# Is there such thing as low-foam toothpaste? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 2, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-thing-as-low-foam-toothpaste/552411 "2010-09-02T18:30:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-thing-as-low-foam-toothpaste/552411/1 "2010-09-02T18:30:22Z")
Okay, As I stated in [this thread,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12870732#post12870732) I have a big problem with certain textures - especially “foamy”. I can’t eat whipped cream or merangue pies, won’t drink capuccino, etc. If I try to make myself eat something foamy, I will gag and retch. This causes a problem when I’m brushing my teeth. I use a minimal amount of toothpaste and spit often, but it’s not uncommon for me to be unable to finish brushing because I just can’t tolerate the foam in my mouth. Also, I worry about not using enough toothpaste on my brush to get adequate flouride protection. Is there such thing as a commercially available low-foam toothpaste? I’ve tried baking soda toothpastes, but they just taste horrible. I’d love suggestions… ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-thing-as-low-foam-toothpaste/552411/2 "2010-09-02T18:47:19Z")
What about [powdered](http://www.eulesstx.gov/recycling/images/tooth_powder.jpg) toothpaste? You can get them without baking soda in them. Only problem is, the ones I tried had a flat, chalky consistency about them, (just like baking soda). I didn’t really care for them. You don’t like whipped, foamy, or slimy things in your mouth. Not to make light of it, but I’m almost afraid to ask where this originated from. Is the check in the mail?😃 ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-thing-as-low-foam-toothpaste/552411/3 "2010-09-02T18:51:46Z")
[Eucryl](http://www.eucryl.co.uk/products/eucryl_extreme_toothpowder.aspx) is low-foam and not objectionable to use, not as powdery as it used to be. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-thing-as-low-foam-toothpaste/552411/4 "2010-09-02T20:39:50Z")
IIRC back when I used Tom’s of Maine, it wasn’t nearly as foamy as some of the more mainstream brands. I think the foaminess is almost all from an added ingredient, put there simply to foam up (most folks associate it with “cleanliness”) and since Tom’s is a natural brand, there’s less of that extraneous stuff in it. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-thing-as-low-foam-toothpaste/552411/5 "2010-09-02T20:47:29Z")
I recall that they made a non-foaming toothpaste for the astronauts. Here’s an ad about it from the 1960s: [http://roborant.info/main.do?entry=1453](http://roborant.info/main.do?entry=1453) > [@](#): > > Next, we have an ad for Crest toothpaste. They got into the act by working with NASA, so they say, to develop a special astronaut toothpaste that didn’t foam. You wouldn’t want your toothpaste foaming in zero gravity. unfortunately, I can’t find anything about it ever being marketing. The only item about it I turn up is an obvious April Fool’s gag; > **[NASA Glenn Develops Astronaut Toothpaste](https://nasawatch.com/news/nasa-glenn-develops-astronaut-toothpaste/)** > > NASA Engineers Support Saving Jobs via Branding“While investigating ways of taking proactive steps to generate funding to forestall planned reductions in research jobs, some entrepreneurs at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland have taken to... [http://home.comcast.net/~drumyoke/AprilFool/SpacePaste.html](http://home.comcast.net/~drumyoke/AprilFool/SpacePaste.html) this page, though, implies that the astronauts use ordinary, off-the-shelf toothpaste: [http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/living/spacehygiene/hygiene\_3.html](http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/living/spacehygiene/hygiene_3.html) This one, too: > [@](#): > > Dental Care > Astronauts use the same toothpaste as on Earth and can even select their preferred brand. Instead of rinsing with water and then spitting into a sink, astronauts spit toothpaste into a towel. [http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/living\_hygiene.asp](http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/living_hygiene.asp) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-thing-as-low-foam-toothpaste/552411/6 "2010-09-02T20:51:19Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > IIRC back when I used Tom’s of Maine, it wasn’t nearly as foamy as some of the more mainstream brands. I misread this, and thought that Tom’s of Finland would surely be pretty foamy or creamy. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-thing-as-low-foam-toothpaste/552411/7 "2010-09-03T01:03:44Z")
I use Biotene toothpaste for dry mouth and I can verify it really is a low-foaming toothpaste just as the company claims. > **[Dry Mouth Products: Oral Rinse, Spray & Gel | Biotène](https://www.biotene.com/dry-mouth-products/)** > > Discover Biotène's variety of dry mouth products that help relieve symptoms. Explore which product works best for you at your convenience and urgency. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-thing-as-low-foam-toothpaste/552411/8 "2010-09-03T01:07:58Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > > [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > > > IIRC back when I used Tom’s of Maine, it wasn’t nearly as foamy as some of the more mainstream brands. > > I misread this, and thought that Tom’s of Finland would surely be pretty foamy or creamy. Not sure about “foamy,” but definitely “creamy.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-thing-as-low-foam-toothpaste/552411/9 "2010-09-03T01:17:37Z")
They foam cause they have SLS or similar surfactants in them, in them, just like shampoo (and detergents/commercial degreasers). Google ‘SLS-free’ or ‘detergent-free’ toothpaste, there are quite a few options as many people find they get more canker sores from it. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-thing-as-low-foam-toothpaste/552411/10 "2010-09-03T11:06:54Z")
I had a kids’ toothpaste that didn’t foam–if you can stand the faux-bubble gum flavor. I believe it was Crest Kids, but I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-thing-as-low-foam-toothpaste/552411/11 "2010-09-03T16:24:40Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I had a kids’ toothpaste that didn’t foam–if you can stand the faux-bubble gum flavor. I believe it was Crest Kids, but I could be wrong. It is not particularly a pleasant flavor, I got a little sample thingy from a dentist, and it was really nasty =( you might try a travel size if it is available instead of buying a full sized tube just in case. It has a flavor similar to the fluoride gloop that you do the bite plate of at the dentist. I cant decide whether that or the fake grape is worse =( ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-thing-as-low-foam-toothpaste/552411/12 "2010-09-03T16:28:03Z")
SLS may also be called SDS