Can You Take Toothpaste On A Plane?
Toothpaste is one of the most essential needs for everyone.
Whether it’s you or me.
But when you are going to travel in an airplane you may be little confused that can we take toothpaste on a plane or not?
I’m here to help you.
Be it a vacation trip or a business tour, packing everything important in a carry-on bag adds more convenience.
It helps to avoid extra fees for checked baggage and even will not get lost during the flight. But just like other things, there are rules even for TSA or Transportation Security Administration for the toiletries.
Reading this post will help you know the TSA rules for an important toiletry, toothpaste so that you do not fall under the risk of losing your items when you go through a security check.
Undoubtedly, toothpaste is an important toiletry item that we use on a daily basis. So, whether you can carry your toothpaste on a plane or not?
The answer is YES! You can carry toothpaste along, but then there are certain limitations and rules that you need to follow.
Though you will be able to find toothpaste at your destination, still most of us prefer to carry it along every time we are out on a tour.
Table of Contents
TSA Toothpaste Rules and Regulations on a Plane
Toothpaste is categorized in the group of a liquid or gel. But there is a restriction to it. For this, you need to know the TSA regulations for gels and liquids.
TSA allows carrying gels and liquids that are of 3.4-ounce containers or smaller than this. Most of the toiletries items are included under liquids, like shampoo, body lotion, after-shave, liquid makeup, mouthwash, and toothpaste.
The reason to include toothpaste in the liquid category is that most of the times toothpaste is mainly found in gel form.
Even if there is a large toothpaste tube with little left in it, still it is not allowed to carry on a plane. Furthermore, your liquid bottles and gels must fit well in a single one-quart plastic bag.
What Size of Toothpaste Can You Carry On an Airplane?
Since toothpaste falls under the category of a liquid or gel, you are restricted to its size when it comes to the kind you select. A standard size toothpaste tube is usually around 6 ounces.
This size might be small for you, but it is too large to carry on a plane. If you bring a big size tube then it would be confiscated and thrown away.
Hence, it is essential that you bring a travel-friendly toothpaste size, which is usually approximately 1.75 – 1.85 ounces. Hence, this way you would lay within the limit set by TSA.
Hence, make sure your toothpaste tube is within the range of 3.4-ounce size or smaller.
All liquids of 3.4 ounces must be packed in a clear, single quart size in a plastic bag that can be conveniently removed from the carry-on for inspection if that is needed at the airport while you depart from.
At most of the airports, even a half empty 6-ounce toothpaste tube will be confiscated. Hence, it is best to stick to toothpaste, which is ideally sized and perfect for travel purpose.
Is there Any Restriction to Toothpaste Brand to carry on a Plane?
There is no specific toothpaste brand considered ideal to carry on a plane. You can carry the same toothpaste brand, which you use at home. Such a brand is usually a matter of personal choice.
Almost every brand now days offer toothpaste in smaller, travel-friendly size for the convenience of travelers. You can select a brand as per the recommendations of your dentist.
So, depending on the type of toothpaste you like, you can carry it in your bag.
Can You Carry Duty-Free Toothpaste on a Plane?
Duty-free toothpaste purchased from any airline or airport is allowed to be carried as hand luggage.
But make sure that this is permitted only until the time you have the item as well as receipt sealed inside security bag offered at the time of purchase.
You must not open the security bag till you reach your final destination. While the security officers might open the bag or toothpaste for screening if such a thing happens to have the receipt will keep you away from all the worries.
Can You Carry Solid Toothpaste Tablets on a Plane?
Though there are no specifications for this, you can definitely give this hack a try by carrying solid toothpaste tablets instead of gel-based toothpaste.
Since these tablets are not liquid or gel-based so you may carry them along as you like. It is wise to carry the solid toothpaste tablets especially when you are planning to move out of the country.
Mainly toothpaste tablets are preferred by athletes who travel a lot to compete in other countries and even have the frequent overseas visit.
So, if you are not sure whether an airline would allow you to carry the toothpaste then toothpaste tablet is a terrific substitute.
Toothpaste tablets are available in bottles of 60. It is recommended to use one tablet each time you want to brush your teeth. The accurate way to utilize such tablets is to chew them and then brush as you would do usually.
Normally, toothpaste tablets create foam as soon as chew them. Since these tablets are in solid form so you can bring them along to every trip. This would enable you to breeze through without worrying about the security issues.
Can you Take Prescription Toothpaste on a Plane?
Prescription toothpaste is those that have high contents of fluoride. Such toothpaste is recommended to people who have gone through a gum surgery or have experienced a dental procedure recently.
Since, these treatments leave the roots partially exposed, so people are suggested to use toothpaste with extra fluoride that can help prevent cavities while the oral health of the patient is healing.
Such toothpaste is prescribed by dentists for medical issues like dry mouth. Hence, if you are prescribed by any such toothpaste and cannot go without it then it would be better to carry the prescription slip along the toothpaste.
But even in such situation, you need to follow the TSA toothpaste rule of 3.4 ounces. Some prescription kinds of toothpaste are available in this form.
You can ask your dentist for such kinds of toothpaste so that traveling with them is not a problem for you. If due to any issue you are not able to get the prescribed toothpaste in the desired size, then do carry the prescription letter from the dentist to show the agent as a supporting document confirming that it is a medical necessity.
Most of the airlines do the separate checking for people with any medical specialty of medical need. If you are unsure about to bring or not bring the prescription toothpaste along in the carry-on bag, then it is best to contact the TSA before you board the flight.
It is always best to be prepared so that everything goes smoothly and the experience is rich and hassle-free.
Can You Carry More than One Toothpaste Tube on a Plane?
One question that most travelers have in their mind is the total quantity of toothpaste that must be brought along. This purely depends on how many times a day you brush your teeth.
If you brush your teeth once a day then you would need less quantity as compared to if you brush teeth twice daily.
If you brush your teeth more often, then it is best to carry an extra tube of toothpaste, particularly if it would be inconvenient for you to purchase it from your destination.
Also, if you have children along then do follow the same instructions even for the kid’s toothpaste.
Thanks for reading this guide.
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