Rank 10 of 32
Tom's of Maine Anticavity Fluoride Toothpaste (various)
The original mainstream natural toothpaste, with legacy baggage.
Familiar natural brand; read for carrageenan and SKU variance
Best for: Shoppers who want a familiar natural label with fluoride at grocery-store prices
01. Specs
At a glance
Price, size, and formula flags from the published product data.
- Price
- $5.50
- Price / oz
- $1.38
- Size
- 4 oz / 113 g
- Country
- United States
- Founded
- 1970
- Fluoride
- Yes
- Hydroxyapatite
- None stated
- SLS
- No
- Kid-safe
- Yes
- Subscription
- No
02. Tradeoffs
Pros and cons
Pros
- Easy to find and relatively affordable
- Long history in natural personal care
- Fluoride options for standard cavity prevention
- Many flavors including kids lines
Cons
- Some formulas have used carrageenan, a common avoid for label readers
- Owned by a major CPG parent; 'natural' credibility varies by shopper
- Not leading on hydroxyapatite innovation
03. Scores
Score breakdown
Sub-scores on a 0–10 scale, shown with each criterion’s weight in the overall ranking.
- Ingredient Safety · 25%6.8
- Remineralization & Efficacy · 25%7.8
- Kid & Family Safety · 15%7.0
- Taste & Texture · 10%7.6
- Transparency & Sourcing · 15%7.0
- Value · 10%8.6
04. Ingredients
What we flagged
Key ingredient notes from our review. Not a scare list.
- depends
Present in anticavity SKUs; follow kids dosing guidance.
- avoid
Common reason crunchy shoppers left Tom's for newer brands.
- caution
Natural flavors
Broad category; less precise than listing essential oils.
Full ingredient list
Tom's formulas vary widely. Carrageenan and other additives appear in some SKUs historically. Always verify the specific product label.
05. Review
Our take
Tom's of Maine opened the natural toothpaste aisle for a generation. It remains convenient and often fluoride-capable, but ingredient choices like carrageenan in some formulas and a less innovative active story place it mid-pack for today's label readers.
Legacy natural
Before nHAp startups, Tom's was the default "we don't buy Crest" paste. That cultural role still matters in family bathrooms where one adult wants natural and the other wants something from the grocery store.
Why rankings moved on
Newer brands competed on SLS-free plus HAp plus tighter avoid lists. Tom's still has fluoride strength and price, but Ingredient Safety scores suffer when a SKU includes additives many of our readers specifically scan for. Always check the carton; the brand is a portfolio.
Verdict
Fair, familiar, not the frontier.
06. Where to buy
Tom's of Maine
Outbound link to the brand or retailer listed for this product.
07. Glossary
Related ingredients
Entries from our glossary that appear on this paste or in its flags.
- Fluoride
The most evidence-backed cavity fighter in toothpaste, with real swallowing-dose limits for young kids.
- Carrageenan
A seaweed-derived thickener that many label readers specifically exclude.
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