A Shorter Ingredient List You Can Actually Pronounce

You’ve moved away from buying mass-market cookware, are meticulous about checking grocery labels, and have streamlined your cleaning products. Yet, the one item you still use daily, often without a second thought, is your toothpaste.

ARU toothpaste argues that toothpaste, a typically overlooked category, deserves the same attention as your other bathroom essentials.

Conventional toothpaste tubes often contain 15 to 20+ ingredients, many with unclear functions. While some ingredients are functional, others are primarily for marketing purposes, like adding foam, color, or sweetness. This has made products with shorter, transparent ingredient lists more appealing.

Is ARU Toothpaste an SLS-Free Toothpaste?

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is the foaming agent in most conventional toothpastes, giving the brushing experience a sense of effectiveness. Originally developed as an industrial detergent, SLS is deemed safe at the concentrations used in toothpaste.

SLS is known to irritate the mouth’s soft tissues and can cause canker sores. A 2019 systematic review in the Journal of Oral Pathology & Medicine found that SLS-free toothpaste reduced ulcers, their duration, episodes, and associated pain.

“Minor changes in a toothpaste can really make a difference in a patient’s quality of life,” said Diana Messadi, a professor and the chair of oral medicine, oral pathology and orofacial pain at the UCLA School of Dentistry, in an interview with The Washington Post.

All four ARU formulas are SLS-free. They use cocamidopropyl betaine, a coconut-derived surfactant that gently foams and cleanses without irritating gums.

What’s Actually in ARU Toothpaste

ARU offers four formulas, all free from SLS, microbeads, dyes, parabens, phthalates, triclosan, artificial flavors, and animal testing.

Each formula contains eight base ingredients, including cocamidopropyl betaine. Sorbitol acts as a sweetener and prevents drying, while cellulose gum maintains the paste’s smoothness. Silica provides texture and helps scrub stains. Eucalyptus, spearmint, and peppermint oils offer flavor and fresh breath. Potassium sorbate prevents mold and bacterial growth, and stevia rebaudiana leaf extract enhances flavor without causing decay. Water binds the ingredients together.

Each formula then incorporates specific active ingredients for targeted benefits.

4 ARU Toothpaste Formulas, Chosen With Purpose

The fluoride-free whitening toothpaste includes sodium bicarbonate to polish stains, calcium carbonate as a gentle abrasive, and calcium peroxide to break down deeper stains gradually. It’s a subtle, daily alternative to bleach trays or strips.

The fluoride-free toothpaste for sensitive teeth features hydroxyapatite, a mineral found in natural tooth enamel, which helps remineralize teeth and alleviate sensitivity to hot, cold, and sweet foods.

The gum health formula incorporates stannous fluoride to strengthen enamel while curbing bacterial growth and nerve sensitivity that cause gum issues. The cavity protection formula uses sodium fluoride to fight cavities by remineralizing enamel and enhancing resistance to acid erosion.

Fluoride vs. Fluoride-Free Toothpaste

The debate over fluoride in oral care remains significant.

The scientific consensus is that fluoride is safe at the levels found in commercial toothpaste, and the American Dental Association continues to recommend fluoride toothpaste for daily use.

“Fluoride helps reduce demineralization, the initial stage of tooth decay,” explains Dr. David Okano, a periodontist and assistant professor at the University of Utah School of Dentistry. “If demineralization is present but not a full cavity, fluoride can aid in remineralization.”

Nonetheless, some consumers avoid fluoride due to concerns like dental fluorosis, a cosmetic issue arising from excessive fluoride intake during tooth development in children, influencing choices in children’s toothpaste.

Some adults experience sensitivity or irritation from fluoride toothpaste, while others prefer formulas with fewer ingredients. ARU provides fluoride-free whitening and sensitive options for these consumers, as well as gum health and cavity protection formulas for those who prefer fluoride.

Which ARU Toothpaste Is Right for You?

With four formulas, making a choice is straightforward.

For whiter teeth, select the whitening toothpaste. If your gums bleed when brushing or flossing, opt for the gum health formula. For everyday protection, choose the cavity protection formula. If you experience sensitivity to hot and cold, the remineralizing toothpaste with hydroxyapatite is ideal.

Both fluoride-free options also serve as SLS-free toothpaste for those prone to canker sores or with sensitive oral tissue.

The philosophy behind this line is simple yet valuable: know what’s in your toothpaste, and ensure each ingredient has a purpose. All four formulas are available at Walmart and on Walmart.com.