Frequently Asked Questions

Theodent is an American oral care company manufacturing a revolutionary line of fluoride-free dentifrices containing Rennou as an active ingredient. Theodent is great for everyone, and our clinical research indicates it’s particularly effective at remineralizing tooth enamel and reducing hypersensitivity.

There are three toothpastes in the Theodent family.

Theodent Classic toothpaste (spearmint flavor) and Theodent Kids toothpaste (chocolate chip flavor) are available here and at dental offices, pharmacies, grocers, natural food stores, and lifestyle boutiques near you and in select international markets.

Theodent 300 toothpaste (Diamond Mint flavor) is our clinical-strength toothpaste, similar in formulation to Theodent Classic, but with an increased concentration of Rennou, the theobromine-based active ingredient. Theodent 300 can also be found in dental offices, pharmacies, grocers, lifestyle boutiques, and in famed luxury retailers like Harrod’s in London and Tsum in Moscow. Theodent 300 is known as “the world’s finest toothpaste.

Rennou is the safe-to-swallow active ingredient in all Theodent toothpaste products. Rennou is comprised of three components: theobromine, calcium, & phosphate. Theobromine is an amazing compound with many beneficial health properties and occurs naturally in the cacao plant. The ratio of theobromine, calcium, & phosphate in our formulation is proprietary and only efficacious in a specific combination.

Clinical research indicates that Rennou is more effective than fluoride at remineralizing enamel and hardening teeth. Rennou, Theodent’s active ingredient, also has GRAS (generally regarded as safe) designation from the FDA, the highest standard in food safety.

Theodent Toothpastes are currently the only toothpastes that contain Rennou.

Commercial chocolate generally contains cocoa fat and added sugar which are cariogenic (cavity causing). Theodent’s interest in chocolate focuses only on one component of cacao, theobromine, which must first be refined into a pharmaceutical-grade pure crystalline powder before it can be evenly distributed into our toothpaste.

Fluoride has been toothpaste’s standard active ingredient for a century, and it does harden enamel. But recent federal research has sharpened long-standing questions about total fluoride exposure, especially for children.

In August 2024, the National Toxicology Program (part of the NIH) published a systematic review concluding, with moderate confidence, that fluoride exposures above 1.5 mg/L in drinking water, about twice the level used in U.S. community water fluoridation, are consistently associated with lower IQ in children. In January 2025, NTP researchers published a meta-analysis of 74 studies in JAMA Pediatrics reporting a dose-response relationship between fluoride exposure and lower IQ in children: a decrease of about 1.6 IQ points for every 1 mg/L increase in urinary fluoride, with inverse associations observed in higher-quality studies even below 1.5 mg/L. Scientists continue to debate what these findings mean at typical U.S. exposure levels. What isn’t debated is that swallowed toothpaste adds to a child’s total fluoride exposure, which is why every fluoride toothpaste carries a poison-control warning on its label.

Theodent formulates without fluoride entirely. Rennou®, our proprietary mix of ingredients, remineralizes enamel without fluoride’s toxicity profile, and its components hold GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status with the FDA. In an 80-patient double-blind clinical trial at the University of Texas Health Science Center, Theodent Classic remineralized enamel faster and more completely than both a prescription-strength desensitizing fluoride toothpaste and a leading over-the-counter fluoride paste. Every Theodent product is safe if accidentally swallowed, with no poison-control warning required.

Read how Rennou® works and the full research bibliography.

Our recommended way to brush your teeth does vary slightly from traditional tooth brushing. Twice daily, we recommend that you brush once as normal for the recommended two minute window, being sure to scrub the complete surface of each tooth. Then, spit and rinse with water, as normal, to be sure the mouth is free of food particles.

Then proceed with the “finishing brush” by placing just a small amount of additional paste on your toothbrush and brush again and cover the entire teeth surface. Then, spit out the excess foam but DO NOT rinse. The longer the remaining foam from brushing remains on the surface of your teeth, the better. Also, do not ingest food or beverages for 10 minutes after brushing.

If you intend to combine an application of Theodent toothpaste with other oral care products, like a mouthwash, be sure Theodent is your final step. Yes, use oral rinses and whitening agents before brushing with Theodent toothpaste.

All Theodent products are fluoride-free and safe if accidentally swallowed. Our active ingredient, Rennou, even has GRAS (generally regarded as safe) status from the FDA, the highest standard in food safety.

In particular, chocolate chip-flavored Theodent Kids toothpaste is a fantastic product for “kids and adults young at heart.” Theodent Kids, like all Theodent toothpastes, does not contain fluoride and is not harmful if accidentally swallowed.

ACTIVE INGREDIENT- Rennou: theobromine, calcium acetate, & sodium hydrogen phosphate

INACTIVE INGREDIENTS- purified water, hydrated silica, sorbitol, xylitol, (plant based) glycerin, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate (in Theodent Classic & Theodent 300 only), xanthan gum, titanium dioxide (non-nano particle form), citric acid, spearmint oil (in Theodent Classic & Theodent 300 only), sodium benzoate, stevia extract, sodium bicarbonate, sugar-free chocolate extract (in Theodent Kids only), and sugar-free vanilla extract

Theodent is formulated to remineralize on contact. Clinical data shows most patients see an effect from Theodent toothpaste in 3-7 days.

SLS is short for sodium laurel sulfate. Though it was common in toothpaste for decades, some people do experience rare side effects from it like skin irritation, in and around the mouth.

Theodent products are proud to be SLS-free!

Theodent Classic & Theodent 300 do contain similarly named sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, a coconut oil derived replacement to SLS that offers a pleasant foamy texture without the risk of skin irritation.

There are no animal ingredients or animal-derived ingredients in any of Theodent’s products.

Theodent products have never been and will never be tested on animals (other than humans).

Theodent 300 contains our highest concentration of Rennou®, our proprietary mix of ingredients developed from decades of research that began at the LSU School of Dentistry. The price reflects the clinical-strength formulation, the research and patents behind it, and U.S. manufacturing. It’s stocked by luxury retailers like Harrod’s of London and used by people managing hypersensitivity and enamel erosion who want the strongest fluoride-free option available. Used twice daily, a tube lasts about six weeks, roughly $2.40 a day for clinical-strength enamel care. See the published studies on Rennou®.

They work in three different ways. Fluoride strengthens enamel but carries poison-control warnings if swallowed. Hydroxyapatite pastes add particles of synthetic tooth mineral to the surface. Rennou®, exclusive to Theodent, uses theobromine from cacao to encourage the calcium and phosphate already in your saliva to crystallize on the enamel surface, and published studies have reported remineralization and larger enamel crystal formation with theobromine-based formulas. Theodent is the only toothpaste brand using theobromine. Read how the technology works and the research bibliography.