By Alexander Angeloff, founder of TranscenDental.
Almost every toothpaste comes in a squeeze tube. Ours comes in a glass jar. People ask why, and how you're supposed to use it, so here's the reasoning and the practical side.
What I brush with every day
What toothpaste tubes are made of
Most modern toothpaste tubes are laminates: several layers of plastic, sometimes with a thin aluminum barrier, bonded together. That layering keeps the paste stable, but it also means:
- They're hard to recycle. Mixed-material laminates can't be separated by most recycling systems, so the vast majority of tubes go to landfill. A few brands now make recyclable single-plastic tubes, but they're still plastic.
- The paste sits in plastic for its whole shelf life. Plastics can shed microscopic particles and additives, and researchers are still working out how much that matters for health. We'd rather not find out.
Why we use glass
- Inert. Glass doesn't react with ingredients or shed particles into the paste.
- No plasticizers such as phthalates or BPA in contact with the product.
- Reusable and recyclable. Our jars make good spice or travel containers once they're empty.
- It suits the formula. Without glycerin, silica or synthetic thickeners, our paste has a different texture from tube toothpaste and works better scooped than squeezed.
What I brush with every day
10% nano-hydroxyapatite, organic birch xylitol and 2% theobromine in a probiotic herbal ferment. No fluoride, SLS or glycerin.
How to use toothpaste from a jar hygienically
- Use a small clean spatula or the back of a clean spoon to take a pea-sized amount, rather than dipping a wet toothbrush in the jar.
- If you share a jar, everyone should use the spatula, not their brush.
- Keep the lid on between uses, and keep water out of the jar.
- Store it at room temperature, away from direct heat.
A 60g jar lasts one to two months with twice-daily brushing.
What's inside matters more than the jar
Packaging is only part of it. Inside our jar is a fluoride-free paste with 10% dual-particle nano-hydroxyapatite, 2% theobromine and organic birch xylitol in a probiotic herbal ferment, with no SLS, glycerin, silica, charcoal or microplastics. For what to look for in any natural toothpaste, read best all-natural toothpaste: what actually matters.
Our bamboo floss comes in a glass jar too, with no plastic dispenser.
Build the full routine: brush with TranscenDental toothpaste, clean between your teeth with our plastic-free bamboo floss, and finish after meals with an Ora Flora xylitol mint (about 3 g of organic birch xylitol each, no gum base or artificial sweeteners). Or get all three together in the Oral Care Trio and save $12.
Frequently asked questions
Is toothpaste in a jar sanitary?
Yes, if you use a clean spatula instead of dipping your toothbrush. That keeps water and bacteria out.
What are toothpaste tubes made of?
Usually layers of plastic, sometimes with an aluminum layer, bonded into a laminate that's difficult to recycle.
Does toothpaste have plastic in it?
Some older formulas used plastic microbeads, which are now banned in rinse-off products in the US. Today the main plastic contact is the tube itself.
See TranscenDental toothpaste →
What I brush with every day
10% nano-hydroxyapatite, organic birch xylitol and 2% theobromine in a probiotic herbal ferment. No fluoride, SLS or glycerin.
