This is one product which I actually returned to the store for a refund due to poor quality. It led to my search for a new brand of natural toothpaste. I dislike sweet toothpastes and this one was overly sweetened, with a weird, somewhat watery, almost slimy texture to make things worse. The scent was too strong as well, and the flavor seemed very sharp. My teeth and mouth didn't feel clean after brushing with this and there was an odd "off" aftertaste from using it, which almost tasted like artificial ingredients were used, though they weren't listed on the packaging. On the whole it was an unpleasant experience, and I was extremely disappointed in the flavor, texture, and smell. I look for a fresh, natural taste with a smooth texture in toothpastes and have no problem paying a higher price for that when I find it. The cost of the Tom's line is no longer worth it to me, and this particular flavor is a prime example of why.

Morgandalas

Undisclosed

It started with a new tube of Tom's of Maine Toothpaste in Anti-plaque Tartar Control plus Whitening Toothpaste in Spearmint flavor. Having been a fan of Tom's Toothpaste for many years, it was a habit to buy Tom's whenever there was a sale available. It is accurate to say that I have an assortment of a LARGE lot of flavors of Tom's Toothpaste in our basement from times when I built up stock. The problem is that I didn't know that Tom's of Maine had sold out to a large company- Colgate, I think? That would not be a problem, but the quality has changed drastically. Tom's of Maine has been a variety of textures from a white stiff paste to a clear or lightly tinted gel. What greeted me from the tube of Tom's of Maine Natural Antiplaque Tartar Control plus Whitening Toothpaste in Spearmint was a shock. I opened the tube and laid it on the counter to bring my toothbrush in a better direction, and the tube began to ooze out this gooey stuff that dripped down my sink. I stood there in horror looking at this tube and after my stomach turned for a bit, I picked up the tube and cleaned up the mess. That was the first indication that something was wrong. Trying to use it in my mouth was again a terrible experience. My reaction was repulsion and the feeling was that I wanted to get it out of my mouth as soon as possible. This was NOT the Toms of Maine Toothpaste in spearmint that I had been accustomed to using. It was disgusting. My teeth did not feel clean and the taste was awful- I wanted to get it out of my mouth instead of enjoy the lingering of mint as had been the case in the past. All in all, I can not recommend this toothpaste to anyone- but perhaps it will strike your fancy to have gooey volcanic eruptions of fakey mint sort of stuff dripping in your sink. I just don't like the texture, the way it tastes, and the icky way it makes my teeth feel when I am done using it. I have a few tubes of this lovely stuff sitting in my basement which will probably not get used on teeth. Perhaps I will find another use for it, or someone who will love it. We sure don't.

Caprig

Podunk, NY

In our family of five, we use Tom's antiplaque tarter control toothpaste because we love it. Two of us have sensitive gums and teeth and so we have been using it for the past five years and our gums have improved greatly. And after the first week of using Tom's natural toothpaste our gum sensitivity was gone. It was absolutely amazing. Tom's of Maine natural toothpastes sells the paste or the gel. In our family we prefer the non-fluoride paste. I have told my mother and two sisters about this toothpaste too. We don't actually have the greatest teeth in our family and so we all have tried just about every toothpaste on the market to help us with gingivitis. I can't say if Tom's helps with gingivitis but since using it, and flossing more often, my dentist said my gingivitis is almost gone. So, I'm quite happy with that - I don't want to get dentures quite yet. I would recommend this toothpaste to everyone I know, and I have!

AngieLew

Anderson, SC

I've been using all-natural products for several years now, and have tried many brands. Tom's of Maine has been one of the brands that I trust and use more frequently. One of my favorite toothpastes is the Natural Whitening Spearmint Toothpaste by Tom's. Compared to other natural brands, this one tastes very good and does an excellent job of thoroughly cleaning my teeth. Other natural brands tend to not work as well, and often have a strong herbal aftertaste. This one tastes and smells very fresh and minty. Also, I love the fact that it has no harsh ingredients, artificial sweeteners, preservatives or any of the colors that conventional toothpastes have. It is mainly made with vegetable glycerin, calcium carbonate, silica, carrageenan, and xylitol. These are all natural and good quality ingredients. I've also found that this paste truly does whiten my teeth without any harsh abrasives. If you are looking for an all-natural toothpaste, I would highly recommend this one by Tom's of Maine, you won't be disappointed!

Idelette

Arden, NC

Tom's of Maine Natural Antiplaque Tartar Control plus Whitening Toothpaste Spearmint is the worst tasting toothpaste I have every tried. I got my wife to try it too and she thought it was aweful tasting as well and refused to use it. I ended up suffering through the entire tube so that I did not waste my money. If all natural tastes this bad maybe I have been eating too much unnatural stuff or something because I never thought a toothpaste would taste as bad as Tom's of Maine Natural Antiplaque Tartar Control plus Whitening Toothpaste Spearmint tasted. I will be glad when the tube is used all up and I can go back to a toothpaste that does not make me want to gag every time I use it. Besides the mouthwash I have gets the aweful taste of Tom's of Maine Natural Antiplaque Tartar Control plus Whitening Toothpaste Spearmint right out of my mouth so that I can go on with the rest of my day without having the aweful taste of Tom's of Maine Natural Antiplaque Tartar Control plus Whitening Toothpaste Spearmint in my mouth.

gshekailo

Suffolk, VA

My family chooses to use toothpaste without fluoride in it.  Some that we have tried haven't really done the job OR the natural flavoring is either VERY intense or hardly there.  All of my kids and my husband can agree on this one.  The flavor is there, but not so terribly intense and still freshens the breath and leaves a clean feeling.  Because the flavor is not overpowering, my youngest child will spend more time brushing her teeth which is quite a major feat in our home.  For those with younger children, this is a good choice if they like mint. The other ingredients do a fine job of cleaning the teeth leaving them shining and whitened without harsher chemicals of other brands.  The ingredients foam without overdoing it.  The antiplaque claims of this toothpaste are borne out from the comments my kids receive from the hygenist.  The children's teeth are healthy and free of cavities, which is a major point.  Another positive point for this toothpaste is that many of the major retailers carry this brand now, so it is easy to find.  It is also competitively priced - even without coupons I can find it priced less than some of the other well-known brands available.  Add a coupon into the mix, and it's an even better deal.  The only drawback that I can think of is that this toothpaste does not come in another flavor other than mint - for those with sensitivities to that flavoring.  So If you're thinking about giving Tom's a try, go for it.

bluej

Minonk, IL

I've tried Colgate to Sensodyne and many in between toothpastes till I came across Tom's of Maine's product line. They have several options and frankly I look for the green or blue box due to all the options available:). This particular one has it all: Antiplaque for protection against plaque; Tartar Control to keep you teeth healthy; and small portion of Whitening as well to help maintain the luster you achieved by paying big bucks to a dentist. Frankly it doesn't make your teeth white but helps to maintain it. There is a clear difference in other pastes and this as it leaves your teeth squeeky clean with no plaque even way back to your wisdom teeth. I use this paired with my Philips Sonicare toothbrush for the best results. My dentist likes the results as well and haven't had any cavities for some time now too. Spearmint is a good choice for flavor as well and leaves your mouth fresh and kissable:).

lazerblazer

Mableton, GA

I LOVE my Tom's toothpaste. I've been using it pretty consistently for about four years now, and I haven't had a single cavity. I think it tastes so amazing, and I'm happy that it is pretty safe with no triclosan or weird chemicals. I don't like that it has sodium lauryl sulfates, but according to the Tom's website this is a safe chemical as long as it's not combined with a certain other chemical. I'm not totally convinced by this though, but I read they now have an SLS-free toothpaste available so I will probably only buy that one from now on. I love the taste of the toothpaste (the spearmint is my favorite though I've tried anise, fennel, and wintermint as well) and I like how smooth it feels, not gritty like some. It makes my teeth feel very smooth, almost slippery if that makes sense, but I like how clean they feel. Tom's makes great products, and their customer service can't  be beat. We were disappointed with a product and they responded by sending us one that we did like with essentially no questions asked. Love this company!!

caitlinpcarroll

Provo, UT

I am tired of using Crest, and Aquafresh, and all those other typical toothpastes.  Not to mention that there has been some controversy about them.  I therefore decided to try Tom's of Maine and I must say that it does the job and it makes me feel like I am doing something healthy not only for my teeth, but for my body.  I have been using the toothpaste (this one, Natural Antiplaque Tarter Control plus Whitening Toothpaste - Spearmint, plus their other varieties) for a year now, and not once has my dentist told me to switch back to the typical toothpastes.  Therefore I know that this stuff is working.  I would have to say that my favorite is this spearmint one, and it doesn't irritate me at all.  Before when I would use the typical toothpastes, I would sometimes wake up with a sore throat, however Tom's of Maine does not do this.  And it keeps my breath minty fresh for a long time.  For example, today I brushed my teeth at 5am, had coffee, eggs and sausage, and my mouth STILL feels fresh and clean (it is 11:00 am).  Not many toothpastes do that for me.

Airamei

Chino Hills, CA

i've used **Tom's of Maine** toothpaste for quite a while.  for anyone who thinks that a "natural" toothpaste couldn't possibly stack up the more traditional commercial toothpastes that they've been using, i'll say this.  i've never had a cavity in my life.  people regularly mention what beautifully white teeth i have.  and even my dentist has asked me what kind of toothpaste i use because he was so impressed with the results. what led me to Tom's of Maine toothpaste?  well, i tried using more traditional whitening toothpastes to keep my teeth shiny and white, but they all made my teeth very sensitive, not just to hot and cold, but even simply inhaling through my mouth hurt my teeth!  after that, i tried a Sensodyne toothpaste that was also supposed to help whiten teeth.  my teeth stayed white, and they weren't sensitive...and then after i'd been using it for several months, i noticed a disclaimer on the package saying not to use it for more than 4 weeks.  huh?!  what good is this stuff going to do me if i should only use it for a little while?  maybe the ingredients and associated warnings have changed since then, but as they were at the time, it was enough to send me scrambling for something new and different. my next thought was to try a natural whitening toothpaste.  maybe that would be gentler.  Tom's of Maine had a good reputation and the best selection, so i gave them a try. needless to say, it's worked for me.  no cavities.  white teeth.  no sensitivity.  some flavors are better than others, but that aspect is really more a matter of personal preference.  i myself like the peppermint.  i also didn't appreciate just what a good consistency Tom's of Maine's toothpaste has until this one time that i tried another natural brand, and it was way too thick and sticky.  Tom's of Maine, in terms of consistency, isn't very different from your typical "un-natural" toothpaste. Tom's of Maine also uses no animal ingredients and no animal testing...probably not something you think about too much when buying toothpaste, but definitely a good thing.

ThePlaidAvenger

Baton Rouge, LA