What Essential Oil Is Good for Toothpaste?

Many people are making the switch to more natural products – in their laundry rooms, under their kitchen sinks, and yes, even in their bathroom drawers.

But when it comes to essential oils in toothpaste, which one is best? Are certain essential oils more effective for oral health than others or should we let our taste buds decide? Keep reading and we’ll reveal all about essential oil toothpaste.

Essential Oils in Toothpaste: What Are the Key Benefits?

For anyone looking for a break from the harsh menthol burn of traditional toothpastes, a toothpaste with essential oils is definitely an intriguing option. But taste is just one of the reasons to make the switch to a toothpaste with essential oils.

Essential oils are extremely effective at benefiting gum health, purifying the breath, controlling harmful bacteria, and even helping to whiten the teeth. (Read more: Is It Healthy to Brush Your Teeth With Essential Oils?)

Popular essential oils in toothpaste

These are some of the most popular essential oils making their way into toothpaste formulas, either solo or in combination with one another:

• Orange Essential Oil: Not only does orange essential oil taste and smell amazing, but it can also help to whiten your teeth. In a 2010 study, it was found that brushing 2x daily with a toothpaste containing 5% d-limonene significantly reduced tobacco stains. (Orange oil is made from the peels of orange, which contain the compound d-limonene.)
• Lemon Essential Oil: Crisp and refreshing, lemon oil has powerful antiseptic properties to fight harmful bacteria in the mouth. It also helps stimulate tissue formation, which is important if you have gingivitis or receding gums.
• Lime Essential Oil: Packed with antibacterial properties, lime essential oil is known to reduce the risk of gum and tooth infections and even help with tooth discomfort.
• Grapefruit Essential Oil: This oil offers more than a refreshing citrus aroma ... it has an uncanny ability to help disinfect and soothe inflamed gums.
• Bergamot Essential Oil: The flavonoids in bergamot essential oil offer extreme antimicrobial benefits, halting bacteria while preventing bad breath.
• Cinnamon Essential Oil: People tend to either love or hate this rich-smelling spice. For those who love it and want to try it in their toothpastes, they can enjoy lots of antioxidant power to fight gum inflammation and bacteria.
• Tea Tree Oil: While some people don’t like the "medicine-y" taste of tea tree oil, it is known to have powerful antiseptic properties. However, tea tree oil should not be swallowed, so if purchasing a tea tree essential oil toothpaste, you’ll want to keep it away from the kids.
• Peppermint Essential Oil: While menthol is often made synthetically versus being obtained naturally from mint oils, with peppermint essential oil, you’re getting the real deal. Peppermint is popular in toothpaste because it neutralizes bacteria that can lead to cavities and gum disease while offering a cooling and soothing effect.
• Spearmint Essential Oil: Spearmint offers similar benefits as peppermint, but with one main difference: it has a much milder taste, which is perfect for those who don’t like strong mint flavors. Spearmint has a menthol content of just 0.5% compared to peppermint, which has 40%.

Will Citrus Essential Oils in Toothpaste Damage Teeth?

We all know by now that acid is the enemy of enamel. It weakens it, making us prone to cavities, teeth sensitivity and even yellow teeth.

So naturally this can make some a bit wary of using citrus essential oils in toothpaste, like lemon, lime and orange. But tooth be told (sorry), comparing citrus oils to the actual fruit is like comparing, well, apples and oranges.

Let us explain:

The concern is citric acid, which can damage teeth. But here’s the deal: citric acid is a weak, water-soluble acid and isn’t actually found in essential oils. In fact, there are usually very few acids in essential oils, period. Compare this to citric acid in fresh lemon and lime juice with a high concentration of citric acid, up to 8%. (If you fill a beaker with purified water, measure the pH and add essential oils into it, you’ll notice the pH either doesn’t change or only changes minimally!)

Bottom line: If you love the taste of citrus (why should mint get all the attention?) and you want a citrusy essential oil toothpaste, you can use it with confidence without the worries of acid attacks on your enamel. To learn more, check out: "are citrus oils safe for your teeth?"

Are Essential Oils Safe in Toothpaste? Why DIY Isn’t the Best Option.

Many people believe that since essential oils come from plants (flowers, bark, leaves or fruit), they’re ALL totally safe. But just like those red berries in the woods mom always warned you about, just because something is from nature doesn’t mean it’s safe to put in your mouth.

So don’t try and get creative with your own essential oil kit without doing your homework first to see if the oil is safe for topical use in the mouth. Also, don’t adopt the mentality of "If 1 drop of oil is good, 5 is even better!" Essential oils are strong and can burn if not diluted properly.

Keep in mind the storage challenges too when making your own toothpaste with essential oil. If you store your paste in a jar, it can be hard to keep it sanitary as you’re dipping your own toothbrush into it each time you brush. (Double the eww factor if there are more people in your home using it.) For homemade pastes that need to be refrigerated, this is obviously not the most convenient thing when you’re half-asleep and needing to brush your teeth.

Essential Oil Toothpaste You’ll Love: Oxyfresh Fresh Breath Lemon Mint Toothpaste

Destined to be your new main squeeze, Oxyfresh Fresh Breath Lemon Mint Toothpaste is our most popular fluoride-free essential oil toothpaste.

For starters, it tastes absolutely amazing, with a perfectly balanced and refreshing blend of 7 different essential oils for a hydrating, fresh-from-the-dentist feeling every time you brush:

• Lemon
• Lime
• Orange
• Grapefruit
• Bergamot
• Peppermint
• Spearmint

Plus, only Oxyfresh essential oil toothpaste offers triple bad breath & plaque protection with Oxygene®, zinc & xylitol. So go ahead and get your garlic and coffee on ... Oxyfresh has you covered 24/7!

An added benefit is it’s free of sodium lauryl sulfate (sls). This common detergent in toothpaste is linked to recurrent canker sores. And if your toothpaste is burning your mouth, sls could be to blame for that too! Being sls free also makes Oxyfresh Lemon Mint toothpaste ideal for electric toothbrush users.

Oxyfresh Essential Oil Toothpaste Walks the Talk

How does Oxyfresh compare to store brands? Check it out:

In a clinical, double-blind study – NOT sponsored by Oxyfresh – Oxyfresh Lemon Mint essential oil toothpaste – along with its fresh sidekick Lemon Mint Mouthwash – went up against a leading store brand.

In the study, 50 patients with periodontal disease were split into two groups. One group used Oxyfresh products for 12 months following a deep clean and the other group used the store brand products following a deep clean. All had periodontal pocket depths of 4 or greater. (Pocket depths are those measurements the hygienist calls out during dental exams.)

The Results:

The takeaway: The dental products you use for fresh breath and a healthier smile really do matter. So try Oxyfresh Lemon Mint essential oil toothpaste today. If you don’t love your new experience, you can have your old spicy menthol toothpaste back!