Tom's of Maine Natural Antiplaque Tartar Control & Whitening Toothpaste

While the fennel has the best flavor, I think in general these toothpastes are a little dull-tasting and never quite make my mouth feel really clean, especially in the fresh breath area. After a garlicky meal, you'd be better off brushing with baking soda and then chewing fennel seeds, which costs about 1/20th of the price and is 20 times more effective. Other "natural" brands really pack it in, and for the high cost of this, I'd rather pay for another brand.

This toothpaste is SO much better than the other truely chemical products out there. It tastes good, looks natural, and does everything I want it to do - whiten my teeth, fight tartar, fight cavities. However, I'm still uncertain how really sustainable this product is - for example, is the box really necessary? They could just sell the tube. Also, how does this product affect my health, and how does it affect the earth once it washes down the drain?

One of my favorite things about this product is the taste - very minty and natural tasting. My mouth always feels so fresh after using it (I use the spearmint one). However, I have two quibbles with this product. First, it gets incredibly foamy, no doubt due to the sodium lauryl sulfate in it. It is so foamy that I have to spit it out after just a few seconds because I start gagging on all the foam! Second, as you near the end of the tube, it gets really difficult to get the toothpaste out. I know there is still plenty in the tube, but I need to use both hands and squeeze super hard to get the last few days' worth out.

I grew up on Tom's and continued to buy Tom's after they extended their toothpaste line to include whitening and other "extras." I didn't have any complaints about Tom's, but once I tried Kiss My Face whitening toothpaste, I didn't ever go back. I think that Kiss My Face foams better, whitens better, and leaves my mouth feeling fresher and cleaner. So, nothing against Tom's, but I just prefer the other brand.