Cavity Protection 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.
Crest
Cavity Protection Toothpaste
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
ReportedFluoride ingestion risk (primarily pediatric)
PossibleSodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) sensitivity or allergic contact dermatitis
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 ingestion risk (primarily pediatric) and Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) sensitivity or allergic contact dermatitis on the Crest 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 Crest.
- The Crest is aqueous gel/paste (fluoride, silica, glycerin, detergents) where the Tom's of Maine is toothpaste base, mineral silica, essential oils, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 25 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Tom's of Maine is the one to buy.
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