The 15 Best Toothpastes of 2020

If you think about your twice-daily skincare routine, chances are it's flanked somewhere between brushing your teeth—once in the A.M. and once in the P.M. Because like our skin, our teeth require a good deal of daily maintenance to stay healthy.

Brushing twice per day is a simple step, but one that is duly important. The Mayo Clinic states that oral health is linked to overall health; in other words, poor dental hygiene can impact more than just your pearly whites. Brushing (and flossing!) daily can keep bacteria in the mouth from growing exponentially and wreaking havoc. You've got to do it, so why not make the most of it with a topnotch toothpaste?

Below, we've rounded up the best toothpaste on the market, including options geared towards reducing sensitivity, stains, odors, and more.

Best Overall: Crest Pro Health Advanced Deep Clean Toothpaste

Crest is one of the most trusted names in toothpaste with options so wide that anyone would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite. We like this minty option the most because it covers a range of issues in one trusty tube, including cavities, gingivitis, plaque, sensitivity, stains, and bad breath.

But don't just take our word for it. This toothpaste has the American Dental Association's Seal of Acceptance (an honor that not all Crest toothpaste has been awarded, we should add) for addressing all of the aforementioned concerns, so you can rest assured that it's been vetted for efficacy. More specifically, it passed laboratory tests and met ADA and American National Standards Institute-approved dental standards.

Best for Gum Health: Crest Gum Detoxify Deep Clean Toothpaste

Gum disease should be diagnosed and treated by your dentist, but if you suffer from symptoms or want to address what may be an issue down the line, reach for this toothpaste—another pick that's earned the American Dental Association's Seal of Approval. Activated foam seeks out and neutralizes plaque bacteria in hard to reach places, especially along the gum line, to fight and prevent gingivitis. The gentle cooling effect keeps your gums feeling refreshed during and long after you brush.

Best for Cavity Protection: Aim Cavity Protection Toothpaste Ultra Mint Gel

Cavities are among some of the peskiest tooth problems out there, yet so many of us get them. If you want your toothpaste to have a little added protection against cavity formation, try this tube awarded the Seal of Acceptance by the American Dental Association. Its multi-benefit formula promises to clean teeth, freshen breath, protect against cavities, and strengthen enamel.

Runner-Up, Best for Cavity Protection: Aquafresh Cavity Protection

As we said, cavities suck. But rest assured, cavities can happen to the best of us—even the daily flossers and fluoride rinsers. Packed with fluoride and superior bacteria-fighting foam, this is a great option if you are looking to fill a certain void in your oral care routine. (The void is a cavity…get it?)

Best Natural: Tom's of Maine Prebiotic Anticavity Natural Toothpaste

Natural is a big buzzword of late, but Tom’s of Maine was making it a part of its brand ethos since it’s conception in 1970. This toothpaste contains no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives and isn’t tested on animals, but what makes it stand out if it’s prebiotic makeup. Just like everywhere else in and on your body, your mouth has good and bad bacteria. This toothpaste is designed to get rid of the bad bacteria and feed the good with, you guessed it, prebiotics.

Best Whitening: Colgate Optic White Renewal Teeth Whitening Toothpaste

Nothing we have tried is better than Colgate Optic White when it comes to daily whitening. The delicious paste is loaded with 3% hydrogen peroxide, more than any other brand on the market. The brightening results are seen immediately, and the whitening results over time. Add to that a good dose of fluoride to combat any sensitivity and within a few brushings, you’ll notice stains fading. It has also been awarded the Seal of Approval by the American Dental Association for the category of bleaching.

Best for Sensitive Teeth: Sensodyne Pronamel Gentle Whitening Toothpaste

Sensodyne is the industry leader in toothpaste for sensitive teeth. It's formulated with potassium nitrate, which has been shown to block fluid flow through tooth pores. This decreases the level of activity of dental sensory nerves which helps prevent pain signals from reaching the brain. Simply put, this toothpaste gives you major sensitivity relief while also delivering extra whitening because, why not?

Best Charcoal: Hello Activated Charcoal Toothpaste

This naturally friendly oral care brand designed its entire charcoal collection to check several dental hygiene boxes. This deliciously minty toothpaste gives you fresh breath, natural whitening, plaque removal, and an A+ in overall oral health. Talk about some remarkable feats for a low-cost natural toothpaste. The product employs natural detoxifiers and odor-reducing ingredients to keep gingivitis and halitosis at bay, all while polishing up those pearly whites.

Best Fluoride-Free: Davids Premium Natural Spearmint Toothpaste

Davids toothpastes are unique due to their superior cleansing and bacteria banishing qualities. This family-owned company (the founder still helps package the toothpaste…for real) is dedicated to creating the best product it can without using any harsh chemicals or ugly ingredients. Because Davids uses such clean and safe ingredients, it is just one of the handful of brands that have been certified by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). If all that wasn’t enough, the chic metal tube and its turnkey are completely recyclable.

Runner-Up, Best Fluoride-Free: Boka Coco Ginger Toothpaste

Boka is one of the few brands around that has committed to going fluoride-free, so reach for this one if that's what you're after. The DTC oral care brand uses hydroxyapatite instead of its century-old mineral competitor. Top it all off with the delicious new ginger flavor and you've got yourself one of our favorites to brush with.

Best Flavor: Marvis Royal Toothpaste

We might as well call it the best tasting toothpaste in all the world. Inspired by elegant travels on the Orient Express, this surprisingly delicious toothpaste combines zesty Italian lemon, sweet tangerine, fragrant rose, and spicy nutmeg. This unique flavor leaves you with a bright, shining smile and aids in preventing tartar and plaque over time. We think that once you try this out, you’ll fall in love just like we did.

Best Splurge: Apa White Toothpaste

What makes this toothpaste worth your hard-earned cash? Some of the biggest names in entertainment from New York to Dubai trust their teeth to the man behind this toothpaste, and after trying it, we know why. With the gentle polishing benefit of calcium carbonate (not water) as the first ingredient and opting for enamel-strengthening hydroxyapatite instead of fluoride, this toothpaste whitens and toughens teeth and leaves your breath seriously fresh to boot.

The Best Fluoride-Free Toothpastes for Whiter, Brighter Teeth

Best Tablets: Bite Toothpaste Bits

The technology behind toothpaste tablets isn’t new, per se, but the desire to use them is steadily on the rise. That’s because when toothpaste comes packaged like this from the brand Bite, it not only works as well as most other fluoride-free toothpaste, it is more travel-friendly than those testy tubes, and the packaging is completely recyclable (those testy tubes can’t make that claim). Bite offers flavors such as charcoal mint and berry twist, but we have to say, the OG fresh mint is our fave.

Best for Dry Mouth: Biotène Dry Mouth Fluoride Toothpaste

Dry mouth and bad breath often go hand in hand. Severe dry mouth, or xerostomia, is actually a condition in which salivary glands aren’t producing enough saliva to keep your mouth nice and wet. If certain medications are causing your spit to suffer, Biotène is one of the top-recommended toothpaste by dentists.

Best Duo: Twice

We have morning and nighttime skincare routines—shouldn't the same apply to our toothpaste? Twice, an oral care brand co-founded by Lenny Kravitz, certainly thinks so. Its toothpaste duo is designed to bookend your day: Awaken, its morning flavor, contains invigorating wintergreen and peppermint, while Relax, its nighttime flavor, allows you to wind down with vanilla and lavender. Both flavors are formulated to whiten teeth, strengthen enamel, and relieve sensitivity—plus, they're vegan, non-GMO, and cruelty-free.

According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find any toothpaste from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com and we will evaluate the product ASAP.

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