A trip to any drugstore will reveal a plethora of toothpaste. You may find yourself asking what actually makes a good toothpaste? Would your dentist recommend it? Can it help with your sensitive teeth? What about whitening? There are also all-natural and environmentally friendly toothpaste brands to consider. In this article, we’re going to cover all of these questions! We’ll also tell you which toothpastes we personally recommend here at Midlothian Dental Center.
Let’s dive in!
The first thing you’re going to want to look for in a toothpaste is the <p-text-span>ADA Seal of Acceptance<p-text-span>. This means that the toothpaste you’re looking at has met the ADA’s criteria for safety and effectiveness. It also means that the toothpaste does what it says it’s going to do. For more information on which toothpaste meets the criteria, check out this <p-text-span>list of ADA-approved toothpaste<p-text-span>.
If you’ve been <p-text-span>brushing<p-text-span> with the same toothpaste your entire life, you might be surprised to know that toothpaste can come in a gel, paste, or powder form. While ingredients can vary, there are a couple of main components that occur in all types of toothpaste:
Did you know that not all toothpaste contains fluoride? It’s important that you choose a brand that includes fluoride to help strengthen your enamel and prevent tooth decay and cavities. Remember to brush twice a day, and floss at least once a day. Our favorite cavity-fighting toothpaste includes <p-text-span>Colgate Cavity Protection<p-text-span> and <p-text-span>Crest Pro-Health Advanced.<p-text-span>
A smile is one of the first things we notice about another person, so it’s natural to want your pearly whites, white! There are a number of options for whitening your teeth. And while at-home treatments and toothpaste aren’t as strong as what you’d receive in the dental office (hello Whitening for Life!), they are still effective at helping to remove and fight stains. We love <p-text-span>Colgate Optic White<p-text-span>, which has more whitening power (a.k.a. hydrogen peroxide) than any other Colgate product on the market, <p-text-span>according to Healthline<p-text-span>. It also has the ADA Seal for bleaching! If you have questions about professional whitening, please give us a call at (804) 794-4588.
You may be wondering how toothpaste can desensitize your teeth. The answer lies within one of the compounds called potassium nitrate. Potassium nitrate <p-text-span>blocks fluid flow through the pores of your teeth<p-text-span>. Sensodyne is a household name in the sensitive toothpaste category, and our current favorite is the <p-text-span>Sensodyne Pronamel Gentle Whitening<p-text-span>. It will give you the relief you’re looking for while brightening your pearly whites at the same time.
While terms like “all-natural” and “organic” are incredibly buzzworthy. It’s common for various household products to make these claims—toothpaste included. For a toothpaste to be considered all-natural it would need to be free of any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Switching out your toothpaste to an all-natural option is also one of the easiest ways to take a step towards a clean beauty routine. Our current favorite is the <p-text-span>Tom’s of Maine Prebiotic Toothpaste<p-text-span> because it still includes fluoride. Many all-natural kinds of toothpaste do not.
Chronic bad breath, or <p-text-span>halitosis<p-text-span>, sticks around longer than your typical “morning breath” and could be a sign of other dental or health issues. It’s important to speak with your dentist if you’re experiencing less than fresh breath for an extended period of time. There are toothpaste on the market specifically designed for bad breath, including <p-text-span>TheraBreath<p-text-span> which is also an anti-cavity toothpaste.
That’s all we got!
If you still have questions about toothpaste please feel free to ask us at your next cleaning appointment. Give us a call today (804) 794-4588.
