What the Heck is in My Toothpaste?

Your Toothpaste Can’t Work Miracles

If you have wondered down the dental aisle in your local drugstore or supermarket recently, then you’ll have noticed the bewildering range of kinds of toothpaste for sale.The claims on the toothpaste packages make the product sound like a miracle cream for teethYou’ll get "whiter teeth," "fresher breath," and a "sparkly smile" if you purchase the right product, or will you?It would be great if there were toothpaste that could perform miracles for dental health, but the truth is that it can’t.What it will do is provide primarily cosmetic benefits, and good dental hygiene is down to the mechanical action of cleaning your teeth. So if that’s true, just what do all those ingredients do?

What You Find in Toothpaste.

Fluoride

Fluoride is useful as it helps to harden your tooth enamel, reducing your risk of tooth decay. To get optimal benefits, spit but don’t rinse after brushing as that way more fluoride will remain on your teeth.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Better Known as Soap

It is excellent when toothpaste foams up aren’t it? It gives the sensation of being cleaner, but that is all it is as there isn’t enough sodium lauryl sulfate to break down the plaque on your teeth.

Hydrated Silica for that Whiter Smile

Hydrated silica is an abrasive that will polish your teeth, but this ingredient can be quite harsh, and the effects are minimal. For a whiter (and healthier) smile, you are better off seeing our hygienist at regular intervals.

Potassium Nitrate or Stannous Fluoride to Desensitize Teeth

Desensitizing toothpaste is hugely popular as who wants to feel pain when they eat ice cream? Remember that desensitizing toothpaste will only mask the symptoms and it won’t repair your teeth if the sensitivity is due to cavities or leaking dental repairs.

Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate for Tartar Control

For tartar control to work, you must dissolve the active ingredient in a stronger than regular detergent. If you are sensitive to a higher pH level, then this could be unpleasant.Provided your teeth are regularly professionally cleaned, and your oral hygiene is generally good then a bit of tartar shouldn’t be that harmful.

Triclosan

Triclosan is an antimicrobial, and while regular brushing and flossing should remove most microbes, its addition to your toothpaste certainly doesn’t do any harm.Provided you choose toothpaste that has received the seal of approval from the American Dental Association, then you should be okay. You only need to use a pea-sized amount, and effective brushing is far more about technique and time spent cleaning your teeth thoroughly and methodically.