When my first child was young we bought and used one of most popular brands of toothpaste from the supermarket. It was the same brand I used as a child. I didn't think anything of it. But then I realised he was swallowing so much of it. Our water was already fluoridated, did he need more fluoride in his system? It made me look around for more natural toothpastes (and more eco friendly toothbrushes). 

My first discovery was Jack N' Jill Toothpaste which is still today my children's favourite and for years my children have used their compostable toothbrushes. However this toothpaste isn't stocked locally (since we moved) and while I've been ordering it online it has become a bit of a hassle. So I looked at what my local health food and organic shops have on offer and thought it would be really fun to give them to my kids to try and see what comes out on top!!

Yes, this is really what the boy's bathroom looks like right now. Yes, there are eleven toothpastes on offer! However there were three clear winners and one big winner from me for an adult's toothpaste. 

Some of these are organic and some aren't. In theory I would choose an organic toothpaste over non organic however taste and texture really comes first. For my children taste came first. So many of these taste like children's cough medicine, as in too heavily artificially flavoured. It was also clear what flavours my kids found familiar - they do not like minty, berry toothpaste but like the banana and citrus flavours. 

Again in theory I would prefer an Australian made toothpaste however my favourite is a US brand. Some of these are more like gels, some are pastes, some use Xylitol as an active ingredient. Some have ingredients which may cause concern. I have referenced the Environmental Working Group (EWG) rating however many of the brands we are using have not been rated. The best thing is to check the ingredients list and look up any areas of concern. This table below was collated to the best of my knowledge, please do your own research, I really want to encourage parents to read the labels and research the ingredients in their children's toothpaste. 

My children's clear favourite was the familiar Jack N' Jill Natural Toothpaste in Banana. However they also gave a big thumbs up to the Children's Organic Toothpaste by Baby Organics and the Earthpaste Natural Toothpaste in Lemon.

One of the reasons we tried the Earthpaste was due to it's excellent reviews. It was one I really wanted to try. It is based on clay so it's a totally different look and texture to other toothpastes. It is a little unusual but makes my teeth feel completely clean. 

As mentioned above, I really encourage all parents to research what is in their children's toothpaste and determine which products are best for them. Most of all - make an informed decision!

Has anyone else converted to Earthpaste? Please tell me your child's favourite natural toothpaste.