With so many options available on store shelves, you may be wondering, "What toothpaste should I use?" Get answers and more in our guide!
When you step into the toothpaste aisle at the pharmacy, you're immediately bombarded with options. Most of us aren't equipped to make the best decision about toothpaste without a professional's help, but we can't bring the dentist shopping with us every time.
While you should ask your dentist at your next visit when toothpaste they recommend, you can start educating yourself on the different properties of toothpaste and toothpaste ingredients today. Then you can make the best personal choice the next time you go shopping for dental products.
How Does Brushing Your Teeth Work?
Before we get into toothpaste brands and which toothpaste is right for you, let's get an understanding of the science behind brushing your teeth.
The combination of brushing and applying a toothpaste with an abrasive on it removes and scrubs away bacteria and plaque (left behind by bacteria) on your teeth. The brushing offers some abrasion. But you need the micro-abrasives present in toothpaste to really get rid of everything. There are also cleaning agents present in toothpaste that sanitize the mouth and loosen up materials that won't respond to liquid measures.
Benefits of Fluoride Toothpaste
Fluoride is an important component in toothpaste. When you eat food, you leave trace amounts of sugar and starch on your teeth. Yes, even your healthy foods can leave sugar in your mouth. That sugar feeds bacteria in your mouth which leads to plaque which leads to tooth decay.
Flouride solves that problem in two ways. First, it adds strength to your tooth enamel. The stronger your tooth, the less susceptible it is to decay even if you do end up with plaque buildup.
It also can reverse the effects of tooth decay as long as it hasn't progressed past a certain point. For this reason, if you can use fluoride toothpaste, you should.
People experiencing tooth decay or who are especially prone to it may need a toothpaste that's higher in fluoride. A good way to determine if you need a higher content of fluoride is if you're a smoker or coffee drinker. You can even ask your dentist for a high fluoride toothpaste prescription if tooth decay is a major concern at your next visit.
When to Use Fluoride-Free Toothpaste
There are only a couple of scenarios where you should tooth paste brands that offer fluoride-free toothpaste.
When young children are learning to brush their teeth, they sometimes have a
tendency to swallow too much paste. This is especially a risk if you're using flavored toothpaste. For this reason, it's best to use fluoride-free toothpaste until your child is at least six years old.
You should also use fluoride-free toothpaste if you have a condition that causes swallowing toothpaste. Prolonged swelling of fluoride can weaken bones and ligaments.
But if you do not have any problem with frequently swallowing your toothpaste, it's worth it to use fluoride for the reason listed above. You're at a higher risk of cavities and bacteria build-up without it.
Sensitive Toothpaste
If you've experienced wear and receding gums on your teeth, ask your dentist about underlying causes. Then, you should start using toothpaste for sensitive teeth.
Some toothpaste has special ingredients for sensitivity. Long-acting sensitive toothpaste contains potassium nitrate and needs to be brushed onto the dentine to repair your gums.
There is also toothpaste with active ingredients called NovaMin. It repairs tubules and protects the dentine so that you feel fast relief. It provides both relief and repair which is new for the world of sensitive kinds of toothpaste.
Whitening Toothpaste
One of the main concerns for people when choosing toothpaste is whether it will help whiten their teeth. While the most effective whitening services can only take place in a dentist's office. But some kinds of teeth whitening toothpaste do offer substantial results.
The thing that makes whitening toothpaste work is the micro-abrasive present in the ingredients. These micro-abrasives scrape away the top layer of stains on the teeth. Some whitening toothpaste also includes a small amount of hydrogen peroxide which can bleach a deeper layer of the tooth white.
Look for toothpaste with the highest content of silicates in it possible. These are the abrasives that will remove stains. These are the abrasives that will remove stains.
To reach older and darker stains, you'll
need a dentist's help. No amount of whitening toothpaste will be able to reach them.
Natural Toothpastes
If you're in an all-natural home or are sensitive to certain toothpaste ingredients, you may want to opt for natural toothpaste. Some people are allergic to the foaming agents or flavors used in toothpaste. You find that natural options help alleviate your allergy symptoms.
If you find yourself with frequent mouth sores, you could have an allergy. Talk to your dentist about toothpaste sensitivities and allergies and rule out other problems.
Luckily, natural and herbal toothpaste has been proven to be just as effective as other toothpaste brands. Once you narrow down the ingredient you're likely to be allergic to, you can choose toothpaste that doesn't include that ingredient. Just be sure that your toothpaste still includes fluoride. Most natural toothpaste does, and it's not worth avoiding it if you don't have to.
Toothpaste That Does It All
If you're looking for a toothpaste that does it all, Sensodyne Pronamel meets most of the criteria on this list.
It has high fluoride content for those who suffer from tooth decay, whitening abrasives for people looking for whiter teeth, the sensitivity healing properties of other Sensodyne products, and it lacks many allergenic ingredients.
A Personalized Toothpaste Choice
Consider the dental issues that personally plague you. Then you can make sure that you're buying the best possible toothpaste for your needs. You can prioritize safety for children by not using fluoride, avoid allergens, repair enamel, and heal sensitive teeth all depending on the toothpaste you choose.
Ready to talk to a dentist about your teeth concerns? You can
book an appointment with us online today!
