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Are you tired of the same old toothpaste brands? The ones that come in plastic tubes, packed with questionable ingredients?
My family and I insist on a zero-waste bathroom, with no plastic packaging allowed.
So we tested the best eco-friendly toothpaste brands of 2025. Guaranteed to be completely ethical and sustainable.
Say goodbye to artificial ingredients, and hello to natural formulas that will have your pearly whites shining in no time.
✔ Plastic Free Glass Jar
✔ Refills Available
✔ Great for Home or Travel
We Say: Do you share your toothpaste with others in your house and don’t like dipping your toothbrush into ‘communal’ powder or paste? Then these Etee toothpaste tablets are the best option for you.
They’re easy to use. Simply pop a tablet in your mouth, chew it to a paste, and then brush your teeth as usual.
I didn’t produce enough saliva to make a decent amount of paste and needed a few drops of water in my mouth before starting. That might just be me, though (Mrs. M had no such issue).
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.
When you need a refill, it’s sent to you in a compostable pouch.
Tablets are also super convenient when traveling. You can count out the exact amount you need for your trip and save space in your luggage.
We Say: This product is exactly the same as the overall winner, just without fluoride.
All the other benefits are the same, so you get an exceptional clean with all-natural ingredients, no plastic, and no animal testing.
There is no price difference either.
So the only question is: should you get your toothpaste with or without fluoride?
If you're not sure which to choose, scroll down - there's a section towards the end of this article that’ll help point you in the right direction.
✔ Biodegradable Pouches
✔ No Preservatives
✔ Naturally Polishes Your Teeth
We Say: These 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.
You'll need to provide your own jar though. They're also flavorless, whereas I personally prefer a mild minty taste.
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.
There is a strawberry flavored option for kids aged 3+.
✔ No SLS, Paraben, or Glycerine
✔ Non-Toxic
✔ Vegan & Palm Oil Free
We Say: The Dirt might not sound like a range of products that would keep your teeth clean… but that’s precisely what you get here.
The six-month supply of natural tooth powder is packaged in a reusable mason jar (Mrs. M already has her eye on it for her coffee beans!).
The Sweet Spice flavor of this tooth powder was my favorite of all the products I tested for this article. It reminded me of Christmas candy for some reason. I think it must be the combination of cinnamon and orange.
The Dirt has a full range of products, and they only ever use ingredients that are safe to eat.
I chose their natural tooth powder over the toothpastes because it's more eco-friendly. Their toothpaste contains beeswax and comes in a plastic tube.
The powder, on the other hand, comes in plastic-free packaging and is completely vegan.
The bentonite clay used in the tooth powder is softer than the enamel on your teeth. This prevents scratching, making it ideal for those with sensitive teeth.
The Dirt sent me a complimentary Tongue Scraper with my order (I think there was a mix-up), and it’s been a bit of a game-changer.
The combination of the antibacterial properties of copper and a gunk-free tongue has made my mouth feel cleaner. I also think it makes my breath smell fresher than ever.
✔ Compostable Eco Friendly Toothpaste Packaging
✔ Certified Cruelty-Free
✔ Vegan
We Say: This is a great plastic-free alternative to conventional toothpastes. 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.
✔ Zero Waste Recyclable Metal Tube
✔ Whitening
✔ Organic Ingredients
We Say: To misquote Spock from the 1987 ‘hit’ Star Trekkin’...this is a tube of toothpaste, Jim, but not as we know it!
Davids has not gone down the powder/paste/tablets in a jar/pouch route.
This all-natural, teeth whitening toothpaste comes in a recyclable metal tube and features a recyclable metal key.
Not a single plastic tube in sight!
The key is pretty neat. It allows you to effortlessly get every last bit of toothpaste out.
The tube comes packaged in a sustainable cardboard box that’s 100% recyclable with your standard paper and cardboard.
You have a choice of flavors. I went for the peppermint, and it was pretty nice. Subtle and refreshing. There is also an option with added charcoal if you prefer.
✔ Reusable Glass Jar
✔ Donates 5% of Profit to Animal Charities
✔ Fresh Breath
We Say: Nelson Naturals is an ethical Canadian brand using eco-friendly packaging.
Their zero-waste toothpaste is made from natural ingredients. It comes in a reusable, recyclable glass jar with a metal lid.
As an animal lover, I wanted to test out Nelson Naturals because they donate 5% of their profits to animal charities! ????
After testing their toothpaste, I can report that it’s as good as their animal-friendly ethics.
However, I did note that some other users reported that it can irritate sensitive gums. That wasn't my experience, but I would recommend you take care if you do have any sensitivities.
There are many recipes online for homemade natural toothpaste.
I’ve tried out the most popular ones, and this is my favorite:
That’s all there is to it. Homemade toothpaste, from 100% natural ingredients, with zero plastic packaging. It should cost less than a buck to make.
If the jar has a tight-fitting lid, your toothpaste will last a long time before spoiling.
I can’t say for sure how good this DIY toothpaste would be for your teeth long-term, but they felt clean, and the taste was pretty nice.
Don’t like the taste of peppermint? Switch it out for an essential oil and try a variety of flavors of your choice. Orange oil or tea tree oil, for example.
Want 100% organic toothpaste? Use 100% organic ingredients.
As reported by the Guardian, 20 billion packs of toothpaste are used every year.
Most toothpaste packaging is non-recyclable. That's due to the mix of plastics or the thin layer of metal used in traditional toothpaste tubes to keep the contents fresh.
The overall result is that more than 1.5 billion plastic toothpaste tubes end up in landfill every year.
Pump-action toothpaste tubes are usually easier to recycle. But they use more plastic to produce them in the first place.
Some larger brands are making some efforts to be more sustainable. Some do this by reducing the amount of waste they produce. Others are making fully recyclable toothpaste tubes in selected ranges.
However, until fully sustainable toothpastes exist across all ranges, it feels a bit like greenwashing to me.
Yes, recyclable packaging is better than single-use plastic,. But zero-waste packaging that doesn't need to be recycled is better still. As is compostable packaging that you can return to nature in your own backyard.
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that is often added to water, food, and other products such as your toothpaste.
It’s added to most municipal water supplies in the U.S. and, according to the ADA, prevents tooth decay by around 25%.
Too much fluoride can lead to dental fluorosis in children aged 8 and under. This causes a change in the color of tooth enamel (usually white or sometimes brown spots).
Adults cannot develop the condition.
Toothpaste is essential for good oral hygiene. But whether you go fluoride-free is a personal choice based on your unique circumstances.
I’m not a trained medical professional and will not offer an opinion one way or the other.
My advice is to ask your dentist if fluoride toothpaste is right for your oral care routine. Or, if you should use fluoride-free alternatives.
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.
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.
According to Healthline, brushing your teeth with activated charcoal toothpaste products is safe. However, the abrasive nature of the product might wear down your tooth enamel over time. This can lead to sensitive teeth.
I don’t feel that Colgate can 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%”.
Oil pulling is the practice of using oil (usually coconut oil) like you would traditional mouthwash to improve oral health.
According to Healthline, there are many benefits of oil pulling, including:
When I've been encouraging you to use plastic-free toothpaste in this article, I’m referring to the packaging. Instead of single-use plastic tubes that end up in landfills, brands need to offer reusable glass jars or compostable pouches.
However, some toothpaste does contain microplastics. They’re there to help polish your teeth.
They’re classified as not harmful to human health, but consumers are waking up to the fact that they’re an environmental disaster. They eventually find their way into waterways. This just adds to the growing problem of plastic pollution and harming aquatic life.
When we brush our teeth, a small amount of the toothpaste we’re using enters our body (gums, tongue, swallowing a small amount, etc.). So it stands to reason that you want a product made from all-natural ingredients if possible.
Etee Minty Vanilla Fluoride Chewpaste is my personal recommendation. It's the product I use myself, and I love it.
Every option I’ve recommended in this article is non-toxic. They are also environmentally friendly, and use zero-waste packaging.
Whether you eventually settle on paste, powder, tablets, or even make your own, one thing is good to know. It's now easier than ever to make the right choices for your oral health and the health of the planet.
What zero-waste toothpaste do you use? Want to name-check your favorite brand? Got a top-notch recipe for homemade toothpaste? Drop me a line and let me know.
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.
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