Essential Oils
Also known as: peppermint oil, spearmint oil, tea tree oil, cinnamon oil
Natural flavor and antimicrobial fragrance; great in moderation, harsh if overdone for little kids.
01. What it is
What it is
Concentrated plant volatile oils used for taste and aroma.
02. Why it’s used
Why it’s used
Flavor without artificial fragrance chemicals; some antimicrobial folklore.
03. The concern
The concern
Burning sensation, allergy, and microbiome irritation if formulas are oil-heavy. Toddlers may reject spicy mints.
04. Our take
Our take
Depends on dose and oil type. Mild peppermint/spearmint blends are usually fine; 'tea tree punch' is not automatically better.
05. Found in
Brands we reviewed
These ranked pastes list or rely on this ingredient in the formula we evaluated.
- Klyyr One+
Rank #1 · Score 92.8
- Boka Ela Mint Nano-Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste
Rank #3 · Score 87
- Dr. Bronner's All-One Toothpaste
Rank #14 · Score 70.9
- Redmond Earthpaste
Rank #26 · Score 67.4
- Jason Powersmile / Sea Fresh Toothpaste
Rank #24 · Score 68.1
- Desert Essence Tea Tree Oil Toothpaste / Natural Toothpaste
Rank #25 · Score 68
- Himalaya Complete Care Toothpaste / Botanique
Rank #23 · Score 68.2
- Uncle Harry's Natural Toothpaste Remineralizing
Rank #22 · Score 68.5
- Georganics Mineral Toothpaste / Coconut Oil Toothpaste
Rank #20 · Score 69.7
- RADIUS Organic Gel Toothpaste
Rank #16 · Score 70.7
- Lumineux Whitening Toothpaste
Rank #15 · Score 70.7
06. Sources
Further reading
Third-party citations, not studies we ran.