Countless toothpaste options for you to choose from. Others are responsible for calculus control, others contain fluoride, and others both. Let’s not forget the whitening toothpaste or those with natural ingredients.
When choosing a toothpaste you should think about your personal needs. For most people, fluoride toothpaste, which is a cavity-preventer, is the ideal choice. Most experts say that once the toothpaste meets the above conditions, the brand does not matter.
A few words about the ingredients contained in a toothpaste.
Abrasive agents
They help remove food remnants, bacteria, and pigments.
Aromatic/flavoring agents
They contain artificial sweeteners (saccharin) that impart a better flavor.
Factors for moisture retention
They contain substances such as glycerol, to prevent the toothpaste from drying out.
Coagulants
They help maintain the proper texture of toothpaste.
Cleaning agents
The foams you notice while brushing your teeth are due to these agents.
Fluoride
Cavity preventer.
One of the factors for selecting a toothpaste are usually based on your personal preferences, such as taste, bleaching agents, control plaque formation, price.
When you decide to buy a new toothpaste you should think about your specific needs, such as sensitive teeth, and dentures. In such cases also consult your dentist.
1) Sensitive teeth
In this case, you need a toothpaste without “hard” abrasive. You can also select a desensitizing toothpaste (containing potassium nitrate as an adjunct). It will take about four or six weeks to notice improvement.
2) Calculus control
Such toothpastes usually contain the active ingredient pyrophosphate. It does not remove calculus that is already formed but as studies have shown, it will reduce its formation by up to 36%. (Calculus can be removed only by a dentist during cleaning).
3) Abrasion
Many types of toothpaste now contain baking soda, which is less abrasive than traditional abrasive ingredients. It minimizes tooth sensitivity for people who suffer from gingival recession or those who have eroded their teeth by brushing with severe abrasive toothpaste.
4) Whitening
The whitening toothpastes maintain the color of the tooth after professional bleaching. If you want the benefits of whitening toothpaste, look for the active ingredients of bleaching, hydrogen peroxide, and hydrogen carbine.
5) Dentures
The dentures absorb odors and colorants more easily. Your dentist’s advice is required since each case is different.
Athina Tsiorva