in this case.
The surfactant is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), a common surfactant that makes the toothpaste foam up really well, it has a rating of 1-2 on EWG depending on the use, this is not the higher risk use. It’s naturally derived in this case and there is very little used (it’s last on the ingredient list and it doesn’t foam up like the adult version).
Carrageenan – a thickener and stabilizer, naturally derived in this case.
Natural flavor – natural flavor oils, Citrus limon (Lemon) juice, Lemons Mangifera indica (Mango) juice, Mangos Citrus aurantium dulcis (Orange) juice, Oranges Ananas sativus (Pineapple) fruit juice, Fragaria ananassa (Strawberry) fruit juice.
First Impressions
I love the strawberry flavor as an adult and I think most kids will definitely like it, it’s not too sweet, tangy, or sour. It’s not so food-like that kids will be eager to swallow it (in my adult opinion).
I used this toothpaste for myself because of the flavor and I was switching over to a fluoride-based toothpaste at that time.
I like the simple naturally derived ingredients here. It is a good mix of ingredients. The fluoride is the natural tin-free type and it’s in a lower amount compared to the adult toothpaste which makes sense for kids. I think this is a safe ingredient list.
5 Month Review
I went through 3 bottles of this so I was happy with it. However, I decided to switch to the adult version for the minty flavor and higher fluoride, more surfactant, and thicker feel.
Cost
$4.79 per 5. oz is the official price on the website. On Amazon, you get a three pack and you get a good deal with the subscribe and save option.
Comparison of Tom’s of Maine’s Toothpastes
Simply White | Whole Care | Anti-Plaque & Whitening | Botanically White | Activated Charcoal | Luminous White | Propolis & Myrth | Wicked Fresh | Rapid Relief Sensitive | |
Active Ingredients | Silica Xylitol | Silica Xylitol Zinc Citrate Sodium Bicarbonate | Silica Xylitol Zinc Citrate Sodium Bicarbonate Calcium Carbonate | Silica Xylitol | Charcoal Silica Xylitol | Silica Xylitol | Silica Xylitol Calcium Carbonate Propolis Myrrh | Silica Xylitol Calcium Carbonate Licorice Root Extract | Arginine Silica Xylitol Calcium Carbonate Sodium Bicarbonate |
Fluoride | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
SLS | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Preservative | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Vegan | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Comparison to Burt’s bees and Hello
After trying Hello, Tom’s, and Burt’s Bees, I will go with Hello’s Charcoal with Fluoride next. It has Hydrated Silica, Charcoal, and Sodium Bicarbonate for whitening. Xylitol to strengthen teeth, Potassium Citrate for sensitive teeth, and Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate for plaque.
No tea tree oil, no Titanium Dioxide, no SLS.
Burt’s Bees Vs Hello Vs TOM’s
Burt’s Bees formulas are a little simpler; they don’t have that many active ingredients compared to Hello and Tom’s, the only active ingredients alongside fluoride (in their lines with fluoride) are silica and charcoal.
Burt’s Bees, Hello, and Tom’s all offer lines with and without fluoride and titanium dioxide.
Burt’s Bees avoids SLS and Cocamidopropyl betaine which has a higher rating on EWG (though mainly for products that can’t be washed off).
Burt’s Bees formulas are not 100% natural, but are almost natural. Tom’s claims to be all-natural.
See my full review of Burt’s Bees here.
Tom’s of Maine Vs Hello and Burt’s Bees
Tom’s claims to be 100% natural (even though Xantham gum is not exactly 100% natural), while Hello does not make this claim.
Tom’s, Hello, and Burt’s Bees offer lines with and without fluoride and titanium dioxide.
Hello, like Tom’s, also has many lines with more active ingredients (Burt’s Bees is limited in active ingredients). While Tom’s sticks to natural ingredients, Hello uses Zinc Citrate, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Hydrated Silica, Calcium Carbonate, Charcoal, Xylitol, Sodium Bicarbonate, Potassium Citrate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate.
While Tom’s is more natural, they do use SLS in most of their lines.
Hello uses Tea Tree oil in many lines, which could be a positive or negative note.
See my full review of Hello toothpaste here.
Corinne Segura holds certificates in Building Biology, Healthier Materials and Sustainable Buildings, and more. She has 10 years of experience helping others create healthy homes.
Leave a Reply