Toothpaste
Crest Cavity Protection Regular Paste
0.243% sodium fluoride (about 1,100 ppm fluoride) and the ADA Seal of Acceptance for preventing decay. Nothing else you need, at one of the lowest prices on the shelf.
Worth knowing
- Contains SLS and Blue 1 dye. Choose an SLS-free paste if you get frequent mouth ulcers.
Ingredients
Sodium fluoride 0.243% (active), Sorbitol, Water, Hydrated silica, Sodium lauryl sulfate, Trisodium phosphate, Flavor, Sodium phosphate, Cellulose gum, Carbomer, Sodium saccharin, Titanium dioxide, Blue 1.
Any fluoride toothpaste sold in the US meets the FDA's anticavity standard, so the brand matters less than using it twice a day. Look for the ADA Seal.
What we ruled out
Fluoride-free 'natural' toothpaste. Removes the ingredient that prevents decay.
Charcoal toothpaste. No evidence it whitens or protects, and it can be abrasive. Many contain little or no fluoride.
Also good
Store-brand fluoride toothpaste. Equally effective if the label lists sodium fluoride, stannous fluoride, or MFP as the active ingredient.
Sources
- Delivering better oral health: an evidence-based toolkit for prevention, chapter 2 summary tables, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, NHS England (2021)
- 21 CFR 355.10: Anticaries active ingredients, Cornell Legal Information Institute (2026)
- Charcoal and charcoal-based dentifrices: a literature review, Journal of the American Dental Association 148(9):661-670 (2017)