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How do I Choose the Best Travel Size Toothpaste?

Kasey James
Kasey James

The best travel size toothpaste is one that cleans your teeth well and fits into your travel bag easily. If you are content with your daily toothpaste, then you may want the same type of travel size toothpaste. There are many types of toothpaste to consider. You may also want to think about price and the amount of toothpaste you will need.

All travel size toothpaste is designed to clean your teeth, but each one contains different ingredients to get the job done. You may want a baking soda toothpaste; baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, has been used to clean teeth for years. It acts as a whitener and is an inexpensive ingredient. Baking soda alone does not have a pleasant taste, but when added to a flavored toothpaste, it continues to whiten teeth with a more pleasant flavor.

A toothbrush with toothpaste on it.
A toothbrush with toothpaste on it.

Fluoride is another common ingredient in travel size toothpaste. This is a natural mineral that cleans and protects the teeth. Many dentists recommend using a fluoride toothpaste on a regular basis. Most travel toothpaste brands contain fluoride.

Some people prefer a travel size toothpaste that is fluoride free, however. Even though fluoride is used in many toothpastes and drinking water, there is research that suggests that it could be harmful. Certain studies have indicated that using fluoride may lead to a form of cancer, thyroid disease, and dental fluorosis. If you are concerned with this research, then a fluoride free travel toothpaste is your best choice.

Travel size toothpaste.
Travel size toothpaste.

Other possible types of travel size toothpaste include tarter control, whitening, breath freshening, and sensitivity. Tarter control toothpaste helps to prevent the plaque on the teeth that can harden into tarter. Most whitening toothpaste includes abrasives — like baking soda — to help remove stains from teeth. A breath freshening toothpaste is designed to help improve the smell of the breath, while a sensitivity toothpaste can help relieve the pain in teeth that are sensitive to hot and cold.

Travel size toothpaste might contain baking soda.
Travel size toothpaste might contain baking soda.

After choosing which type of travel toothpaste is the best for your teeth, you may want to consider the size of your travel paste. Most come in a tube of less than a 1 ounce (28 grams). The toothpaste is in the plastic tube and the tube is usually placed in a small cardboard packaging box. Before packing the toothpaste, you may want to remove it from the box so it takes up less room in your travel bag.

When buying the best travel size toothpaste you may want to consider price and how many tubes you will need. The price should be inexpensive, since the travel size does not hold much toothpaste. To figure out how much toothpaste to buy, think about how many times a day you brush your teeth and how many days you will be traveling.

Discussion Comments

Rotergirl

If you don't have any sensitivities to toothpaste ingredients, get what's cheapest in the travel products aisle. You can often get a tube of toothpaste for less than USD$1. Some toothpastes come with a travel toothbrush that usually has its own cover, too. Those are usually pretty good deals if you also need a toothbrush. Some kits even include a small bottle of mouthwash. If you're flying from the US though, remember to put the mouthwash in the zip top bag with your other 3-ounce liquids so you can clear security with it. It's a pain, I agree. So dumb.

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    • A toothbrush with toothpaste on it.
      By: manipulateur
      A toothbrush with toothpaste on it.
    • Travel size toothpaste.
      By: picsfive
      Travel size toothpaste.
    • Travel size toothpaste might contain baking soda.
      By: Bert Folsom
      Travel size toothpaste might contain baking soda.