Television commercials and print ads inundate consumers with toothpaste options that promise to provide whiter, healthier smiles. All these choices can cause you to wander aimlessly down the toothpaste aisle feeling overwhelmed. Understanding what these products really offer can help you find the right toothpaste for your family.
Follow these helpful hints as you make your selection:
Fluoride matters
No matter what you want, from tartar-control to breath-freshening toothpastes, choose a product with fluoride. Brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste can reduce tooth decay by up to 40 percent.
Watch for the American Dental Association (ADA) seal
Only toothpastes that have the scientific data to back up their claims and that meet the ADA’s criteria for safety and effectiveness receive this seal. Stay away from any product that doesn’t have the ADA stamp on it.
Whitening pastes actually work
Although the results are temporary, whitening toothpastes will brighten your smile. These products contain mild abrasives that erase surface stains on your teeth and more effectively remove those stains, so you should notice a difference in how white your teeth look.
Technique matters more than the toothpaste
Even with the best toothpaste on the market, you won’t see exceptional results if you don’t brush correctly. Place the brush at a 45-degree angle to get some of the bristles in between the tooth and the gums; then, make small, circular motions until you cover your entire mouth.
The ingredients might surprise you
Many people don’t realize that toothpastes actually contain things like seaweed and detergent. For instance, seaweed colloids, mineral colloids, and natural gums are used as common thickening agents. Also found in many shampoos and body washes, sodium lauryl sulfate creates the foaming action we experience and is deemed 100 percent safe by the ADA.
Elegance Family Dentistry in Newport Beach, CA – Shahram Salimy DD
