How to Choose a Toothpaste: 7 Label Checks That Matter

Quick answer

Start with the job you need the paste to do, then read the label. Most of what separates one toothpaste from another is printed on the tube: the cavity active and its strength, the abrasive, the foaming agent, the flavor, the sweeteners, and any dyes. Front-of-box words such as natural, clean, and non-toxic have no FDA definition for toothpaste.

The ADA recommends fluoride toothpaste. Hydroxyapatite toothpaste is the main fluoride-free alternative with clinical caries data. Your dentist can tell you which fits your cavity risk.

01
Decide on fluoride first
It is the biggest fork in the aisle. Fluoride has the most clinical data. Hydroxyapatite is the main fluoride-free option with a caries trial.
02
Read the back, not the front
The Drug Facts panel and the ingredient list are regulated. Natural, clean, and non-toxic are marketing words.
03
Match the paste to the problem
Sensitivity, whitening, and tartar pastes carry different actives. A daily paste does not need to do all three.

Seven label checks for choosing a toothpaste, with Klyyr One+ as a worked example
Label check	What to look for On any label	Klyyr One+ Its label
1. Cavity active	Fluoride on a Drug Facts panel, or a disclosed hydroxyapatite percentage	10% nano + micro HAp. 0 ppm fluoride
2. Abrasivity (RDA)	250 or less for ADA-accepted pastes. Few brands publish it	RDA 62, published
3. Foaming agent	SLS is common. Some people with canker sores avoid it	Sodium cocoyl glutamate. No SLS
4. Flavor	Flavors and essential oils top the ADA's irritant list	Peppermint, spearmint, menthol
5. Dyes and whiteners	FD&C dyes and titanium dioxide add color only	None
6. Sweeteners	Sugar is not allowed in ADA-accepted pastes	Sorbitol, xylitol, stevia
7. ADA Seal	Fluoride pastes with cavity claims can earn it	Not carried
For children	Rice-grain amount under 3, pea-sized from 3 to 6. Spit	Same ADA amounts. Ask the child's dentist

Checks apply to any brand. One+ facts come from its current label. The ADA Seal criteria come from the ADA Seal program page.

Sources behind this answer

These sources define the label rules and ingredient lists this guide relies on. None of them tested One+.

American Dental Association
Toothpaste overview
The ADA describes what toothpaste ingredients do, recommends fluoride toothpaste, gives the rice-grain and pea-sized amounts for children, and lists the ingredients most often reported as irritants.
Read the ADA toothpaste overview
American Dental Association
ADA Seal of Acceptance
Toothpastes with the Seal must have an RDA of 250 or less. Seal-accepted toothpastes that claim cavity protection must contain fluoride, and sugar is not permitted.
Read about the ADA Seal
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
The Drug Facts label
Over-the-counter drugs, including fluoride and sensitivity toothpastes, carry a Drug Facts panel. It lists each active ingredient, its strength, and its purpose.
Read the FDA guide to Drug Facts
Systematic review · four crossover trials
SLS-free toothpaste and canker sores
A systematic review of four crossover trials suggested possible benefit from SLS-free dentifrice in people with recurrent aphthous stomatitis and called for stronger research. It did not test One+.
Read the systematic review

How to choose

If you get cavities easily

Use the fluoride or prescription paste your dentist recommends. Ask before switching to anything fluoride-free.

If your mouth gets irritated

Try an SLS-free paste first, then a milder flavor. Change one product at a time. See why toothpaste burns.

If you want fluoride-free

Look for a disclosed hydroxyapatite percentage and a published RDA. Paste any label into the ingredient checker.

If you're buying for a child

Use a rice-grain amount under 3 and a pea-sized amount from 3 to 6, supervise brushing, and ask the child's dentist about fluoride.

The Klyyr One+ formula

One+ is fluoride-free toothpaste with a clearly disclosed 10% nano + micro hydroxyapatite blend, 16 listed ingredients, peppermint + spearmint, no SLS, and no artificial dyes.

01
10% hydroxyapatite
Combined nano + micro hydroxyapatite, disclosed on the label. Ten percent is not a universal efficacy threshold.
02
16 listed ingredients
Water, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Hydroxyapatite (nano & micro), Xylitol, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, Zinc Citrate, Aloe Vera, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil, Menthol, Sodium Benzoate, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract.
03
What is not in it
0 ppm fluoride. No SLS. No artificial dyes. Sodium cocoyl glutamate is the surfactant.
04
120 g aluminum tube
4.23 oz, approximately 90 brushings. Aluminum tube, HDPE cap. Recycle where accepted locally.

In short

Pick the cavity active first, then check abrasivity, foaming agent, flavor, and dyes. Everything that matters is on the back of the tube.

01 What is the healthiest toothpaste?

There is no single healthiest toothpaste. The right one depends on your cavity risk, sensitivity, and what irritates your mouth. Start with the cavity active, then read the rest of the label.

02 Does the ADA Seal matter?

It means the ADA reviewed the product's evidence for the claims on the Seal statement. Seal-accepted pastes with cavity claims must contain fluoride, so fluoride-free pastes, including One+, do not carry it.

03 Is natural toothpaste better?

Natural has no FDA definition for toothpaste. Judge a paste by its actives, abrasivity, and ingredient list, not by the word.

04 How can I tell if a toothpaste has fluoride?

Fluoride toothpastes are over-the-counter drugs in the U.S. They list sodium fluoride, stannous fluoride, or sodium monofluorophosphate under Active ingredient on a Drug Facts panel.

05 What does RDA mean on toothpaste?

Relative dentin abrasivity. It compares a paste's abrasiveness with a reference slurry set at 100. ADA-accepted pastes must be 250 or lower. One+ publishes RDA 62. See the toothpaste RDA chart.

Read the full FAQ →

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How to choose a toothpaste.

Sources behind this answer

Toothpaste overview

ADA Seal of Acceptance

The Drug Facts label

SLS-free toothpaste and canker sores