best toothpastes

The Best Toothpastes in Canada

We all know that brushing your teeth once in the morning and once in the evening is important for your oral health. While having a good toothbrush is important, pairing it with toothpaste is also key. It’s the other piece of the partnership, like salt and pepper or peanut butter and jelly.

Selecting a toothpaste may seem like an easy take. However, this is not always the case. With so many brands and toothpaste types to choose from, the decision can suddenly get much more difficult. In this guide, we’ve listed the best toothpastes available in Canada. The toothpastes we selected can be used for various oral health needs.

Our top picks

What to look for in a toothpaste

Selecting a toothpaste can be a very personal choice. The common things to consider include ingredients, taste, and medical approval.

Ingredients: When choosing a toothpaste, ingredients are one of the most important things to consider. The deciding factor is whether you are comfortable with chemical ingredients like fluoride or SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) in your toothpaste, or you prefer more natural ingredients. Toothpaste ingredients are listed on the front and back of the package.

Taste: Toothpaste flavour is all a matter of personal preference. The most common toothpaste flavour is mint. There are various fruit flavours, like strawberry and watermelon. There are even flavours like chocolate, licorice, and Oreo cookie. Some people enjoy the fresh breath feeling of mint toothpastes. Others find it to strong/spicy and opt for toothpastes with a milder or sweeter taste.

Medical Approval: Stick to toothpastes that have been medically approved by a dental association. In Canada, the national dental organization is the Canadian Dental Association (CDA). These organizations evaluate toothpastes for safety and effectiveness through independent scientific experts. CDA approved toothpastes will display a seal on the packaging.

The best toothpaste for whitening

Colgate Total Whitening Toothpaste

Many toothpastes claim teeth whitening capabilities. And who wouldn’t want their teeth looking sparkling clean? Arguably, Colgate Total Whitening Toothpaste may be the best one on the market. The toothpaste contains an advanced formula of stannous fluoride, stabilized with zinc phosphate. This formula not only cleans dental plaque from your teeth, but it also cleans hidden bacteria on the tongue, cheeks, and gum line. This toothpaste has a subtle mint flavour that is not overpowering. A common complaint for whitening toothpastes is that it can leave stringy white residue in the mouth, which can be difficult to remove. You’ll won’t find this with Colgate Total Whitening. Any residue left in the mouth can be easily removed.

It should be noted that some customer reviews point out that the viscosity of the toothpaste is thick and seeps into their toothbrush. Others claim that the lid is too tight, making it difficult to open. However, those customers forgave these issues because of the toothpaste effective cleaning and teeth whitening capabilities.

Pros
  • Cleans entire mouth.
  •  Subtle mint taste.
Cons
  • Thick paste.
  • Tight lid.

The best toothpaste for sensitive teeth

Sensodyne Whitening and Sensitive Toothpaste

Sensodyne toothpastes are marketed for people with sensitive teeth. Sensodyne Whitening and Sensitive Toothpaste fights sensitivity while also restoring teeth whiteness. The toothpaste also claims 24/7 protection when brushing twice a day. Other features include dental plaque removal and the reduction of tartar build up. Lastly, Sensodyne states that the toothpaste does not wear of when you eat or drink trigger foods for sensitive teeth, like coffee and ice cream.

The majority of customers enjoy the toothpaste’s minty fresh taste. Some claim that the toothpaste reduced or even eliminated their sensitive teeth. And many like the added teeth whitening feature this toothpaste offers.

Pros
  • Long lasting protection.
  • Whitens teeth
Cons
  • Bad taste, according to some customers.

The best toothpaste for gingivitis

Crest ProHealth Gum Detoxify

Gingivitis is a mild form of gum disease. Common symptoms include irritation, redness, and swelling in the gum area around your teeth. Crest has manufactured a toothpaste to combat this condition and improve gum health. Their ProHealth Gum Detoxify helps neutralize plaque bacteria around the gumline. It has an activated foam that cleans bacteria in hard-to-reach places. It also gently cools gums during and after teeth brushing.

There are multiple testimonials from people saying this toothpaste improved their gum health or removed their gingivitis completely. However, some customers claim that the toothpaste caused sensitivity with consistent use. If you have sensitive teeth, you might want to try a different brand.

Pros
  • Cools gums during and after teeth brushing.
  • Cleans hidden bacteria.
Cons
  • May cause teeth sensitivity with regular use. 

The best toothpaste for enamel protection

Pronamel Intensive Enamel Repair

This toothpaste is recommended by dentist professionals for enamel repair and for protection against acid erosion. This toothpaste states that it uses mineral ingredients to help repair microdamage and rebuild enamel strength. Pronamel also offers protection from acidic foods and drinks like citrus fruits or soft drinks as long as you brush twice a day. Besides enamel protection, the toothpaste also fights bad breath by cleaning dental plaque and other harmful bacteria. 

Pros
  • Strong enamel protection.
  • Fights bad breath.  
Cons
  • Strong mint flavour, may leave weird aftertaste

The best toothpaste for cavity protection

Prevident 5000 Plus Toothpaste

Cavities are arguably the most feared oral health condition. Depending on the severity, a cavity may result in your tooth being pulled or restored with a filling. These are costly treatments and can be quite painful. Luckily, there are toothpastes that combat cavities.

Prevident is a line of toothpastes made by Colgate which are designed to provide people with extra protection from various teeth ailments. Prevident 5000 Plus helps prevent cavities. It works to reduce tooth decay, and it helps strengthen tooth enamel. According to the package, you only need to apply a thin layer on your toothbrush. For better results, brush around bedtime, and do not eat or drink anything for 30 minutes after you have finished tooth brushing.

This toothpaste has a fluoride content of 1.1%, which is much higher than other fluoride toothpastes.  The reason for this is because fluoride is an important part of tooth protection. It reduces the amount of dental plague, the culprit behind cavities. So, the higher amount of fluoride means the better it is at fighting cavities. Because of its high fluoride content, Prevident 5000 Plus is recommended for people with severe cavity issues.

In most instances, you can only purchase this toothpaste with a dentist’s prescription. This is because of the high fluoride content. However, you can buy the toothpaste on Amazon without a perscription. That being said, it’s best to consult with your dentist before using Prevident 5000 Plus.

Pros
  • Reduces tooth decay,
  • Improves oral health.
  • Protection against cavities.
Cons
  • Expensive.
  • Recommended for chronic tooth decay.  

Crest Cavity Protection

Crest Cavity Protection fights cavities with its flouristat formula. This is Crest’s brand name for stannous fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral that reduces dental erosion, gingivitis, and other oral health conditions. Many customer reviews praise Crest Cavity Protection for its simple formula and teeth cleaning abilities. As one reviewer summarizes “It’s simple, basic, and does the job” with no add-ons.  

The only important thing to note is that stannous fluoride can stain teeth. This usually happen do not brush properly. If you follow proper tooth brushing etiquette, then teeth staining shouldn’t be an issue. Furthermore, Crest states that their stannous fluoride formula does not stain teeth. However, it’s best to keep an eye out for it when using Crest Tooth Protection. 

Pros
  • Simple formula.
  • Affordable.
Cons
  • May stain teeth with improper brushing 

The best natural toothpaste

Arm and Hammer Essentials Whiten + Charcoal Fluoride Free

Arm and Hammer not only makes baking soda, but they manufacture toothpaste as well. This fluoride free toothpaste contains no artificial dyes or sweeteners, preservatives, parabens, or SLS’s. Arm and Hammer Essentials uses a formula of baking soda and activated charcoal to clean and whiten teeth. It also has a refreshing mint flavour.

A common issue with charcoal toothpastes is that it’s quite messy and it can blacken your mouth. The Arm and Hammer charcoal toothpaste does not do this. Several customer reviews noted that the toothpaste left their mouth and their sink free of any black stains. One thing to note is that the baking soda ingredient may take some time to get used to. Some customers report that the baking soda had a weird sensation their mouth. However, they got used to the feeling after repeated use.

Pros
  • Natural ingredients.
  • Does not blacken mouth.
Cons
  • Baking soda ingredient can feel weird on your teeth.

Best toothpaste for kids

Colgate Gel 2 in 1 Toothpaste and Mouthwash

Getting young children to brush their teeth can be a challenging task. Some kids hat the very idea of tooth brushing. Other times, kids do not like mint flavoured toothpastes because the taste is too strong for them. As an alternative, toothpaste companies produce fruit flavoured toothpastes. These toothpastes are much sweeter than their mint counterparts.

Colgate has produced several 2-in-1 toothpaste and mouthwash products, which come in a variety of fruit flavours. For this guide, we specifically looked at the watermelon flavour. The sweet taste encourages young children to brush their teeth. The toothpaste is also sugar free, which is an important factor. It also provides cavity and enamel protection. The only drawback is that when the container runs low, it’s hard to dispense the toothpaste. But this is something that’s common with all toothpastes.

Pros
  • Easy to dispense.
  • Gentle on tooth enamel.
  • Sugar free.
Cons
  • Hard to dispense when only a little is left. 

Other toothpastes that we like

Hello Whitening Toothpaste Tablets

What are toothpaste tablets? Basically, they are toothpastes contained in a small tablet. They perform all the tasks other toothpastes do, except they come in a miniature form. The Hello Whitening Toothpaste Tablets are a travel friendly toothpaste. The reusable and recyclable tin also makes this toothpaste environment friendly. This toothpaste consists of natural ingredients with no artificial flavours, sweeteners, fluorides, or other chemical ingredients.  

To use, chew one tablet using your front teeth. The tablet should then form a paste. Next, wet your toothbrush and brush your teeth like you normally do. According to some customer reviews, this procedure can be tricky at first. Additionally, other customers reported that the lack of foam took some getting used to. Some said they thought their teeth weren’t thoroughly cleaned because there was no foam. However, most customers appreciated the travel friendly size and cleaning properties of these toothpaste tablets.   

Our methodology

For this guide, we spent 15 hours reviewing various toothpaste products. We examined customer reviews on different websites to gage what people look for when buying toothpastes. When we looked through Amazon, we only reviewed toothpastes rated four or more stars. Next, we placed the toothpastes into different categories for various oral health needs. Lastly, we consulted trusted medical websites whenever we needed information on specific oral health conditions, like gingivitis or acid erosion.   

Commonly asked questions about toothpastes

When Was Toothpaste Invented? 

Toothpaste has a long history. Its origins date back to Ancient Egypt around 5000 B.C. However, the first recorded formula dates to four A.D. Early forms of toothpaste had a wide range of ingredients. Some examples include herbal mint, crushed rock salt, charcoal, burnt eggshells, and ox hooves. Toothpaste as we now know it emerged in the 1800s. In 1886, the first toothpaste to come in a tube was invented. Soon thereafter, Colgate began selling their toothpastes in tubes.   

Who Invented Toothpaste? 

This is a tricky question to answer since toothpaste’s origins stretch hundreds of years ago. However, there are some important figures in the toothpaste story. In 1850, Dr. Washington Wentworth Sheffield manufactured and sold the first modern form of toothpaste. Sheffield’s company also claimed to have invented the first toothpaste tube. In 1928 Dr. Frederick S. McKay discovered that fluoride significantly reduced tooth decay. His discovery led to fluoride being added into toothpaste.  

How is Toothpaste Made 

Toothpaste production is a fairly simple process. All the ingredients are weight to ensure the right amounts are added. The ingredients are then mixed in a stainless-steel container. Once the ingredients are combined, they are then cooked at high temperature. Once the cooking process finishes, other ingredients are added to the paste, like dyes for colour and essential oils for flavour. Next, the mixture is sent of for packaging in the familiar toothpaste tube.  

What are the Ingredients in Toothpaste? 

There are two categories for toothpaste ingredients. The first category is called active ingredients. These are medicinal, which means they are the part that cleans the teeth. The key active ingredient in many toothpastes is fluoride. This mineral reduces the likelihood of cavities by slowing down the production of tooth-decaying acids. Fluoride also replaces lost calcium and minerals on the tooth, which further slows the decay process. Common forms of toothpaste fluoride include stannous fluoride and sodium fluoride.  Another important active ingredient are abrasives. They help to remove dental plaque and food debris from your teeth.  

Inactive ingredients are the second part of toothpastes. These are all the non-medical components found in toothpastes. Some are responsible for holding the toothpaste together. Detergents are an important inactive ingredient. They create the foaming action that occurs during tooth brushing. The foam helps spread the toothpaste throughout the mouth, helping the active ingredients reach hidden areas. Other key inactive ingredients include colouring agents and sweeteners (for flavour).      

On toothpaste packages active ingredients are called medical ingredients. Inactive ingredeitns are called non-medical ingredients.  

What Happens if you Swallow Toothpaste? 

This depends on how much toothpaste you swallow. Swallowing a small amount of toothpaste is safe. It may be an unpleasant experience, but you don’t have to worry about any hazardous side effects. However, swallowing a large amount of toothpaste can have serious side effects. This is especially true for young children. Common symptoms include stomach pain and a salty or soapy taste in the mouth. 

If you or your child swallows a large amount of toothpaste, seek medical help or contact Poison Control immediately.  

Is Fluoride Toothpaste Safe? 

This question is similar to the one above. Consuming a small amount is ok. But ingesting a large amount can cause harmful side effects. A common example is dental fluorosis. This is a condition where the colour of tooth enamel changes. The discolouration usually appears as white or brown spots. 

Overall, fluoride toothpaste is safe as long as you properly use the toothpaste.  

Does Toothpaste Expire? 

Toothpastes do expire, but it’s still safe to use them past their expiration date. The only caveat is that the toothpaste will be less beneficial. This is because the ingredients become less effective over time. The reason why toothpastes have expiration dates is because organizations like the CDA require them. The typical expiration date is two years after the toothpaste was manufactured.  

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Updated date

April 7th, 2022

About the author

Nicholas Mah

Nick Mah is a writer who enjoys writing about music, movies, sports, and cooking related topics. He also enjoys reading and writing about history. In his spare time, he enjoys watching movies, reading a good book, going for long bike rides, listening to music, or playing his guitar.
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