Total Toothpaste vs Tom’s of Maine Antiplaque and Whitening Fluoride Free Toothpaste, Peppermint, 2 Pack, 4.5 Oz: which is safer?
Tom’s of Maine Antiplaque and Whitening Fluoride Free Toothpaste, Peppermint, 2 Pack, 4.5 Oz is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Colgate
Total Toothpaste
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleFluoride systemic dose (ingestion risk)
PossibleAllergic reaction to flavor or minor ingredients
Our pick
Tom's of Maine
Tom’s of Maine Antiplaque and Whitening Fluoride Free Toothpaste, Peppermint, 2 Pack, 4.5 Oz
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleHeavy metals in mineral pigments or abrasives
PossibleFragrance allergens from essential oils
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Fluoride systemic dose (ingestion risk) and Allergic reaction to flavor or minor ingredients on the Colgate and not on the Tom's of Maine.
- We flag Heavy metals in mineral pigments or abrasives and Fragrance allergens from essential oils on the Tom's of Maine and not on the Colgate.
- The Colgate is silica, calcium carbonate, sorbitol, sodium fluoride, cellulose where the Tom's of Maine is toothpaste base, mineral silica, essential oils, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More toothpaste, see the full ranking