TheRoundup is reader supported. We may earn a small commission when you make a purchase via links on this site, at no cost to you.
All products are personally reviewed and tested in accordance with our Review Methodology.
Eco-friendly toothpaste brands are a sustainable alternative that feature recyclable packaging, biodegradable ingredients, and cruelty-free manufacturing.
Conventional toothpaste tubes are a problem. They create plastic waste because they're made from mixed plastic materials that cannot be recycled through standard programs.
Many formulations contain microplastics that harm marine ecosystems. Others have chemical ingredients like triclosan and SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate). Well-known brands like Colgate and Oral-B use even palm oil derivatives that contribute to deforestation.
That's why we've researched and tested the best eco-friendly toothpaste options. Brands that deliver the same cavity protection, cleaning power, whitening, and fresh breath as traditional brands, at affordable prices.
Here are the top sustainable toothpaste brands that come in plastic-free packaging. They're free from chemicals and artificial ingredients, and use only natural formulas.
✔ Plastic Free Glass Jar
✔ Zero-Waste Refills
✔ Home or Travel
Etee sustainable toothpaste tablets are the best option if you share your toothpaste with others in your house and don’t like dipping your toothbrush into ‘communal’ powder or paste.
They’re easy to use. Pop a tablet in your mouth, chew it to a paste, and then brush your teeth as you normally would.
The tablets are free from Sulphates, Parabens, and all other harsh chemicals (learn why sulphates harm aquatic ecosystems below). They contain only natural ingredients.
Etee is a great eco-friendly brand that produces a range of zero-waste products. These natural toothpaste tablets come in a glass jar with a steel lid. Refills come in a compostable pouch, and a subscription service is available for convenience.
These tablets are also very convenient when traveling. You can count out the exact amount you need for your trip and save space in your luggage.
✔ Plastic Free Glass Jar
✔ Natural Ingredients
✔ Choice of Flavors
Nelson Naturals is the best fluoride-free option because it comes in plastic-free packaging and contains no fluoride or parabens. Instead, it's rich in natural minerals like calcium carbonate, iodine, colloidal silver, and sea salt.
I tested Nelson Naturals toothpaste for three weeks across three flavors, and it was a positive experience. I started with Fennel because I was curious, and it was like a gentle licorice that didn’t make my eyes water. Then I tried Citrus Spice, which gave me this warm, almost chai-like finish that I didn’t expect to love. The Peppermint version felt familiar but cleaner somehow.
Each flavor I tested kept my breath fresh for hours, and I needed way less than I thought. Over time, I felt my teeth got at least a shade whiter.
Nelson Naturals comes in a glass jar, the same as Etee, but this is a paste that has a clay-like consistency, whereas Etee is in tablet form. See the FAQ section below for advice on how to store toothpaste in jars.
The glass jar means there's no plastic tube waste, and I love how the metal lid screws on tight for travel.
✔ Biodegradable Pouches
✔ No Preservatives
✔ Naturally Polishes Your Teeth
Denttabs sensitivity relief toothpaste tabs work in the same way as the Etee tablets, but cost a couple of bucks less for around twice the quantity.
They don't come in a jar like Etee tabs do, so you need to find your own. Despite being marked as mint, I find them largely flavorless, whereas I prefer Etee's mild minty taste. That's why Etee is the overall winner.
Denttabs is a German company. It was founded by doctors focused on sustainable products to reduce their environmental impact.
These zero waste toothpaste tablets come in compostable cornstarch pouches. Simply open the pouch, store the tablets in any reusable jar you have around the house, and toss the pouch in your compost bin.
✔ No SLS, Paraben, or Glycerine
✔ Non-Toxic
✔ Vegan & Palm Oil Free
After testing The Dirt's tooth powder, I found it genuinely transforms your brushing experience. The bentonite clay-based formula cleans teeth remarkably well while delivering visible whitening results.
When you dip a damp toothbrush into the jar, the powder adheres perfectly and creates an effective cleaning paste. The essential oil flavors taste authentic and pleasant, with Sweet Spice offering warm cinnamon notes and Rose Clove providing floral complexity.
The premium glass jar feels substantial and eliminates plastic waste from your bathroom routine, helping solve the 500-year landfill problem of conventional tubes.
I found it keeps my breath noticeably fresher for hours compared to conventional toothpaste options. It just proves you can have long-lasting freshness without resorting to harsh chemicals.
I recommend this powder for anyone seeking clean, effective oral care as part of a zero-waste bathroom.
✔ Compostable Packaging
✔ Certified Cruelty-Free
✔ Vegan
Unpaste tablets don't contain preservatives, SLS, sodium saccharin, artificial colors, aluminum, or nanoparticles.
One of the main ingredients is microcrystalline cellulose. It did a fantastic job polishing my teeth to what Unpaste says is a “smooth post-dentist feeling”.
You get 125 tablets per pack, which is enough to last one person two months.
As with the Denttabs, I recommend opening the pack and storing the tablets in a reusable jar to keep them clean, dry, and fresh.
You can then simply tear up the pack and compost it.
Unpaste also makes environmentally friendly toothpaste tablets without fluoride if you prefer. This is a great plastic-free alternative to conventional toothpastes.
✔ Zero Waste Recyclable Metal Tube
✔ Whitening
✔ Organic Ingredients
Davids all-natural, teeth whitening toothpaste comes in a recyclable metal tube and features a recyclable metal key.
The key is pretty neat. It allows you to effortlessly get every last bit of toothpaste out.
The tube does have a small plastic lid, but the rest is perfectly eco-friendly. It comes packaged in a sustainable cardboard box that’s 100% recyclable with your standard paper and cardboard.
This product whitens teeth just as well as conventional toothpastes, but in a more sustainable way. Like the rest of my picks, it's also cruelty-free and contains no SLS or sulfates. As we'll explain later, this means it's non-toxic to aquatic life.
Davids also sells kids' toothpastes, so this is a brand that's suitable for the whole family.
✔ Reusable Glass Jar
✔ Effective Cleaning
✔ Fresh Breath
Nelson Naturals delivers excellent sustainability with 100% plastic-free glass jar packaging and clean natural ingredients, including calcium carbonate, xylitol, and colloidal silver.
I found it highly effective, leaving my teeth with that "dentist clean" feeling and noticeably whiter appearance. The company's vegan, cruelty-free approach and Canadian zero-waste manufacturing align perfectly with eco-conscious values.
The spearmint flavor has a subtle saltiness that I found refreshing, though it's definitely different from conventional toothpaste.
The jar format requires stirring and dipping, which feels slightly messy at first but becomes routine quickly. But the sustainability benefits far outweigh any minor inconvenience.
This is an excellent choice for anyone seeking effective zero-waste toothpaste that delivers fluoride-free oral care with genuine environmental benefits.
My family and I personally tested each toothpaste on this list to make sure our recommendations reflect real-world results, not just marketing claims.
We evaluated each toothpaste over several weeks, comparing performance, packaging, and environmental impact using the same consistent review process we apply to all sustainable products. Our scores and recommendations are based on the following criteria.
All testing took place at home under everyday conditions (not in a lab) because that’s how real families use toothpaste. We purchased all products online using the links provided. No brand is permitted to pay for inclusion or position in our list.
You may have noticed that several of the products listed above come in different forms, such as tablets, powder, and paste in jars rather than tubes.
So how does each of these sustainable dental care options work, and how do you use them? Let's find out...
The most common forms of eco-toothpaste are tablets, powder, and paste in reusable containers like glass jars. Here's an overview of how to use each one.
When you switch to natural toothpaste, you may notice some differences compared to traditional options, such as less foam and a coarser texture.
Don't let these things put you off. They're normal, and you soon get used to them.
Your mouth typically needs 3-7 days to adjust to natural formulations. You may notice the following changes.
Most people report that the "clean" feeling is stronger with natural options after the adjustment period. This is an additional side benefit of switching to natural products.
Earlier, we mentioned that one of the key benefits of zero-waste toothpaste was its lower environmental impact.
But what makes conventional toothpaste so problematic for the environment? Let's examine the specific issues with traditional tubes and ingredients.
Regular toothpaste tubes are not sustainable because they combine multiple materials that prevent effective recycling. In the US, 89% of toothpaste packaging uses laminated materials (GII Research, 2024), which creates significant disposal challenges.
Traditional toothpaste tubes contain an aluminum foil core surrounded by plastic layers. This combination of aluminum and plastic makes recycling impossible through normal waste streams (Recycling Today, 2022). Recycling facilities cannot separate these bonded materials using standard processing methods.
Residual toothpaste inside discarded tubes further complicates recycling. Properly emptied tubes achieve a 60% recovery rate, while partially filled tubes achieve only 16.7% recovery rates (WRAP, 2024). This contamination affects the entire recycling process.
The scale of toothpaste waste is substantial. The UK alone uses 300 million plastic tubes annually (British Dental Journal, 2021), while globally, 4.15 billion tubes of toothpaste are sold each year. Plastic toothpaste tubes end up in waste bins and sit in landfills for approximately 500 years before decomposing ("What should happen to your used Toothpaste Tubes" - Azaz, Sarma & Borsaikia, 2024).
Most toothpaste tubes enter municipal solid waste streams that lead to landfills or incineration. Since the plastic components do not biodegrade, these tubes contribute to long-term plastic waste accumulation in waste management systems.
Packaging waste isn't the only problem. The ingredients inside conventional toothpaste tubes also cause environmental harm when they enter our water systems
Regular toothpaste contains harmful chemicals, including triclosan, sodium lauryl sulfate, microplastics, and palm oil derivatives, that cause environmental damage when they enter aquatic ecosystems through household drains.
Triclosan bioaccumulates in aquatic organisms and disrupts marine ecosystems. Studies demonstrate that triclosan is highly toxic to different types of aquatic organisms, including green algae (Tatarazako et al., 2004).
The compound causes bacterial resistance in aquatic environments and degrades into more toxic byproducts, including dioxins.
Research by Asio & Sevilla-Nastor (2023) found "empirical evidence of this surfactant contributing to environmental toxicity at various concentrations (0.004–3509 mg L-1), with aquatic organisms at a higher risk from exposure."
While biodegradable, chronic toxicity occurs at concentrations as low as 0.1 mg/L in aquatic environments (Bondi et al., 2015).
Studies have found microplastics in commercial toothpastes in some parts of the world (Chengappa et al., 2023).
A Harvard School of Dental Medicine team led by Donna Hackley, DMD, MA, found that "8 trillion microbeads are released into aquatic environments daily from the U.S, enough to cover over 300 tennis courts."
Further research by Madhumitha et al. (2022) estimates that 1.4 billion grams of microplastic particles are emitted annually from toothpaste in India. A systematic review found concentrations ranging from 0.2% to 7.24% by weight across different studies.
These microplastics pass through water treatment facilities and bioaccumulate in marine food chains, affecting organism feeding and growth patterns.
Palm oil derivatives in toothpaste contribute to deforestation. Research shows "palm oil has been and continues to be a major driver of deforestation of some of the world's most biodiverse forests, destroying the habitat of already endangered species like the Orangutan, pygmy elephant and Sumatran rhino" (WWF, 2022).
Given these environmental and health concerns with conventional products, many consumers want third-party verification to prove that their chosen toothpaste is truly safe and sustainable.
There are no independent third-party certifications that relate specifically to toothpaste, but there are some that help verify a brand's environmental sustainability, animal welfare, or ethical claims.
I would not decide against buying a sustainable or plastic-free toothpaste just because it didn't have one or more of the above certifications. However, eco-labels such as these are useful in helping you to verify specific claims if you are ever unsure.
Now let's address some other common questions about natural toothpaste options.
Eco-friendly toothpaste does cost more than conventional brands. As a comparison, a 5.25 oz tube of Davids costs $9.95 ($1.90 per oz) compared to a 6 oz tube of Colgate Sensitive, which costs $4.96 ($0.83 per oz).
The price difference is due to the higher cost of natural ingredients, smaller production scales, and sustainable packaging materials compared to mass-produced conventional alternatives.
To keep your toothpaste fresh and extend its lifespan, follow these tips depending on your container type.
Fluoride remains one of the most debated ingredients in both conventional and eco-friendly toothpastes. Some natural brands avoid it entirely, while others use it in small, controlled amounts.
According to the CDC, fluoride helps rebuild the enamel layer and prevents tooth decay by maintaining mineral balance in your teeth (CDC).
Answering a question regarding the effectiveness of fluoride-free natural toothpastes, Dr. David Okano, a periodontist at the University of Utah, explains:
In terms of prevention of tooth decay... the only benefit you’ll gain is a fresher mouth with natural toothpaste, but you won’t receive any protection against tooth decay if it doesn’t have fluoride.
That’s why we include both fluoride and fluoride-free options in this list. We recognize that many readers prefer to avoid fluoride, but we also want to be clear about what current dental research supports.
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is a common ingredient found in many toothpastes that creates a foaming action when you brush your teeth.
It is a surfactant. This means it helps to break down the surface tension of liquids so that they can better interact with solid surfaces like your teeth.
SLS is generally recognized as safe by regulatory authorities. But some people may experience irritation or sensitivity to this ingredient and may prefer to use SLS-free toothpaste.
No, Tom's of Maine cannot be considered eco-friendly. A class action lawsuit alleges that the company misled consumers about the recyclability of its toothpaste tubes, with plaintiffs arguing that most US recycling facilities can't process these tubes (Resource Recycling).
There are also concerns over the ingredients they use. Tom's website admits they use synthetic ingredients, including propylene glycol and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in their toothpastes, which contradicts their natural marketing claims.
For these reasons, I do not recommend this brand.
Xylitol is found in many products, including some toothpastes, and is poisonous for dogs.
Please ensure that your toothpaste is stored well away from our four-legged friends.
Colgate cannot be classified as a "waste-free toothpaste brand" yet. But they’re making some effort towards making their products eco-friendly.
For example, according to Business Wire, “Colgate has reduced absolute greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 37.5% from 2002-2020 and its water use per ton of production by 52%”.
Our core values mean we always prioritize sustainability over profit. We carefully evaluate and personally test every product to ensure they meet our high standards. All products recommended in this article were tested in accordance with our Review Methodology.
TheRoundup.org - As Seen On
