I Never Thought I'd Fall in Love With Lemon Lavender Toothpaste, but I'm Obsessed

Over the past few years, I've witnessed an evolution in the dental-care industry. An increasing number of brands are seemingly on a mission to make oral care more exciting. Consequently, my collection of dental products has grown — significantly so. I've experimented with and integrated a high-tech toothbrush into my daily routine, ventured into using a tongue scraper for the first time, and, most recently, fallen in love with Boka Lemon-Lavender Fluoride-Free Toothpaste ($11). As someone who traditionally sticks to mint flavors, I was shocked by how much I liked it. And now, as I'm onto my second tube, it feels like the right time to delve into what sets it apart and why you should consider adding it to your dental-care routine, too.

Boka Lemon-Lavender Fluoride-Free Toothpaste

From

$11

$11 at Amazon

I'd be lying not to admit that my favorite thing about Boka's Lemon-Lavender toothpaste is its flavor. While the combination of lemon and lavender might sound more fitting for cookies or other baked treats, I was pleasantly surprised by how well Boka's flavor formulation works in toothpaste. Not only that, but it leaves my mouth feeling clean. While its taste isn't as intense as minty formulations, it still leaves my mouth feeling fresh.

While testing this toothpaste, I couldn't help but wonder if I was among the few to like such an unexpected flavor. But that was quickly dispelled when I noticed it had disappeared from my vanity. My husband had stolen it out of my cosmetics bag and told me it was his turn to enjoy it (he did). And when a friend visited from out of town, she secretly decided to try it. I found this out when I caught her ordering it off Amazon over her shoulder.

There's more to this toothpaste than its flavor, though, namely the fact that it uses nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) instead of fluoride. For context, this ingredient is a naturally occurring mineral form of calcium apatite and the main component of tooth enamel and bone.

"Even though nano-hydroxyapatite is not, as of today, FDA approved, it may actually be a great substitute for fluoride," says Alexander Vaiman, DDS, a dentist at New York Family Dental Arts. "My personal view on fluoride is that it is a potential neurotoxin. There are numerous studies that seem to point to that conclusion." He adds that neither he nor his family use fluoride-based toothpaste at home. "New York City and numerous other US municipalities' water is fluoridated, and we all get plenty of fluoride just by living here," he says.

"One of the biggest benefits is that it is one of the best anti-sensitivity materials out there, a fantastic find for anyone trying to whiten their teeth or with generalized sensitivity," says Sean Kutlay, DDS. "In some studies, n-HA has been found to be even more effective than fluoride, which is our current gold standard in dentistry."

While I may not exclusively commit to using toothpaste solely with nano-hydroxyapatite going forward, it's undoubtedly a category of oral care worth knowing about — especially because experts stand behind it.

The most important thing worth noting about this toothpaste is that the lemon-lavender flavor might not be everyone's cup of tea. Critics say it doesn't give them that same fresh feeling as a mint-flavored toothpaste. If you fear that might be the case for you, the brand also offers a mint flavor called Ela Mint. It's currently sold out on Amazon but available to purchase in a two-pack ($10) if you're still interested in the brand.

Boka Lemon Lavender Natural Toothpaste is available on Amazon, as well as direct-to-consumer via the brand's website.

Rating:

★★★★★