Questions To Ask Beforehand
When you walk down the dental products aisle of a supermarket, how do you normally choose toothpaste for you and your family? Do you pick the toothpaste based on brand familiarity or simply opt for the one on sale? As you scan through the rows of merchandise on the shelves, it is important to know what you are looking for.
Just like no two dental patients are alike, you should definitely be more discerning about the type of toothpaste that is most suitable for each individual in your family. For example, if you are picking out a toothpaste for the little one, it may be a good idea to search for something that contains fluoride and, no harsh abrasives or sugar.
Choosing The Right Toothpaste For Adults
If you are looking for a toothpaste for adults, here are some of the main categories of toothpaste that can help to refine your search so you get the right product that best suits your needs.
Sensitive Toothpaste
If your teeth are sensitive when they come into contact with hot and cold foods and beverages, you may wish to try desensitizing toothpaste. The outer layer of your teeth known as the enamel is what protects them from sensitivity. When the enamel layer is eroded, this exposes the inner parts of your teeth thus causing your teeth to become sensitive. Desensitizing toothpaste contains active ingredients – such as Potassium Nitrate, Stannous Fluoride and Strontium Chloride – that help to block pain signals by stopping microscopic tunnels in the teeth that go to the nerve.1 This would help to numb the sensitivity while at the same time offer relief.
Whitening Toothpaste
When you have stains that cling to the surface of your teeth, they are known as extrinsic stains. These types of stains are typically accumulated from stain-causing food and drinks that we expose our teeth to. Other culprits for extrinsic stains are red wine, coffee and tobacco. These are the types of stains that whitening toothpaste may be able to remove.
Unlike a professional Zoom teeth whitening treatment that is performed by a dentist, whitening toothpaste cannot remove anything beyond surface stains. Instead of bleach (hydrogen peroxide) – which is a highly effective whitening agent used in professional whitening procedures – whitening toothpaste contain chemicals like blue covarine that help to break down or dissolve stains.2 Depending on the toothpaste's ingredients and extent of your discolouration, whitening toothpaste can take between 2-6 weeks to make your teeth appear whiter.2
Natural Herbal Toothpaste
Regular toothpaste may contain harsh abrasives and chemicals. Everyday consumers are becoming health-conscious to this, and they are scrutinising the ingredients found in toothpaste as well. Among the ingredients considered toxic for some are propylene glycol and, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). If you would like to avoid commercial toothpaste, you may wish to try a natural herbal toothpaste that contains natural extracts to fight bacteria and bad breath.
Contact Our Brisbane CBD Dentists For More Information
At Face Value Dental, we offer an Active Care Maintenance Program by an Oral Health Therapist that is designed to protect and rejuvenate your smile. If you’re interested to find out more, please contact our Brisbane CBD dentist on (07 3221 0677 for more information.
References
1. "How Does Desensitizing Toothpaste Work?" Ask the Dentist. January 08, 2017. https://askthedentist.com/how-does-desensitizing-toothpaste-work/.
2. "Is whitening toothpaste worth the extra money?" Mayo Clinic. February 11, 2016. \ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/whitening-toothpaste/faq-20058411.
3. Gerstein, Julie. "Best Natural Toothpastes" Good Housekeeping. March 16, 2015. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com /health/wellness/a18438/natural-toothpaste-ingredients-0307/.