If the choices of toothpaste for your family’s daily care seems to keep growing – whether in color, flavor, or formulation – you may not be alone in feeling a bit confused when making your purchase. We hope to help you with the process, through a series of blog posts related to the topic of your toothpaste, starting with fluoride. Can it make a difference in your daily care?
Hilldale Dental believes toothpaste is essential to your oral hygiene routine. It supports the cleaning power of your toothbrush, by removing plaque from your teeth and gums. Fluoride toothpaste takes it to the next level; not only removing plaque, but also preventing tooth decay by strengthening tooth enamel.
So what’s in my fluoride toothpaste?
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), here’s what you’ll typically find in your fluoride toothpaste:
Fluoride: strengthens tooth enamel, and remineralizes tooth decay. All ADA-accepted toothpastes contain fluoride.
Mild abrasives: removes debris and residual surface stains. (Look for ingredients like calcium carbonate, dehydrated silica gels, hydrated aluminum oxides, magnesium carbonate, phosphate salts, and silicates.)
Humectants: prevents water loss in toothpaste. (Ingredient examples include glycerol, propylene, glycol, and sorbitol.)
Flavoring agents: saccharin, and other sweeteners provide taste. Flavoring agents do not promote tooth decay.
Thickening agents: binders stabilize the toothpaste formula. (This can include mineral colloids, natural gums, seaweed colloids, or synthetic cellulose.)
Detergents: creates the foaming action. (Ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium N-Lauryl sarcosinate.)
Some toothpastes may also contain other ingredients, and the American Dental Association indicates looking for things such as potassium nitrate or strontium chloride, to help reduce tooth sensitivity.
Stannous fluoride and triclosan, helps reduce gingivitis, a mild inflammation of the gum tissue.
Pyrophosphates, triclosan, and zinc citrate works to reduce a build-up of hardened plaque, called tartar.
Modified silica abrasives or enzymes can help whiten teeth by physically removing surface stains.
And some ingredients, like triclosan, have been shown to help reduce bad breath.
Check and compare your family’s toothpaste label to these recommended ingredients. And don’t be afraid to contact us, if you have any questions.