Mint toothpaste is unpleasant for me. It makes my eyes water and my mouth tingle and it feels like it burns on my tongue. Sometimes, I will opt in to a mint experience. But about a decade ago, I found myself resenting brushing my teeth, and asked myself why.

Brushing my teeth is one of the more selfish and longitudinally-inclined things I can do for myself. It is the dental equivalent of setting up a 401k. And here I was, being moody about it! Why?!

It was the mint, guys. I hated the sensation and didn’t even realize I was hating it until I tried something else.

On Fluoride

I use fluoridated toothpaste. Full stop.

I am also not a dentist or qualified medical professional. This isn’t medical advice, it’s just what I think.

There are two different ways toothpastes have fluoride: Sodium Mono-fluorophosphate, and Sodium Fluoride.

Formulas with sodium mono-fluorophosphate tend to be a little “goopier” and stretchy when coming out of the tube. Formulas with sodium fluoride tend to be more paste-like/neater.

Personally, my mouth feels a little cleaner (particularly my gums) when using a sodium-fluoride-based toothpaste than a sodium mono-fluorophosphate formula.

Most fluoridated toothpastes for adults have around 0.12-0.15% fluoride ion, so no matter the way they include it, you’re getting the same ingredient.

The good news here is that most children’s fluoridated toothpastes have the same amount as the adult formulas. (I always check just to make sure, though.)

My Runner-Up Favorite Toothpastes

Tom’s of Maine Orange Mango

(sodium mono-fluorophosphate formula)

This is good. The orange flavor is very citrus-y and has a pleasant zestiness to it. The mango takes a backup role, but as the orange is so pleasant, I do not mind. Texture is typical for a sodium mono-fluorophosphate formula.

Tom’s of Maine Watermelon

(sodium mono-fluorophosphate formula)

This is also good. The watermelon is fine, and when I use it, I feel like there is just a little whisper of mint. It is not a heavy handed quantity. It is pleasant. Texture is the same as the Orange Mango.

ARC Strawberry Daiquiri

(Sodium Fluoride formula)

This toothpaste tastes very very similar to Strawberry Crest (spoiler, the best) but is harder to find and more expensive. It is, however, definitely made for adults. If using children’s toothpaste packaging embarrasses you, this is an awesome solution. I’m not sure if it’s still in production.

The Best: Crest Strawberry Rush

(sodium fluoride formula)

This is the best. It makes my mouth feel cleaner than the other two formulas, and the strawberry is just mildly refreshing, somehow.

Watch the expiration date on the tubes, as the flavor changes significantly as they age. I can’t believe I’m critiquing aged toothpaste, but this is our world, now.

Anyways, this one has the best texture and also a pretty good taste.

If you’re having a hard time finding classic Strawberry Rush, look at the children’s cartoon-branded packages. I haven’t found any difference between that Crest Strawberry and the Strawberry Rush packaging version.

Honorable Mentions

Mouthwashes

There are a lot of mouthwash options on the market, but for many years, none sang to me. I usually used Bubblegum ACT Kids mouthwash. But I was misguided. Those were (comparatively) dark days.

In the days since, I have learned of Therabreath. Not only do they have good and normal fluoride content, it seems genuinely better at getting my whole mouth smelling really unobjectionable. I’ve had some tonsil stones in the last few years, and found that this particular mouthwash series really did a fabulous job.

I like the watermelon flavor, but the strawberry is pretty good, too. When I see it’s on sale, I’ll generally pick up a bottle. If you care about dyes, this formula is dye-free.

It’s a little on the pricey side, but I find that I don’t buy it very often, maybe a couple times a year. In the end, I would rather run out of mouthwash than have it sit unused on my countertop forever.

Flosses

I like two kinds of floss. Cardamom-flavored Smart Floss and micro-mint floss picks. I’m sure the latter is worse for the environment than the former, but I’ve had a hard time finding floss picks that I like that are more environmentally-friendly.

Flops

I’ve tried a lot of toothpastes that were OK but nothing I really found myself wanting. Here are some of them, in no particular order:

• Tom’s of Maine Blueberry Toothpaste (appears discontinued, kinda boring)
• Tom’s of Maine Silly Strawberry (tasted salty)
• Colgate Watermelon Burst Toothpaste (good flavor, messy texture)
• Crest Sparkle Fun (good texture, boring flavor)

I found the ‘Hello’ brand toothpastes all had a subtly funny taste to them. It’s probably related to the sweetener they chose, but I just didn’t like it a lot. Their formula was also pretty messy, but that’s typical of sodium mono-fluorophosphate toothpastes.

• Hello Dragon Dazzle Toothpaste
• Hello Unicorn Sparkle Toothpaste
• Hello Bubble Gum Toothpaste
• Hello Wild Strawberry Toothpaste