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When it comes to cleaning teeth, the most conventional and accessible way is the same brush and toothpaste method. It is good to know that the large market of toothpastes makes decisions on “which toothpaste is the best?” difficult. Therefore, we are pleased to discuss certain characteristics of good toothpastes. You can make up your mind easily if you know what you are using and which features you should look for in your toothpaste.
Toothpaste with fluoride
You may not believe that fluoride in toothpastes has decreased the tooth decay level during the years. When we want to protect caries and decay in our teeth, we think of brushing as the first thing to do. The reality is “which toothpaste can protect our teeth from tooth decay?” The answer is using fluoridated toothpaste.
The amount of fluoride in toothpaste should be from 1000 ppm to 15000 ppm. For children under 3 years of age, this level of fluoride should be no more than 1000 ppm. Parents can use low-fluoride toothpastes with children who may be at risk of dental fluorosis.
High-fluoride toothpastes can protect teeth that have high levels of tooth decay.
Gel or toothpaste
Another way that people use to keep their oral health in case of high dental caries is gels. We can use both gels and toothpastes to remove plaque on our teeth. Plaque removal is an important benefit of these oral hygiene products. Generally toothpaste ingredients and gels are the same. The difference between gel and toothpaste is in the thickening materials. The thickening material in gels is in higher amounts.
Toothpaste use for children
We already mentioned that the low-fluoride toothpastes should be recommended for kids. The reason can be teeth problems like dental fluorosis. Children can easily be at risk of higher intakes of fluoride due to swallowing the toothpaste during brushing. Children should use small amount of toothpaste (pea-sized amount) in each tooth brushing habit. Since children tend to brush longer than adults, suitable toothpaste tubes (smaller toothpastes) and gentle brushes can prevent dental problems in kids.
Another important tip on choosing the right toothpaste for children is the approved seal of acceptance by the ADA in American society. These organizations and the similar health monitoring agencies in other countries are really important in our decisions on the approved and accepted toothpastes.
Whitening teeth with toothpastes
Toothpastes that have stain-removing feature as their advertising claim use either chemical or abrasive materials to prove their claim. In their ingredients, these teeth-whitener toothpastes commonly contain papain, carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide. Toothpastes that have them in the ingredients are great teeth whitening toothpastes.
Due to abrasive materials in tooth pastes, people should be careful about the way they use their oral hygiene tools. For example, if you brush your teeth with putting force on your teeth, you should stop that way of tooth brushing. Enamel over time becomes weak and strong abrasive toothpastes together with hard brushing should not be your everyday habit.
Baking soda toothpaste
Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate has been used as teeth cleaning agent. The benefits of toothpastes containing baking soda compound include:
- Tartar removal ability
- Stain control on teeth
- Removing plaque
- Reduce the risks of gingivitis
Toothpastes for sensitive teeth
Teeth sensitivity causes you to feel pain especially when your teeth have contacts with cold and hot drinks/foods. Therefore, you need a solution to reduce the sensitivity in your teeth. Fluoride varnish is a great option and choosing the right toothpaste can help you overcome the teeth sensitivity. The desensitizing agents like potassium nitrate, sodium citrate are common ingredients in toothpastes to reduce the teeth sensitivity. The mechanism is nerve reduction in teeth so that teeth sensitivity can tolerate the heat and cold.
