I go through a lot of toothpaste. I take oral hygiene really seriously, often brushing my teeth three times a day. That means I go through a lot of plastic tubes, which can’t be recycled. This does not make me feel good at a time when the world is drowning in a literal sea of single-use plastic.
Toothpaste tablets, which are toothpaste in dry powder form, compressed into little bits about the size of Altoids, seem like an eco-friendly alternative. The tablets often come in refillable glass jars or compostable bags, which makes them appealing for eco-conscious shoppers like myself. Plus, since tablets are liquid-free, they’re excellent for air travel and camping.
To see if I should make the switch, I tested Bite Toothpaste Bits with Fluoride, one of the best-known toothpaste tablets (they were featured on a 2020 episode of Shark Tank), alongside tablets from Mintly and Unpaste, two other popular toothpaste tablet companies with positive reviews.
In the end, toothpaste tablets weren’t the environmentally friendly game changer I was hoping for. But I did find a clear favorite, and I’ll probably keep a jar on hand for convenience and portability.
