Ok. this was a somewhat weird idea coming from my daughter who isn’t as obsessed about travel and packing challenges as I am. Did any of you know about these toothpaste tabs that you chew and then brush. Not as much weight and space for a 2 week trip.
Full disclosure, I have not tried these yet.. but interesting idea.
There are numerous brands out there. Go on Amazon and see.
I've tried them......Meh. I just take travel/sample size toothpaste tubes. My dentist usually gives me a few.
I've tried them too, "Hello" brand. I wasn't crazy about them. I usually just pick up a tube of toothpaste at my destination.
You can make your own too, lots of recipes out there.
Those “dentist” sized tubes of toothpaste are only half full.
If you shake down the paste to the bottom of one, you can then top it up by squeezing more tp in.
Then it will last three weeks.
It works.
Weighs nothing.
I looked at them, too, but decided to stick with a regular small travel size tube. I suspect I use a much smaller amount of toothpaste at each use and it doesn't take up much room.
I happen to like German and Swiss toothpaste so I buy it there.
Ha. My dentist doesn’t give out the goodies after my annual anymore so I just buy the travel sized tube or replenish when I’m at my destination. I wasn’t impressed by the tubes purchased in Portugal or London, so I will probably stick with my usual Crest or Colgate. The chew tabs look like they would have a chalky taste/texture but I will try one of my daughters to see if I like them. .
I always think these little tabs could help by eliminating one item in your 3-1-1- liquids bag if you are really trying to travel light.
But I have to admit I have never tried them.
My dentist doesn’t give out the goodies after my annual anymore
Dollar Store. Smaller size tubes there.
I'm with Liz; I use a small amount of toothpaste so the little tubes are just fine. I have tried the little tabs. I can tolerate them for a trip if I need to save on liquids, or if I don'thave a tube from the dentist. The tabs help to cut back on plastic, so I'm willing to do it, just not full time right now.
Matador sells refillable mini toothpaste tubes:
https://www.matadorequipment.com/products/refillable-toothpaste-tubes
We have used Archtek Toothpaste Tablets for many trips. In my mind there is nothing better.
We've been using them for a decade for travel. We either get them from Lush or from Amazon.
Hi Linda, I used to often refill the travel size/dentist toothpaste tubes for work trips. It’s very easy to place it nose-to-nose & refill. One of those opened & filled fuller will last me 10 days if I’m very conservative with the amount on my brush.
But now, I just buy the 2.2oz. Crest tube from Target or Walmart.
The toothpaste tabs are not the texture I like.
If you’re running into issues with a 311 bag being too full, here’s what’s in mine for a month trip. Hope this helps!
Mascara wand, eyeliner pen, eyebrow gel pen, foundation in a tiny Clinique sample jar (diameter of a quarter), lipstick, lip balm, 2.2 oz. toothpaste, 1.7 oz R+Co High Dive hair moisture/shine crème, 2 qty .5oz Pantene treatment soin (like tiny travel toothpaste tubes) as a replacement for conditioner, athletes foot cream - just in case, and a tiny sunscreen- or I wait and buy sunscreen there.
Deodorant is Crystal stick, so it’s not in the bag. Makeup remover is Olay Daily Facials water-activated dry cloths, so they don’t need to be in the bag. (I usually cut these in half if it’s a long trip.).
Laundry detergent is Earth Breeze - looks like dryer sheets.
Even for a month, my 311 bag isn’t full.
I recently started to travel with those tabs. Don't remember the brand, it's probably local to me anyway. They are convenient for short trips since I can just take a handful in a pillbox. But the 30 tabs I'd need for a 2-week trip would be more cumbersome to pack than a half-empty toothpaste tube.
You could also bite them in half, as they tend to foam a lot.
You can buy toothpaste along the way while you are traveling!
Long ago Monte gave me some of his Archtech toothpaste tabs. I thought they were pretty awful and felt like a foaming, rabid animal.
I have seen suggestions to dab out toothpaste on a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper let it dry out completely and then use the dabs the same way. They are dry enough that they don't count as liquid but I've never tried it.
I generally take 2 small tubes of toothpaste so I can throw one away but on a 2 week trip I'd just take one smaller one. I don't buy at Dollar Store because a number of years ago they were supposedly selling "name brand" toothpaste that was counterfeit and laced with di-ethylene glycol (antifreeze). I'm not sure this is an issue any more but I just buy at my pharmacy.
AND OT but Hi Monte! Miss you guys!
Matador sells refillable mini toothpaste
Hey Frank11 thanks for this tip. This site looks great! I ordered these and the gizmo to hold bar soap which we always travel with and it’s messy.
Alan....the Matador Soap Bar Case is amazing. I used to use it and will probably start taking it again. No mess.
BTW, Rick sells it in his online store.
There is another product called "Toothpaste 2 Go" that was sold at the Container Store but they stopped carrying it. It's still available online through the manufacturer.
But the Matador product is probably better made.
I use another brand, Bite, both at home and when traveling: https://bitetoothpastebits.com
I have been using toothpaste tabs all the time for about 5 years now as they are plastic free and they work very well.
robin, the Bite stuff looks really good. Love that it's refillable. I wish they shipped to Canada.
For those in Canada, Lush has similar products, although I don't think they offer refillable options. When I first started travelling with their Toothy Tabs, they came in a cardboard package. This was problematic, because the package could become damp, and the tablets inside could start to dissolve. They switched to small plastic bottles, which is what we have, and we've been refilling it with tabs from a large container of a different brand purchased from Amazon. But I see that Lush has now switched to recyclable plastic pots that can also be returned to the store for a discount: https://www.lush.com/ca/en_ca/c/oral-care
We've also travelled with their bar shampoo and conditioner, but we don't bother with those if we're staying in hotels.
Pam “ felt like a foaming, rabid animal.” - that gave me a chuckle. Yea, I’m probably not going to like the texture and have yet to try my daughter’s brand. I always just buy the little travel size toothpaste but might try refilling the travel tube I have now.
Jean, I used to be fanatical about the contents of my 3-1-1 bag, but lately think I can get away with VERY minimal makeup. You know, I have never had any TSA person mention the lipstick or lip balm that is routinely found in my cross body purse. What I insist on having in my liquids bag are lotions and creams due to my very dry skin. I have used the same quart freezer ziplock bag for at least 5 years and it is holding up well. It is packed full. Travel for up to 3 weeks with the contents, but do sometimes run out of body lotion and toothpaste.
Thanks everyone for your tricks and tips.
I USED to put chapstick/lipstick in my purse, until a security officer at Munich airport YELLED at me for not having it in my liquids bag. I still don't think it's a liquid, but now I put it in my liquids bag, just in case.
They’re a brilliant idea, however I didn’t care for the texture and they were rather expensive. Could seriously be worth getting used to for being so compact, though.
I have tried these, they are ok... very fragile, but I put some in a plastic pill case.
Re the last couple of responses about lip balm., I have perfected putting the Tide stain stick in the writing instrument slots of My back pack along w a high lighter and a pencil, I tell myself that stain stick and highlighter look the same to TSA
This morning the woman behind me was told repeatedly to NOT put her duffel bag into a plastic tray
That machine jammed, we turned and walked 6 feet to a different scanner where she was chastised for not putting her duffel bag into a tray
"Pam “ felt like a foaming, rabid animal.” - that gave me a chuckle."
AND whatever you do, do not look in the mirror, do NOT start laughing because you won't be able to stop and might inhale some of that goop! Plus you'll be tempted to run show everyone else in the house....
Doric8! That is what is so exasperating. Everyone can give their personal experiences with TSA or European Security but really it's up to the attendant on the day at the time. Yeesh.
BTW, I always put my chapsticks (yes, plural) in my 3-1-1. I have accidentally had a chapstick ride in my electronics cord/charger cube as I use it as my bedside table landing spot but it's never been flagged.
Whole Foods carries a powder toothpaste. It works well for travel.
