I've Tried So Many Natural Toothpastes & This One Actually Leaves My Mouth Clean

Oral care is popping up more often in the beauty space as of late—but with a twist. Rather than a surge of white strips and super-strength mouthwashes, natural ingredients and aesthetically pleasing oral accessories are slowly becoming the norm. Among the medicine cabinet essentials getting a makeover? Toothpaste.

Natural toothpaste is growing in popularity, as more and more brands launch formulas without sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or fluoride. And while there's plenty to love about the cleaner ingredient list offered by these brands, I've found that many of these formulas don't give me the same "freshly cleaned" feel as their traditional counterparts. What can I say, I love when my mouth feels like I just left the dentist.

First things first, it's important to understand what event counts as a natural toothpaste. Like many things in the beauty and health space, slapping "natural" in front of a product name doesn't always mean it comes from actual plants or is even free of harmful additives. When referring to natural toothpaste, this generally means formulas that are sulfate-free, fluoride-free, or both.

As mentioned, I'm not exactly new to the world of natural-leaning toothpaste brands. I've learned that personally, I'd rather brush with a fresh minty flavor than a complex lemon, zingy anise, or floral lavender taste. What's more, I'm not willing to compromise on a good clean or noticeable whitening power—even if that means exposure to less savory ingredients.

After using and not loving countless options, I tried the Wellnesse Whitening Toothpaste, and I quickly became obsessed. It works even better than conventional pastes I was using previously—not just to whiten my teeth but also to leave them feeling freshly polished day in and day out.

Rather than fluoride, Wellnesse calls upon hydroxyapatite, a naturally occurring mineral that works wonders to polish the teeth2 and strengthen enamel. It pairs this active ingredient with neem oil, which reduces the deposition of plaque and enhances the immune response in the mouth. Plus, the formula even relies on green tea extract to help fight bad bacteria.