The Best Toothpaste Tablets
In our opinion
Image: okrasiuk, Adobe Stock
In 2021 British Dental Journal published some disturbing news — 300 million tubes of toothpaste head to the landfill each year in the UK alone (this number is estimated at 1.5 billion tubes globally). Because of the mixture of plastics and metal material that comprise a toothpaste tube, they say it takes on average 500 years for these containers to fully break down in a landfill. Additionally, your average toothpaste is made up of up to 40 percent water. Toothpaste tablets remove this excess and allow you to add in (less) water from your tap to create an effective product.
The good news is that a few new brands are taking on this wasteful industry with water-free toothpaste tablets packaged in refillable and recyclable containers.
However, not all toothpaste tablets are created equal. Some taste chalky and flavorless and some don’t leave your mouth feeling fresh. The below brands do — I have personally tried each of the brands below and would recommend them to everyone I love. This is highly subjective, but I found each of these toothpaste tablets to have great flavor, perceived efficacy and mouth feel (a.k.a. not chalky).
Besides the sustainability component, toothpaste tabs also travel and pack well, so they’re great for camping or backpacking adventures or really any kind of travel. While the mini toothpaste tablet tins are pretty portable, I’ll sometimes transfer my toothpaste tabs into a mini Stasher bag for easier packing.
One downside is that toothpaste tablets can be pricey — if you’re looking for a budget friendly option, you could try making your own DIY toothpaste at home with this recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs (I haven’t tried this, but I’d be curious to know what you think if you do!).
The 3 Best Toothpaste Tablets in 2023
This is a review, it is purely opinion. We only review products that we have tested. There might be affiliate links in here, which means we might make a tiny commission off of your purchase at no additional expense to you. Happy zero-waste brushing!
Hüppy Peppermint Toothpaste Tablets
Like all toothpaste tablet’s on this list, I feel that Hüppy’s Peppermint Toothpaste Tablets have a great flavor and mouth feel, they also seem to be getting the job done. What makes Hüppy standout a bit from other brands is that at their entire brand identity is centered around sustainability, which we love and appreciate. Beyond their low-waste product design and packaging, they also donate 2 percent of revenue to sustainability initiatives and are in review to become a B Corp.
Chomp Peppermint Toothpaste Tablets
Chomp is another toothpaste tablet brand that focuses on sustainability. They use eco-friendly packaging, a water-free formula and offer plastic-free shipping. Chomp also sells flavored toothpaste tablets made with a fluoride alternative for kids.
hello antiplaque + whitening toothpaste tablets
hello’s toothpaste tablets are great for all of the reasons above - they taste great, they are packaged in reusable and recyclable materials and they work. The downside is that this is a small product category of hello’s larger brand that sells a lot of plastic tubing, but it’s a good product and hopefully a gateway into more sustainable options down the road.
Toothpaste tablets are more expensive than your average toothpaste, but aside from a DIY version, they’re the best plastic-free toothpaste option available right now.
