Is toothpaste allowed in carry-on baggage?

The question of toothpaste in carry-on luggage is one of the most frequently asked by travelers who wish to depart with only a cabin bag without being forced to put their toiletries in checked baggage. And the answer deserves a precise explanation because it depends directly on the size of the tube carried and not the product itself.

Toothpaste is a product subject to the 100 ml rule that applies to all liquids, gels, and pastes transported in carry-on luggage at European and international airports. Its pasty texture unambiguously classifies it in the category of products concerned by this regulation introduced in 2006 by the European Union. A standard 75 ml tube of toothpaste is perfectly allowed in carry-on luggage. A family-sized tube of 125 ml or more will, however, be systematically confiscated at security because its volume exceeds the maximum authorized limit of 100 ml per container.

This distinction between authorized and prohibited sizes is a source of confusion for many travelers who do not spontaneously think to check the capacity of their toothpaste tubes before preparing their carry-on. The result is often the same frustrating scene at security. An officer confiscating a new or half-used tube of toothpaste because its container indicates 125 ml or more, even if the tube is almost empty.

In this article, we explain exactly what toothpaste you can take in your carry-on, how to follow the 100 ml rule, and which sizes are best suited for travelers who wish to travel light with only a cabin bag.

The 100 ml rule: what it means for your toothpaste in the cabin

The 100 ml rule is the airport regulation that precisely determines which toothpaste sizes you can take in your carry-on and which ones will be confiscated at security. Understanding this rule in its details saves you from unpleasant surprises at the X-ray machines and allows you to prepare your cabin toiletry bag with peace of mind.

The fundamental principle is that of the maximum container capacity. Any container of gel, paste, or liquid transported in carry-on luggage must have a maximum capacity of 100 milliliters. This limit applies to the total capacity of the container and not the amount of product it actually contains. A tube of toothpaste whose packaging indicates 125 ml will be confiscated at security even if it is three-quarters empty and only contains 30 ml of toothpaste. It is the volume printed on the packaging that security agents check and not the actual amount of product present in the container.

This clarification is fundamental because it contradicts the natural intuition of many travelers who think they can partially empty a large tube before departure to get it through security. This strategy does not work because agents systematically evaluate the maximum capacity of the container indicated on the packaging and not its visual fill level.

The second dimension of the 100 ml rule concerns packaging in a plastic bag. Your toothpaste and all your other liquid, gel, and paste products with containers of 100 ml or less must be packed in a transparent, resealable plastic bag with a maximum capacity of one liter. Only one bag is allowed per passenger and it must be able to close properly with all the products inside. If your plastic bag is too full to close or if you need two bags to contain all your products, you are exceeding the authorized limit and will have to remove some items.

The third dimension concerns purchases made in the boarding area. Products bought in duty-free shops located after security are not subject to the 100 ml rule because they are packed in tamper-evident security bags that attest to their purchase in a secure zone. You can therefore buy a large tube of toothpaste in duty-free and carry it in the cabin in its security bag without volume restrictions.

For travelers who wish to travel with cabin luggage only, the simplest solution is to invest in travel tubes of 50 to 75 ml available in all pharmacies and supermarkets. These sizes, specifically designed for travel, perfectly comply with the 100 ml rule and are available in all major toothpaste brands.

Which toothpaste sizes are allowed in carry-on luggage?

Now that we have understood the principle of the 100 ml rule applied to toothpaste, here are the specific sizes you can take in your carry-on without the risk of confiscation at security.

The toothpaste sizes allowed in carry-on luggage are all containers whose maximum capacity indicated on the packaging is 100 ml or less:

• 50 ml toothpaste tubes available in most pharmacies and supermarkets
• 75 ml toothpaste tubes, which are the most common and easily found travel size
• 100 ml toothpaste tubes, which constitute the maximum authorized limit
• Solid toothpaste tablets with no quantity restrictions as they are not subject to the liquid rule
• Toothpaste powder in an airtight container with no quantity restrictions as the solid format is exempt from the regulation
• Miniature 15 to 30 ml toothpaste tubes often available in travel kits at pharmacies and travel shops
• Toothpaste in individual airtight pods where each pod is less than 100 ml

The toothpaste sizes prohibited in carry-on luggage are all containers whose maximum capacity exceeds 100 ml, even if partially used:

• Standard 125 ml tubes, which are the most common in supermarkets
• Family-sized tubes of 150 ml and more
• Large economy formats of 200 ml and beyond
• Overpackaged 100 ml tubes whose outer packaging indicates a higher capacity

A particularly interesting alternative for travelers concerned about their environmental footprint and the practicality of their cabin bag is solid toothpaste in tablet or block form. These innovative formats, increasingly available in pharmacies and shops specializing in natural cosmetics, are not subject to the 100 ml rule because they are solid and neither liquid nor pasty. You can take as many as you like in your cabin bag without restrictions or needing to pack them in the one-liter plastic bag. They are also lighter and more compact than traditional tubes, making them a particularly suitable choice for minimalist travelers looking to optimize every gram of their cabin luggage.

For travelers leaving for several weeks who wish to take a sufficient amount of toothpaste without paying checked baggage fees, the most effective strategy is to combine a 75 ml tube in the cabin bag for the first few days with a standard tube placed in checked luggage or purchased directly at the destination.