Toothpaste is one of those categories that quietly turns otherwise reasonable adults into obsessive researchers. Coffee is one. Running shoes are another. Toothpaste, it turns out, is surprisingly high on that list.
At least it was for us.
The Dropist team recently compared notes on what actually lives in our bathroom cabinets, and it quickly became apparent that we weren't really talking about toothpaste. We were talking about preferences. Jess, our resident hippie, wants ingredients she feels good about and formulas that don't irritate her mouth. Maria would prefer oral care to require as little thought as possible, provided the hardware is excellent. Ryan mostly wants products that save him from opening fifteen tabs, reading Reddit threads, and emerging somehow less certain than when he started.
If you're searching for the best natural toothpaste, you're probably trying to balance a few competing priorities: cleaner ingredients, cavity protection, sensitivity, taste, and whether fluoride or hydroxyapatite is the better choice. We compared the products our team actually uses and recommends—not to crown a universal winner, but to help you find the one that fits your priorities.
Here's Where We Landed
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Best natural toothpaste for ingredient-conscious shoppers: Oromer
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Best mainstream natural toothpaste: Hello
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Best overall natural toothpaste: David's
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Best electric toothbrush upgrade: Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige
Best Natural Toothpaste for Ingredient-Conscious Shoppers: Oromer
Why we picked it: Oromer is for people who care deeply about ingredients and don't mind trading familiar mint for something far more herbal. It's unlike anything you'll find in the average drugstore aisle.
Oromer was probably the most divisive product we talked about, which may explain why Jess is currently the only person in her household willing to use it.
Made in California and inspired by Ayurvedic traditions, Oromer contains calcium carbonate, neem oil, licorice, clove, fennel, glycerin, almond, prickly ash, acacia, and enough herbs to make you wonder whether you're brushing your teeth or preparing a tonic. The flavor Jess uses is cardamom and fennel, which prompted Ryan to ask the only question anyone was really thinking.
"What does this taste like to a normal person?"
Jess didn't hesitate.
"Black licorice."
She loves it. Nobody else in her family will touch it.
The stronger endorsement came from her dentist. During a recent cleaning, he stopped to ask what she had been using because her teeth looked especially healthy and clean. Dentists don't typically compliment toothpaste choices, so everyone agreed this was probably the closest thing oral care products get to winning an award.
Oromer isn't likely to become everyone's daily toothpaste. But if you're ingredient-conscious, enjoy herbal flavors, or simply want to try something that feels genuinely different from what you'll find at the drugstore, it's probably the most interesting toothpaste we discussed.
Best Mainstream Natural Toothpaste: Hello
Why we picked it: Hello offers one of the easiest upgrades from conventional toothpaste. It combines a clean ingredient philosophy with fluoride protection, broad availability, and an everyday brushing experience that asks very little of you.
Nobody expected Hello to become one of the more enthusiastically discussed products.
Jess bought it somewhat accidentally, not realizing it contained fluoride. She generally gravitates toward fluoride-free products, mostly because many natural brands omit it by default, so Hello was initially supposed to be a short-lived experiment. Instead, it quietly earned a permanent spot in her routine.
Part of the appeal is simply that it's pleasant. It's SLS-free, has a mild mint flavor, and dispenses in a perfect swirl that Maria immediately compared to soft-serve ice cream. More importantly, Hello doesn't seem interested in turning toothpaste into an identity or asking users to adopt a philosophy around oral health. It tastes good, feels good, and works without requiring anyone to spend an afternoon comparing remineralization studies on Reddit.
One thing we learned along the way is that "natural" doesn't necessarily mean fluoride-free. Some natural toothpaste brands include fluoride because it's one of the most studied ingredients for cavity prevention, while others use hydroxyapatite as an alternative. Neither approach is inherently better for everyone—it depends on your preferences and your dentist's recommendations.
In a category increasingly populated by products that seem to arrive with a manifesto, that felt surprisingly refreshing.
Best Overall Natural Toothpaste: David's
Why we picked it: David's is the recommendation we'd give to the widest range of people. It balances thoughtful ingredients, strong everyday performance, sustainability, and an experience that feels familiar without feeling boring.
David's occupies a nice middle ground.
It uses hydroxyapatite instead of fluoride, skips SLS and sulfites, comes in a metal tube, costs about ten dollars, and feels thoughtfully designed without making oral care seem like a personality trait.
If you're unfamiliar with hydroxyapatite, it's the mineral that naturally makes up your tooth enamel. It's become one of the most popular fluoride alternatives because it's designed to help support enamel remineralization while fitting neatly into many natural toothpaste formulations.
Nobody on the team was passionately campaigning for David's, which oddly enough may be its biggest strength.
It feels widely appealing, easy to recommend, and unlikely to inspire strong opinions in either direction.
If someone texted tomorrow saying, "I've been using Colgate forever, but I'd like to upgrade without becoming a toothpaste person," David's would probably be the recommendation we'd send back.
Best Hardware Upgrade: Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige
Meanwhile, Maria remains perfectly content using Colgate.
She just also happens to own a champagne-colored Sonicare 9900 Prestige that costs more than some people spend on a long weekend. It comes with a leather travel case, charges via USB-C, and still holds a week's worth of battery after three years of use. When her husband's base stopped working, Philips replaced it under warranty without much hassle.
Perhaps she's simply optimized the hardware instead of the software.
The Bottom Line
Mostly, we came away feeling better about toothpaste than when we started. Not because we found a unanimous winner, but because everyone seemed to be solving for something slightly different.
Jess wants ingredients she feels good about and apparently enjoys brushing with something that tastes like black licorice. Maria would prefer oral care to be as frictionless as possible, provided it comes in champagne-colored hardware. Ryan mostly wants products that save him from opening fifteen tabs.
The takeaway? There isn't one best natural toothpaste.
If ingredient purity is your priority, we'd point you toward Oromer. If you want a simple, mainstream upgrade that's pleasant to use every day, Hello is hard to beat. If you're looking for the best balance of clean ingredients, thoughtful formulation, and easy recommendation, David's is the one we'd send to most people.
Fortunately, there are finally enough good options that everyone gets to be a little unreasonable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best natural toothpaste?
Our overall recommendation is David's because it offers the best balance of clean ingredients, hydroxyapatite, sustainability, and everyday usability. If botanical ingredients are your top priority, Oromer is our favorite.
Does natural toothpaste actually work?
Yes. A well-formulated natural toothpaste can effectively remove plaque and support oral health. The most important factor isn't whether it's marketed as "natural," but the quality of its active ingredients and whether it fits your oral health needs.
Is hydroxyapatite better than fluoride?
Both have strengths. Fluoride has decades of clinical evidence supporting cavity prevention, while hydroxyapatite has become a popular alternative for people looking for fluoride-free formulations that also support enamel health. The right choice depends on your preferences and your dentist's advice.
What's the difference between natural toothpaste and regular toothpaste?
Natural toothpaste often avoids ingredients like SLS, artificial sweeteners, or synthetic flavors while emphasizing mineral-based or botanical formulations. Performance depends more on the formulation than the label itself.
How we made these recommendations: These picks aren't based on laboratory testing. They're based on the products our team actually uses, ingredient research, conversations with our dentists where relevant, and the experience of living with these products over time.