If you have recently decided to change your brand of toothpaste or are wondering if there is something better to use, you may find the choice available overwhelming. There are many options, including toothpaste that promises to whiten your teeth or control tartar and toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth. Then, of course, there is natural toothpaste and toothpaste. However, no matter which brand you choose, there are some ingredients found in most toothpaste types.
Common Ingredients Found in Your Toothpaste
Toothpaste generally contains some form of abrasive agent that might be a silicate or calcium carbonate, and this is designed to help remove stains from your teeth and dental plaque and food debris. Toothpaste can contain artificial sweeteners and flavourings. These are added to make your toothpaste taste nicer. If you buy toothpaste for children, you will often find it is available in a wide variety of more unusual flavours, including bubblegum and cinnamon. Toothpaste needs to retain its moistness, and it contains a humectant such as glycerol to prevent it from drying out. It also needs to be the right texture, and this is achieved through the use of thickeners. When you brush your teeth, your toothpaste most likely foams because it contains a detergent such as sodium laurel sulphate. When looking for a new brand of toothpaste, it’s a good idea to make sure it contains fluoride.
Why Choose Fluoride Toothpaste?
Most toothpaste contains fluoride, an important ingredient for helping to protect and strengthen your teeth, increasing the resistance to tooth decay in Newcastle. Whenever you eat anything sugary or starchy, the particles left behind feed harmful bacteria in your mouth. These produce acid that weakens tooth enamel, removing important minerals including calcium and phosphate and eventually eroding it and causing cavities. Fluoride helps protect your teeth by strengthening enamel, making them less likely to suffer from acid erosion. In addition, if you do have any signs of early acid erosion, fluoride can help replace some of the minerals removed, so cavities are less likely to form.
Once you have made sure your toothpaste contains fluoride, you can look at some of its other attributes to help protect your dental health in Clarington.
When to Choose Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth?
Tooth sensitivity is a very common problem and can be aggravated whenever you eat or drink anything very hot or cold or even breathing in on a cold winter’s day. Toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth usually contains chemical compounds such as strontium chloride or potassium nitrate. These work by gradually blocking up the pathways leading to the tooth nerve in the centre of your tooth, so sensitivity gradually subsides. It can take several weeks of use to get the full effect. However, if you have sensitive teeth, it’s always worth booking a dental checkup with us here at West Bowmanville Family Dental. Sometimes tooth sensitivity is due to untreated dental problems, perhaps a cavity or a failing filling that needs replacing.
Whitening Toothpaste
A beautifully white smile looks fantastic, and whitening toothpaste can be a tempting option. However, if you want to use whitening toothpaste, make sure it isn’t too abrasive as this could damage your tooth enamel. Also, be aware the effects of whitening toothpaste are limited as the whitening ingredients won’t be particularly strong. If you are looking for something more, ask us about professional teeth whitening treatments in Courtice.
Finally, when choosing your toothpaste or other dental products, look for the Canadian Dental Association Seal of Approval which tells you the product has been rigorously tested and assessed for safety and effectiveness.