How Do I Pick The Right Toothpaste? Keep an eye out for these ingredients
It’s important to brush your teeth at least twice a day to keep your oral health on point. You need to use the right toothpaste that cleans and protects your teeth.
Before looking for anything else, check if the product has a seal showing the Australian Dental Association’s approval. Now, let’s go over a simple guide to help you pick the right paste for your teeth.
Choose fluoride
An essential part of your toothpaste is fluoride. It is responsible for the remineralising process in the body to make your tooth enamel stronger.
With fluoride, your teeth are better able to withstand acid and bacteria. It also helps to reverse the early stages of tooth decay.
Abrasives are important
To keep your teeth clean, you need toothpaste with abrasives. They help to brush off food particles that stick to your teeth. The abrasives will also remove stains.
Don’t the abrasives scratch tooth enamel? Thankfully not – the quantity of abrasives found in toothpaste is not enough to damage enamel.
Some common abrasives you’ll find in toothpaste include:
- Calcium carbonate
- Dehydrated silica gels
- Hydrated aluminium oxides
Look for the above ingredients on the label before you buy.
What about sensitive teeth?
If you have tooth sensitivity to either hot or cold substances, you need a toothpaste made for sensitive teeth.
Sensitivity is due to the exposure of a bone – called dentin – found on the innermost part of your teeth. So, you need toothpaste with ingredients that work at closing up the entryways that allow substances to reach the roots, preventing pain.
Choose a toothpaste with substances such as:
- Potassium nitrate
- Potassium citrate
- Strontium
- Arginine
- Calcium sodium
- Phosphosilicate
You may also need a whitener
You will need a whitening toothpaste if you regularly drink and eat tooth staining food such as:
- Tea
- Coffee
- Wine
- Beetroot
You should also consider toothpaste with a whitener if you are a smoker. Whitening toothpaste has ingredients that attach to these stains and gently scrape them off your teeth without affecting your enamel.
Some of these ingredients include:
- Phosphates
- Carbonates
- Silica compounds
- Aluminium compounds
However, don’t overuse whitening toothpaste as it may cause inflammation of your gums.
Choose a plaque and tartar prevention formula
You can also get toothpaste with an anti-plaque or tartar control formulation apart from whiteners. It has ingredients that form a protective surface on your teeth to stop tartar from forming.
Tartar forms from plaque accumulation on the teeth and is tough to remove, so this kind of toothpaste can help you preempt the build-up and avoid tooth decay.
Some active ingredients to look out for include:
- Sodium pyrophosphate
- Chlorhexidine Gluconate
- Zinc Citrate
- Triclosan
For younger children
Children can’t spit fluoride out as adults do; they need a toothpaste with less fluoride content.
Excess fluoride can cause fluorosis, which brings about spots and smear marks on the teeth. It’s best to go for mild flavoured non-spicy toothpaste for them.
Conclusion
Whichever toothpaste you choose, remember to keep your bi-annual dentist appointments and schedule extra visits when you need to. Book your appointment with us today for the best dental care Maroubra has to offer.
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