Doctor says you should buy Sensodyne and Arm & Hammer toothpaste. Then he reveals what sets them apart: ‘Both have the key’
Dentists recommend that you brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once.
However, many people don’t actually do this. A 2025 YouGov survey found that 30% of Americans brush their teeth only once per day, while 5% brush their teeth less often than that. Additionally, only half of Americans floss one or more times per week.
Everyone has their own reasons for failing to keep a strict oral hygiene routine. One of those reasons may be oral irritation. Now, a user on TikTok says that there’s a simple change those people can make that can dramatically improve their oral comfort.
What’s The Deal With Toothpaste?
In a video with over 139,000 views, TikTok user and student doctor Christan Chae (@litdentist) films himself standing in an aisle at Kroger.
To start, he shows two whitening toothpastes: one from Arm & Hammer and another from Sensodyne.
“I’m a fan of both,” he says. “Both have the key ingredient—sodium fluoride. That helps and is the best, number one option for cavity prevention.”
However, he notes there’s a key difference between these two toothpastes. According to Chae, the Arm & Hammer toothpaste has sodium lauryl sulfate, while Sensodyne does not.
“Sodium lauryl sulfate is also the detergent in your toothpaste that makes it foam up,” Chae explains. “So, if you’ve ever used Sensodyne, and then you use Arm & Hammer, you’ll notice that you get a lot more foam with the Arm & Hammer toothpaste because it has the SLS in it.”
SLS, he notes, is not inherently good or bad. That said, Chae states that it can be an “irritant.”
“A lot of people out there think that they’re allergic to fluoride, but really, it’s the SLS in the toothpaste that is causing them to have this irritation in their mouth,” he explains.
For those who have this irritation, he advises that one look for an SLS-free toothpaste.
Is This True?
In short, yes.
While SLS is generally safe in toothpastes, that doesn’t mean it’s ideal for all people. Studies have shown that some people may experience increases in ulcers or other oral problems from using toothpastes with SLS.
This is something that toothpaste manufacturers themselves admit. On the Colgate website, the brand notes that, while SLS is not a known carcinogen and several agencies have determined it to be safe, there are some who will experience negative side effects from using toothpaste with SLS.
For example, the Colgate website, citing the NIH, states that “stomatitis or mouth sore sufferers who use SLS toothpaste will develop more irritation … while toothpaste without SLS will reduce the pain.”
Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to find toothpaste without SLS. Many toothpastes labeled with “sensitive” do not contain SLS. Additionally, Colgate, Sensodyne, Oral-B, and more offer toothpastes without SLS.
Commenters Are Surprised
In the comments section, several users said that this information made them realize something was amiss with their toothpaste.
“I’m literally experiencing this right now, I thought I was tweakin,” wrote a commenter.
“My 9 year old always has canker sores, white lips even after we moisturize daily, and bumps around his mouth. I swear I thought it was the toothpaste and I am hoping this is it,” shared another. “Going to store tomorrow to get another toothpaste to see if that’s what it is.”
“So u mean to tell me I been allergic this whole time?” asked a further commenter. “I thought something terrible was going on I even went to my doctor and it finally went away on its own when I stopped using it.”
@litdentist I’m going to make a video using both so yall can see the difference
♬ original sound – sDr. Chae
The Mary Sue reached out to Arm & Hammer, Sensodyne, and Chae via email.
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