Chart Comparing the Toxicant Profiles of Popular Toothpaste and Tooth Powder Products Tested by an Independent, Third-Party Lab in 2025

ByTamara Posted: Updated:
82 Comments
| | | | | | | | |

Lead Safe Mama, LLC’s Community Collaborative Laboratory Testing Initiative

The Lead Safe Mama, LLC (LSM) team has been conducting independent, community-funded, scientific testing of consumer goods since 2009. Prior to 2024 our work primarily focused on testing consumer goods (including dishes, toys, household items, furniture, jewelry, etc.) using XRF technology.

In March of 2024 LSM began coordinating independent, third-party, community-collaborative laboratory testing of foods, supplements, cosmetics, and personal-care items. Since then we have sent more than 400 community-nominated products to laboratories to have them tested for Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, and Arsenic. You can find all of our published lab reports for products we have tested to date on this link — toothpaste and tooth powder products are just a small subset of the products we have tested.

This laboratory testing initiative is driven by the interests and priorities of the greater Lead Safe Mama community (we had nearly 2.3 million unique individual readers here on this website in the 2024 calendar year alone – and also have a strong social media presence on both Instagram and Facebook)  —  Lead Safe Mama community members nominate products for laboratory testing and then the LSM community uses crowd-funding (including through GoFundMe) to raise the funds to cover the costs related to testing and reporting of these nominated products. This is how the toothpaste and tooth powder products listed in the chart below were chosen for testing, and how the testing and reporting was paid for. This unique model of community-directed (and funded) testing and reporting helps to ensure that this initiative is truly free of corporate influence, and strongly rooted in science (and without bias).

Another unique aspect of the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC: all of our work (including the raw data / original lab reports) is always shared publicly (here on the Lead Safe Mama website and on social media), free of charge — not behind a paywall of any kind. While contributions in support of our work are always welcome, they are not required.

The intention behind the Lead Safe Mama, LLC laboratory testing initiative is twofold: 1.) to identify lab-tested safer products, to help consumers make science-informed choices regarding which products to use with their families, and 2.) to identify products with egregious levels of toxicants that we can then (collectively) report to public agencies (including the FDA) in an effort to get those products recalled.

A foundation of the work of LSM is the understanding (and agreement with the scientific and medical consensus) that there is no safe level of Lead exposure for humans, and that we (as consumers) should demand that companies be held accountable for manufacturing and selling lead-contaminated products, especially products marketed and sold for use by children.

Chart Last Updated: April 18, 2025

  • The chart  below (comparing the toxicant profiles of laboratory tested toothpaste and tooth powder products) is a work in progress.
  • Articles (with lab reports for each listed product) noted as “pending” in the chart below should be all be published (and the chart should be fully updated), by April 20, 2025. Thank you for your patience!
  • Please check back periodically for the latest updates.
    • We first share our  newly published articles articles on Patreon,
    • We then share published articles with our email Newsletter subscribers (subscribing is free!),
    • and finally we share published articles on our social media channels (Facebook & Instagram). 
    • Our Patreon can be subscribed to free of charge or with a small monthly gift in support of this work if you choose.
    • Lead Safe Mama, LLC is not a 501(c)3 nonprofit, so contributions are not tax-deductible
  • You can click the chart image below for a downloadable PDF copy of the chart.
  • Links to articles with full original lab reports for each of the toothpaste and tooth powder products tested (and shown in this chart) can be found below the chart, please scroll down.
  • Continue reading below the chart for additional information as well – thank you!

This is an ad-free article.

Advertising and affiliate income help Lead Safe Mama, LLC cover the costs of the work we do here (independent consumer goods testing and childhood Lead poisoning prevention advocacy). We have removed ads from most of our more widely-read articles (like this one!) to make them easier for you to read. In addition to supporting this work by starting any shopping you might be doing with a click on our affiliate links, if you would like to support the independent consumer goods testing and childhood Lead poisoning prevention advocacy work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC by making a contribution (which will also help us keep our more widely-read articles ad-free), click here. Thank you! You can also support our work with a small monthly gift on Patreon. All of our newly published lab reports are first shared on Patreon before we share them on social media.

For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website:

Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005).

Quick Note from Tamara Rubin:

  • We have found FIVE toothpastes so far that have tested “non-detect” (N/D) for toxicants (Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, & Cadmium – with the low thresholds of detection noted in the chart) – demonstrating that it truly is possible to manufacture safer toothpaste choices! Here are links to all five (which are each listed at the top of the chart above):
    1. Orajel Kids Training Toothpaste in Natural Berry Fruity Flavor, Elmo Sesame Street Packaging, Fluoride-free: https://amzn.to/41wxtrY
    2. Miessence Mint Toothpaste, Fluoride Free – This is currently sold out on Amazon but may be found elsewhere (it is an Australian product): https://amzn.to/4bJc4PO
    3. Dr. Brown’s Fluoride-free Baby Toothpaste in Strawberry Flavor: https://amzn.to/3DCehzZ
    4. Pegciz Kids Foam Toothpaste (Low Fluoride) in Watermelon Flavor: https://amzn.to/3YzP68e
    5. Kid’s Spry Tooth Gel with Xylitol in Original Flavor: https://amzn.to/41GZb4e
  • I personally did not use toothpaste with my children when they were young (not until they were about 10 years old) — regular brushing (3x a day) with water and a good toothbrush (and flossing with a water flosser) can be just as effective as using toothpaste (talk to your dentist!)
  • This is the toothbrush my kids use – https://amzn.to/3CIp235
  • This is the water flosser each of my kids use too – https://amzn.to/3EosHU5
  • This is the toothbrush I am currently using while traveling (I love that I can charge it using my phone charger or my computer!)  – https://amzn.to/40Q57XU

The  chart above compares the toxicant profiles of popular toothpaste and tooth powder products (“natural” and conventional, fluoride-free and fluoride-containing) that have been tested through the community collaborative (community directed and funded), independent, third-party, laboratory testing Lead Safe Mama, LLC is coordinating.

The direct links to each of the articles we have published to date — for toothpaste  and tooth powder products that we have sent to the lab for testing  — are below in alphabetical order. The full original lab report is always at the bottom of each article. Fluoride toothpastes are highlighted in red, Fluoride-Free are highlighted in blue.

  1. Attitude Baby Leaves Strawberry Flavor Toothpaste – Fluoride Free
  2. Boka Ela Mint Toothpaste – Fluoride Free
  3. Boka Toothpaste in Orange Creme- Fluoride Free
  4. Botao Baby Strawberry Flavored Toothpaste – Fluoride Free
  5. Botao with Fluoride – Stand By, See Results in Chart
  6. Colgate Total Whitening Toothpaste – With Fluoride
  7. Colgate Watermelon Burst Toothpaste – With Fluoride
  8. Crest Kids Color Changing Toothpaste – With Fluoride (bubblegum flavor)
  9. Crest Regular Toothpaste  – With Fluoride
  10. Davids Premium Toothpaste in Natural Peppermint Flavor – Fluoride Free
  11. Dr, Brite Kids Toothpaste in Strawberry Sky Flavor – Fluoride Free
  12. Dr. Bronner’s Toothpaste in Peppermint Flavor – Fluoride Free
  13. Dr. Brown’s Baby Toothpaste in Strawberry Flavor)- Fluoride Free
  14. Dr. Jen Strawberry Toothpaste for Kids – Fluoride Free
  15. Earth Paste Silver Toothpaste in Lemon Twist Flavor – Fluoride Free 
  16. FYGG – Feed Your Good Guys Toothpaste in Vanilla Vibes Flavor – Fluoride Free
  17. Happy Tooth Kids Premium Natural Toothpaste in Vanilla Frosting Flavor – Fluoride Free
  18. Hello Dragon Dazzle Toothpaste – With Fluoride
  19. Hello Toothpaste in Fresh Watermelon Flavor – Fluoride Free
  20. Himalaya Botanique Kids Bubble Gump Toothpaste – Fluoride Free
  21. Jack N’ Jill Toothpaste in Strawberry Flavor – Fluoride Free
  22. Jason Kids – Stand By, See Results in Chart
  23. Just Ingredients Tooth Powder in Fresh Citrus – Fluoride Free
  24. Kinder Karex Toothpaste – Fluoride Free
  25. Miessence Mint Toothpaste – Fluoride Free
  26. NOBS Jr. Bubblegum Berry Blast Toothpaste – Fluoride Free
  27. Now Solutions Xyli•White  Refreshmint Toothpaste Gel- Fluoride Free
  28. Orajel Kids Anticavity Toothpaste – with Fluoride
  29. Orajel Kids Elmo Training Toothpaste – Fluoride Free
  30. Pegciz Kids Foam Toothpaste in Watermelon Flavor – Low Fluoride
  31. Primal Life Organics Dirty Mouth Sweet Bubblegum Toothpowder – Fluoride-Free
  32. Radius Organic Coconut Banana Flavor Toothpaste – Fluoride Free
  33. Revitin Prebioitic Toothpaste – Fluoride Free
  34. Risewell Toothpaste in Cake Batter Flavor – Fluoride Free
  35. Sensodyne Extra Whitening Cool Mint Toothpaste – With Fluoride
  36. Spry Kids Tooth Gel with Xylitol in Original Flavor – Fluoride-Free
  37. Spry with Fluoride – Stand By (see chart for results)
  38. Tom’s of Maine in Strawberry – Fluoride Free 
  39. Truvani Clean Toothpaste – Fluoride Free
  40. Wedela Children’s Tooth Gel in Spearmint Flavor (Switzerland) – Fluoride Free
  41. Wellnesse Strawberry Toothpaste – Fluoride Free
  42.  VanMan’s Miracle Tooth Powder – Fluoride Free

Please check out our open/ not-yet-funded campaigns on GoFundMe if you would like to support some of our additional independent, crowd-funded, third-party laboratory testing. Thank you!

This link has all of our not-yet-funded Toothpaste
& Tooth Powder testing campaigns.

Are you interested in seeing MORE safer choices? (Not just toothpastes?)

Below is an EXPANDING list of products (foods, supplements, cosmetics, and personal care items) that have tested “non-detect” for Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, and Arsenic with independent, third-party, community-funded laboratory testing coordinated by Lead Safe Mama, LLC (an Oregon-based small business with a unique community-collaborative business model and a focus on consumer goods safety and childhood Lead poisoning prevention). The product-examples below clearly demonstrate that it is possible for companies to manufacture safer choices (at least from the perspective of the concern for heavy metals contamination).
–
The limits of detection (low-threshold of detection) for each of the metals tested can be found in the lab report for the specific product listed. To see the full  original lab report for any of these products, type the brand name into the search bar at the top of any page on Lead Safe Mama dot com (and scroll down to the bottom of the related article). All of these lab reports can also be found linked on our lab-testing landing page – here.
–
Flavors tested are noted, and other flavors of the same product (or other products from the same brand) have either not been tested or have been tested but did not yield similar results. Test results only apply to the specific products linked below.

LIST UPDATED April 8, 2025
Now at 62 products + six “bonus” options… Scroll down to see them all:

  1. Baby Food — 1 — Little Spoon Kale, Carrot + Pear BabyBlends
  2. Baby Food — 2 —Little Spoon Butternut Squash + Blueberry BabyBlends
  3. Baby Food — 3 — Little Spoon Sweet Potato BabyBlends
  4. Baby Food — 4 — Little Spoon Sweet Potato + Carrot BabyBlends
  5. Baby Food — 5 — Little Spoon Banana + Pitaya BabyBlends
  6. Beverage — 1 — Honest Kids Organic Appley Ever After Apple Juice Drink: https://amzn.to/4fjGhov
  7. Beverage — 2 —  Olipop Grape Tonic: https://amzn.to/4cjFYZu
  8. Breakfast Item — 1 — Nature’s Path Envirokidz Organic Panda Puffs: https://amzn.to/4fo1crf
  9. Breakfast Item — 2 — Nature’s Path Envirokidz Organic Corn Puffs Gorilla Munch: https://amzn.to/3FHZCDO
  10. Breakfast Item — 3 — One Degree Organic, Gluten-Free, Sprouted Rolled Oats (Canada): https://amzn.to/3WIQ1BN
  11. Candy — 1 — Lindt White Chocolate Bar (Made in USA, New Hampshire): https://amzn.to/3OXkyIm
  12. Candy — 2 — Cavendish & Harvey Wild Berry Drops, not organic (Germany): https://amzn.to/3Z1Jxjr
  13. Coffee & Tea — 1 — Chameleon Handcrafted Organic Cold Brew Concentrate: https://amzn.to/3OcrH77
  14. Coffee & Tea — 2 — Tao of Tea Organic Genmaicha (Tamara’s favorite, from Japan, sold by a Portland, Oregon-based company!): https://amzn.to/3Dp8Fsd
  15. Coffee & Tea — 3 — Califia Farms Almond Latte Cold Brew (XX Espresso): https://amzn.to/4gTTGoJ
  16. Coffee & Tea — 4 — Death Wish Organic Espresso Roast Ground Coffee (Multi-country origin, non-USA): https://amzn.to/3yo1eiL  
  17. Coffee Creamer — Plant-Based  — 1 — Laird Superfood Coconut Creamer: https://amzn.to/4fItA7A
  18. Coffee Creamer — Dairy — 2 — Organic Valley Grassmilk Half and Half: https://amzn.to/4fHJIWT
  19. Dairy, Cheese – Babybel Mini Original Snack Cheese: https://amzn.to/3ZY5noO
  20. Fruit Snack — 1 — GoGo Squeez Organic Apple Sauce Pouch: https://amzn.to/3XhWYLe
  21. Fruit Snack — 2 — Costco’s Kirkland Organic Apple Sauce Pouch: https://amzn.to/4gOYpZ9
  22. Fruit Snack — 3 — Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars in Strawberry Banana Flavor: https://amzn.to/3WQEekA
  23. Fruit Snack — 4 — Once Upon A Farm Dairy Free Fruit Smoothie Pouch in Strawberry Banana Swirl Flavor: https://amzn.to/3CPMbAw
  24. Fruit Snack — 5 — Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars in Raspberry Lemonade Flavor: https://amzn.to/3XcFsIp
  25. Infant Formula — 1 — Bobbie Organic Gentle Infant Formula Milk-Based Powder with Iron (pink and white can): https://amzn.to/3YYb849 
  26. Infant Formula — 2 — Bobbie Organic Infant Formula Milk-Based Powder with Iron (green and white can): https://amzn.to/3VOr4Vy
  27. Infant Formula — 3 — Bobbie Grass-Fed Milk-Based Powder with Iron (green can): https://amzn.to/3ZlAaeJ
  28. Infant Formula — 4 — ByHeart Infant Formula (USA-made, not organic): https://amzn.to/48DJjTb
  29. Infant Formula — 5 — HiPP Bio Combiotik Infant Formula Powder, Stage 1 (imported)
  30. Infant Formula — 6 — HiPP HA Stage PRE (0+ Months) Combiotic Formula  (imported)
  31. Infant Formula — 7 — Holle Bio Goat Stage 2 Infant Formula (for 6-10 months, organic, European — Swiss/ German/ Austrian) is not available on Amazon, but the Stage 3 version of this product is (not yet tested, but will likely test similarly): https://amzn.to/3BVU7zI
  32. Infant Formula — 8 — Kendamil Goat Infant Formula (not organic): This product may be available at Target (it is not available on Amazon)
  33. Infant Formula — 9 — Kendamil Organic Follow-On Milk (European/ British Toddler Formula, for 6-12 months, Cow Milk): Not available on Amazon (report link)
  34. Infant Formula — 10 — Kendamil Whole Milk Infant Formula (from Europe, pink can, not organic), available at Target
  35. Infant Formula — 11 — Kendamil Organic Infant Formula (Cow Milk): Not available on Amazon but may be available at Target
  36. Ingredient — 1 — (salt) — Jacobsen’s Sea Salt (Oregon, USA): https://amzn.to/4dcbk5L
  37. NEW! Ingredient — 2 — (salt) — Maldon Sea Salt Flakes**: https://amzn.to/4iTzWTE
  38. Ingredient — 3 — (baking flour) — Jovial Organic Einkorn Flour (Italy): https://amzn.to/3LIqxix 
  39. Ingredient — 4 — (seeds) — Costco Kirkland Organic Hemp Seeds: https://amzn.to/4e05RP9
  40. Ingredient — 5 — (seeds) — Navitas Organic, Gluten-Free Chia Seeds (Mexico): https://amzn.to/3YvE7xC
  41. Ingredient — 6 — (vinegar) — Napa Valley Naturals Organic Red Wine Vinegar (California): https://amzn.to/4jWhHOg
  42. Ingredient — 7 — (beans) — Jovial Organic Chickpeas, Product of Italy: https://amzn.to/4iRON1l
  43. Ingredient — 8 — (sugar) — Anthony’s Organic Granulated Cane Sugar: https://amzn.to/4jf6vLv
  44. Oil — 1 — Chosen Foods 100% Avocado Oil (not organic): https://amzn.to/3YDZSuv
  45. Oil — 2 — Dr. Adorable’s Organic Perilla Seed Oil (Korea): https://amzn.to/3NDt7Yc
  46. Oil — 3 — Dr. Bronner’s Regenerative Organic Coconut Oil: https://amzn.to/40xwBmv
  47. Plant-Based Milk — 1 — Kiki Milk Organic Plant-Based Milk (original flavor): https://amzn.to/3AA6Qrt
  48. Plant-Based Milk — 2 — West Soy Unflavored Unsweetened Organic Soy Milk: https://amzn.to/4dwev8l
  49. Supplement — 1 — Baby Ddrops, Organic Vitamin D3 Supplement for Babies: https://amzn.to/49C3ktH
  50. Supplement — 2 — Doctor’s Best Vitamin C with Q-C: https://amzn.to/4hlVvea
  51. Supplement — 3 — Mary Ruth’s Organic Toddler Multivitamin Liquid Drops with Iron: https://amzn.to/3YPhcgx
  52. Supplement — 4 — Mary Ruth’s Organic Toddler Elderberry Liquid Drops: https://amzn.to/42617TU
  53. Supplement — 5  — Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Fish Oil: https://amzn.to/48q1j2V
  54. Supplement — 6 — Nordic Naturals Kids Vitamin D3 Gummies (Ages 3+): https://amzn.to/4l7117a
  55. Supplement — 7 — Pectasol Modified Citrus Pectin, Formulated in the USA: https://amzn.to/3QUmZfN
  56. Supplement — 8 — Pendulum Metabolic Daily Dietary Supplement: https://amzn.to/4gY5wOm
  57. Cosmetic — 1 — Kora Organics Noni Face Oil: https://amzn.to/43hy2XO
  58. Cosmetic —  2 — Fluoride-free Toothpaste! — Orajel Kids Training Toothpaste in Natural Berry Fruity Flavor, Elmo Sesame Street Packaging, Fluoride-free: https://amzn.to/41wxtrY
  59. Cosmetic —  3 — Fluoride-free Toothpaste! —  Miessence Mint Toothpaste: https://amzn.to/4bJc4PO
  60. Cosmetic —  4 — Fluoride-free Toothpaste! — Dr. Brown’s Fluoride-free Baby Toothpaste in Strawberry Flavor: https://amzn.to/3DCehzZ
  61. Cosmetic —  5 — Low-Fluoride Toothpaste! —  Pegciz Kids Foam Toothpaste in Watermelon Flavor: https://amzn.to/3YzP68e
  62. Cosmetic —  6 — Fluoride-free Toothpaste! — Kid’s Spry Tooth Gel with Xylitol in Original Flavor: https://amzn.to/41GZb4e

**Lab reports pending/ Not yet published as of 4/8/2025 — Tuesday

Here’s a link to the third-party lab reports for all the foods, supplements, and cosmetic products we have tested, including those listed above: https://tamararubin.com/2024/05/food-articles/

Stand by for more!

BONUS SIX: Below are SIX additional products that each tested positive for trace (very low levels of) Arsenic — at levels considered safe by all standards (with the limits of detection noted in the lab report for the specific product listed):

  1. Ingredient — Maseca Instant Corn Masa Flour, Product of Mexico (positive for traces of Arsenic):  https://amzn.to/4iR8qWN
  2. Infant Formula — Kendamil Goat Toddler Milk, not organic (positive for traces of Arsenic): May be available at Target or through other online retailers of European infant formulas
  3. Fruit Snack — That’s It Apple Cherry Bars, not organic (positive for traces of Arsenic): https://amzn.to/4fHkSWV
  4. Oil — Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado oil, organic (postive for traces of Arsenic): https://amzn.to/3BVQYQa
  5. Supplement — Now Sunflower Lecithin, not organic (positive for traces of Arsenic): https://amzn.to/3AFdHzO
  6. Supplement — WishGarden Immune Boost Seasonal Rescue for Pregnancy: https://amzn.to/3Cd940N

Amazon links are affiliate links. 

Amazon links are affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking on a Lead Safe Mama, LLC Amazon affiliate link, Lead Safe Mama, LLC may receive a percentage of what you spend at no extra cost to you.
shop lead free banner

Never Miss an Important Article Again!

Join our Email List

82 Comments

  3. I would like to nominate Jack and Jill unflavored toothpaste to be tested. My child has been using it for almost 2 years and has always passed their lead test. I’m curious if this toothpaste may be clearing heavy metals.

    Reply

    1. The unflavored will have similar results to the flavored (I expect, given the ingredient profile is the same and the addition of flavors to a toothpaste would not have a significant impact on the toxicant profile of a given toothpaste – unless the “flavor” were natural cinnamon, or charcoal – for example). Children might “pass” a metals test only because the low threshold of detection of that test is higher than what might detect persistent low level chronic exposure from a product like a toothpaste – that does not mean there is not potential impact to that child – so regardless it is always good to avoid known potential exposure to toxicants (even of the exposure levels do not result in a detectable level of Lead in a child’s blood).

      Reply

    1. Hi, I used baking soda for maybe a year and it caused gum erosion… I’d be very careful and definitely not if you already have any gingivitis or receding gums

      Reply

      1. Hello! If you were wetting the baking soda it will not cause gum recession! The water changes the molecule plus it is way less abrasive than just about every toothpaste on the market. Baking soda also being basic in nature kills off the acidic oral bacteria that breakdown teeth. It’s a great way to keep your teeth healthy! You may want to explore the possibility that you are clenching/grinding your teeth as that does cause gum recession! Sore jaw, headaches, gum recession, flat teeth?? All signs of clenching/grinding.

        Reply

  5. I’m unclear on how to locate what brands were C and G. Any chance you’ve tested Happy Tooth or Dr Squatch? Thanks for all you do!!

    Reply

    1. Have all of the toothpastes that have been funded been tested? I can’t find the results for some of them, but fund raising had ended and goal was reached. Thanks

      Reply

  7. Hi Tamara, this is awesome. are you still taking requests with a specific donation amount / how does that work? I would like to see Superteeth toothpaste tested.

    Reply

      2. Hi, is there a place where we can donate to help pay for the cost of testing David’s? We just switched to it basically because it’s not on here yet as having lead or anything and SEEMS great but some of the lead/cadmium content in pastes on here I would think are safe are deplorable!

        Thank you for all this!

        Reply

        1. Thank you! The campaign for David’s funded already – and it is headed to the lab this week. If you would still be interested in supporting the work, we’d really like to send this to the lab as a basis for comparison (since we’ve only tested one conventional fluoride toothpaste so far – the sensodyne):
          https://www.gofundme.com/f/lead-safe-mama-lab-tests-crest-kids-bubblegum-toothpaste?qid=132aa609797e6779a4092a19a1f63918
          –
          Thanks for considering making a contribution! This is a collaborative effort and the test results for this Crest brand product could help a lot of families.

          Reply

    1. Hi there – Here is our Dr. Brite Fundraiser (link below) – please contribute whatever you can afford. If this funds by Monday we will send it to the lab this coming week.
      https://www.gofundme.com/f/lead-safe-mama-tests-dr-brite-kids-strawberry-toothpaste?qid=571cc94686b11d1d07bbe6bd304ca858

      Here is the list of all of the pending fundraisers for toothpaste laboratory testing and reporting:
      https://www.gofundme.com/s?q=tamara+rubin+tooth&c=342&location-description=Portland%2C+OR&location-lat=45.520247&location-lng=-122.674195

      Reply

  10. Have you tested any of the bigger marketshare toothpastes, like an adult Crest or Colgate? I’m just wondering how a big “mainstream” brand would compare to the more “natural” brands.

    Also, do you have any idea why there is so much lead in toothpaste? It’s really shocking that our kids are brushing their teeth with lead and arsenic. It reminds me of medieval lead makeup. I feel so angry that I used Tom’s of Maine for my kids thinking that I was doing something good for their health when we would have been better off not using toothpaste at all.

    Reply

    2. It contains silica & xylitol. Given the pattern of common ingredients in the contaminated ones, I would bet contains lead & mercury.

      Reply

  12. Noticing a pattern of ingredients correlated to high heavy metals. All of them contain silica (possibly contaminated with lead?). Also, all of the ones with xylitol are high in mercury. It would be more economical to find and test more toothpastes without those ingredients to confirm those ingredients are the problem. No surprise the one that came out clean doesn’t contain either of those ingredients.

    Reply

    1. However, Jack N’ Jill Strawberry has both ingredients, yet tested negative for Mercury. Not sure about the correlation in this instance??

      Reply

  13. Thank you very much. This testing is invaluable. On another note recent studies revealed that xylitol is associated with higher risk for heart attack and stroke.
    Cleveland Clinic
    June 7, 2024
    Another Sugar Substitute, Xylitol, Is Linked to Heightened Cardiovascular Risk
    https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/another-sugar-substitute-xylitol-is-linked-to-heightened-cardiovascular-risk

    WebMD Health News
    June 10, 2024
    Sugar Substitute Tied to Higher Risk for Heart Attack, Stroke
    https://www.medscape.com/s/viewarticle/sugar-substitute-tied-higher-risk-heart-attack-stroke-2024a1000asv?ecd=wnl_sci_tech_240612_MSCPEDIT_etid6586357&uac=166473CY&impID=6586357

    High levels of xylitol, a low-calorie sweetener used in many reduced-sugar foods as well as gum and toothpaste, are linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and death, says a new study published in the European Heart Journal.
    The research team studied more than 3000 people in the US and Europe over 3 years and found that people with the highest amount of xylitol in their plasma were more likely to have a problem with their heart or blood vessels.
    To show the early effects of xylitol, researchers studied platelet activity in volunteers who consumed a xylitol-sweetened drink and a glucose-sweetened drink. The xylitol levels went up by 1000 times in people after the xylitol drink but not after the glucose-sweetened drink. Xylitol is naturally found in small amounts in fruit and vegetables, and it’s been used more as a sugar substitute over the past decade in processed foods, toothpaste, chewing gum, and other products.
    “This study again shows the immediate need for investigating sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, especially as they continue to be recommended in combatting conditions like obesity or diabetes,” Stanley Hazen, MD, chair of the Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute, said in a news release.
    “It does not mean throw out your toothpaste if it has xylitol in it, but we should be aware that consumption of a product containing high levels could increase the risk of blood clot-related events.”
    A similar link between erythritol, another sugar substance, and problems with the heart and blood vessels was found last year by the same research team, the release said.

    In a response to the study, the Calorie Control Council, a trade association representing the low- and reduced-calorie food and beverage industry, said xylitol has been approved for decades by government agencies. The study results may not apply to the general population because some people in the study already had a higher risk of having problems with their heart and blood vessels, it said.

    SOURCES:
    European Heart Journal: “Xylitol is prothrombotic and associated with cardiovascular risk.”
    Cleveland Clinic: “Cleveland Clinic-Led Study Links Sugar Substitute to Increased Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke.”
    Calorie Control Council: “CCC Statement in Response to Xylitol is Prothrombotic and Associated with Cardiovascular Risk.”

    Reply

  18. I would love a natural baking soda tested! Not a big brand synthetically made one! I just went to a dental lecture and the science is showing brushing and/or rinsing with baking soda and water is an incredible way to keep your mouth healthy. It is so basic that the acid bacterium the mouth die off in it’s presence! Those bacteria are what cause cavities and diseases!!! Super exciting science! Toothpaste is all about making money!!

    Reply

  21. I would like to look at all the ingredients but one i noticed in a few is silica. That is naturally occuring in the earth and I am wondering if it is similar to clay in that maybe it is absorbing lead from the earth. My husband and I went to get our family the orajel toothpaste tonight because we do not want our kids using anything with lead.

    Reply

  22. I wish I had never read this, as it is impossible to find any adult toothpaste to use at all… PLEASE NOTE: Sadly, the amazon link to Miessence Mint toothpaste turns up a dead end as it is “currently unavailable.”
    And the rest are children’s fruity flavor tooth pastes for children: at least there are some safe (although expensive) options for kids! It is sad everything is contaminated with these toxic substances. Thanks for the hard work and research, it is not your fault everything is contaminated! And thanks for letting the pubic know!
    What about regularly store bought adult toothpastes, like: Colgate, Pepsodent, Aquafresh, Aim, Arm & Hammer, Close-Up, Equate Deep Clean Gum Purify Toothpaste with Fluoride, regular super market brands that most people buy everyday? I am to just assume they are also contaminated with these heavy metals, etc.

    Reply

  23. Will you be testing Elims toothpaste? That’s what I use now and what I am switching my kids to since I’ve learned about Boka having lead in it. I will feel so dumb if I switch them and Elims has lead in it too 🙁

    Also I have been thinking about trying mouthology or the new toothpaste from the Bentist (somethingnice company. If it wasn’t $30 I would’ve already ordered some lol)

    Reply

  24. Well, I’ll be switching my ADHD-riddled son’s toothpaste now. I like flouridated options though because our municipal water isn’t flouridated. This makes me wonder about my toothpaste, Pronamel, which is the only one that’s ever worked for my sensitivity. Also about legendairy’s sunflower lecithin and earth mama nipple balm I’ve been using.

    Reply

  26. That’s all interesting, but you should put it in relation to the amount of heavy metal ingested by eating meat or fish to give readers an idea of what the unit ppb actually means. Just a single piece of tuna nigiri has more mercury than those levels tested in toothpaste.

    Reply

    1. There’s no safe level of Lead ingestion, so we need to eliminate all known sources if possible. Serving-size based metrics are simply not protective of human health.

      Our focus is protecting children from Lead exposure.

      We also need to demand more from toothpaste manufacturers – they should be able to make cleaner products, and there should be greater oversight.

      I would like to encourage you to watch my documentary film on childhood Lead poisoning if you have the time. Here’s that link: https://youtu.be/lMbhbwMhs1U?feature=shared

      Reply

  27. Can you test Arm and Hammer Toothpaste(s)? They have fluoride in the mixture and aren’t on this list, so I’m hopeful it’ll be safe.

    Reply

    1. H Gerald –

      We have a campaign up to raise funds for testing and reporting for an Arm & Hammer product, but as of today (April 17th) it had not yet received any contributions (all of our testing and reporting is community-funded / crowd-funded). Here’s the link for that campaign if you would like to make a contribution in support of testing this product:

      https://www.gofundme.com/f/lead-safe-mama-tests-arm-hammer-enamel-defense-toothpaste

      Thank you!

      Tamara

      Reply

  32. Wow! I came here expecting all them to ones with claims if being “nature” & “organic,” an area of health. & beauty products that is a thorn in my sode due to the lack of regulatory oversight , regardless of they were manufactured by a small company or big monolith if a corporation. I hope this str the very least gets companies to revisit old formulas. Since clay is sourced from so many places, I wouldn’t be surprised if the higher lead ones came from decades of mining or getting it from sources once bit used
    One thing you might want to check on the tubes you tested is where they were made. I don’t know if you recall but around 15 years ago there were big news reports of lead toys and personal care items sold at Dollar Tree and similar stores.

    Reply

  33. This is certainly great work that you are doing. I congraulate you. May I just add a word of advice from one who taught chemistry for over 30 years? The table of your results needs a full key and should be able to stand alone. The units for the contaminant levels are not given, for example. One assumes that they are µg/kg (or ppb, which is essentially the same), but are they? The official way to indicate the unit is to put in the header “/ µg/kg” (or you can use “/ µg.kg-1” where the “-1” is superscripted) or “/ ppb”. (Unfortunately I was unable to obtain a superscript here.) The abbreviation “ND” should also be explained, as should any other symbols used in the table.

    Reply

    1. Hi Francis!

      Thank you for taking the time to write a thoughtful and constructive comment (we’ve been getting a lot of nonsense comments since the Guardian article dropped yesterday!)

      In preparing for the Guardian article, we updated this chart and brought it into a new software platform so we could make room for bumping the number of toothpastes shown in the chart from 16 to 51!!! (Fifty one – wow!) In doing so we forgot to carry over the ppb measurement notation, and it was on our list of updates to make with the next draft of the chart. This has been updated today – April 18, 2025 – Friday (along with details for six more toothpaste products that had been noted as pending).

      The chart does say that full lab reports for each product can be found on this website, and if you scroll down below the chart there are links to each of the articles with the full original lab report for each product, so hopefully that helps to answer the other questions.

      In our work we create these charts to accompany the articles we write (not as a stand alone set of data), so people can look up the product they use and see how it compares to other similar products in that same product class. This is the first time we have had a chart with so much information, as we have never before tested so many products in one single product class!

      Thank you for your feedback, and for taking the time to carefully review our data, so much so that you noticed that omission!

      Tamara

      Reply

    1. The lab report (with the testing methodology for each lab tested product) is at the bottom of the article about that product. For the toothpaste and tooth powder products, the product-specific articles are linked in alphabetical order below the chart. Hopefully that helps!

      Reply

  35. I see the chart lists some as Pending and doesn’t display the name of the toothpaste brand that is pending results. Can you please test Colgate Optic White toothpaste please?? I don’t want to assume it’s going to have the same levels as the other Colgate toothpaste.

    Reply

    1. Check the ingredient profile – if it is similar to the two other Colgate products – the toxicant profile will likely be similar. To nominate a product for testing, scroll to the top of any page of the website & click the Website Menu hyperlink. Then scroll down a bit and click the NOMINATE button which is near the top of the page. Follow the instructions there. Thank you!

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *