Choosing the right toothpaste shouldn’t be stressful. Of course, it shouldn’t be too easy either that you’d just pick one brand at random and toss it into your cart. There should be no such thing as too much hassle when it comes to your dental health. This is why you need to know what to look for, as well as what factors to consider for your unique oral health needs.
Toothpaste is one of those things we rarely, if ever, pay too much attention to. It’s just there, and we use it twice a day, at least. When it runs out, we grab another tube. However, considering the fact that our teeth are quite important to our nutrition and health, we should probably start paying more attention to the toothpaste we use every day. If you really think about it, choosing the right toothpaste affects oral and overall physical health. But with so many brands and options to choose from, what factors should we consider in selecting the right one?
Fluoride content
One of the most important factors to consider when choosing toothpaste is the fluoride content. Fluoride is a mineral that is usually found in phosphate rocks. It is highly essential to dental health as it prevents plaque and tooth decay. In fact, a certain amount of fluoride is added to drinking water in countries all over the world to promote dental health. This naturally-occurring mineral helps protect teeth from cavities. It serves to strengthen the tooth enamel and can even reverse the early stages of tooth decay.
If, however, you have children, perhaps it would be best if you chose toothpaste with minimal to nonexistent fluoride content. This is because, according to several studies, while fluoride in water is not harmful, the additional and more concentrated fluoride in toothpaste may cause complications and health problems to children. After all, kids are not well known for their spit and swallow reflex, and as we all know, toothpaste shouldn’t be ingested.
Tartar Control
The mix of proteins and food by-products in your mouth forms a sticky film called plaque. This gunk then coats your teeth as well as gets under your gum line. And if it stays on your teeth for long, it hardens into tartar.
Tartar or calculus is plaque that has hardened on your teeth. It is mainly mineralized dead bacteria and a small amount of mineralized protein from saliva. Tartar is created out of calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate and magnesium phosphate. In addition, it also gives plaque more surface area to grow and a stickier surface to adhere to. This eventually leads to more severe conditions like cavities and gum disease. Furthermore, since tartar is porous, it absorbs stains easily. Coffee or tea drinkers and smokers alike should make sure to prevent tartar buildup.
Fortunately, brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes, using a brush with soft bristles should help. Another thing that could help is tartar-control toothpaste with fluoride. The fluoride mineral should help repair any enamel damage. Toothpaste with triclosan could also be beneficial, as it fights the bacteria in plaque.
Whitening capabilities
Another crucial factor to consider in choosing your toothpaste should also be its whitening capabilities. If you want a radiant and blinding smile, you should definitely pick whitening toothpaste instead of bleach. Whitening toothpaste uses abrasive particles or chemicals which are as gentle on the enamel as any other type of toothpaste.
You should consider this factor, especially if you’re a coffee addict, an ex-smoker, or someone who wants to polish her smile and make it a little brighter. Sure, you can opt for the more expensive options. However, for people who don’t want the bother too much, the easiest way is to switch toothpastes and choose one that does more than fight plaque and cavities.
Whitening toothpaste works by using enamel-safe abrasives to physically remove surface stains. They also sometimes contain other active ingredients like peroxide, which serves to dissolve stains and bleach teeth. Take care, however. Some teeth whitening products are notorious for causing tooth sensitivity. This is why you should check the ingredients list first before making your choice.
Sensitivity-friendly
If you are one of the many people whose teeth are too sensitive to hot and cold temperatures, you need not worry. You also have a lot of toothpaste to choose from. This condition not only occurs because of extreme temperature, however. Dentin hypersensitivity is pain or discomfort in the teeth due to certain stimuli that could extend to a particular food. It may be a temporary or chronic problem. The pain or discomfort also varies. Sometimes it only affects one tooth, while at times, it spreads to all of your teeth,
Luckily, there is a type of toothpaste that helps. All you need to do is factor in a bit of ingredient perusal in your shopping and ensure that it contains potassium nitrate or strontium chloride. These additions help ease the discomfort by a lot.
ADA Acceptance
If you want to really make sure you picked the right toothpaste, you should probably check to see if it has the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of acceptance does. If it does, it means it’s been tested and evaluated for safety and effectiveness. In addition, all toothpaste types with the ADA seal contain fluoride, which is frankly the most critical element in toothpaste. It can dramatically help reduce the risk of tooth decay when small doses are applied on a regular basis.
Brand recognition
Certain brands of toothpaste also deliver better results than others. For example, dentists recommend specific toothpaste, and these brands become popular in the market because of how successful they are at achieving results, like when they treat sensitivity. The ADA approved all major brands. In addition, more prominent brands often have larger research departments dedicated to discovering and enhancing the correct formulas for better dental and oral health.
Ultimately, however, the effectiveness of your toothpaste against everything you’re fighting against will rely on your brushing technique and dental habit. Just make sure to spend at least two minutes, twice every day and brush your teeth and gumlines thoroughly. This should remove plaque and stimulate the gum tissue.
