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Toothpaste

Toothpaste does more than just keep your mouth clean and your breath fresh. The right toothpaste can address dental healthcare needs and, when you use it correctly, can even help reduce the symptoms of certain oral health issues such as tartar buildup or weak enamel. Shopping for toothpaste is about more than just finding the product that offers a flavor you like. Though flavor can be important for maintaining your motivation to brush twice a day, there’s a lot more to it. Consider your unique dental healthcare needs before you shop so you can make the right choice to address any dental health issues you’re dealing with.

Choosing the right toothpaste for your needs

Your dentist may recommend a certain type of toothpaste or a specific concern to address when you brush, but in the absence of guidance like this, think about any information you've gotten from dentists or hygienists in appointments. When there’s a specific concern, you may be able to find a toothpaste designed to address that issue. If not, a combination-care toothpaste may be best for you.

Whitening: Whitening toothpaste is a popular choice if you feel that your natural tooth color is too yellow. Ingredients such as hydrogen or carbamide peroxide are common in these toothpastes. Both chemical ingredients are safe and natural bleaching agents that gently tone your teeth to whiter shades over time. Common ingredients in whitening toothpastes can also address the yellowing that comes from stains from food, tobacco or coffee. Abrasives such as calcium carbonate and magnesium, all of which are safe to use in your mouth, are effective at removing the layer of stained material that can cause yellowing. This dual-pronged approach helps get teeth whiter faster, though the proportions of these ingredients in whitening toothpaste are relatively low and therefore safe for daily use. However, some people experience abnormal tooth sensitivity when they use whitening toothpastes, especially toothpastes with hydrogen peroxide. You can alleviate this sensation by using whitening toothpaste less frequently or alternating between a non-whitening and whitening toothpaste with each brush.

Cavity protection: Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that’s actually present naturally in human teeth. Though some people prefer to avoid fluoride, this is a safe ingredient that scientists have found to be one of the most effective natural remedies for tooth decay. Toothpastes that offer cavity protection tend to include fluoride as an active ingredient; it may be listed in product descriptions as sodium fluoride. Applying fluoride to your teeth topically with toothpaste may be a suitable alternative if you want to avoid ingesting the mineral through fluoridated water. Cavity-protection toothpastes may have a higher concentration of fluoride than other toothpastes, but the level of the mineral included in the product is still safe for you to use.

Sensitivity: Many people have naturally sensitive teeth. You might also experience a dental issue, such as a cavity or an enamel crack, that suddenly exposes the sensitive dentin inside your tooth. This can lead to unusual sensitivity. Falling into either category means that everything from cold food to hot drinks and sugary snacks can cause an uncomfortable, dull ache in your teeth. Sensitivity toothpaste works to address this by using safe ingredients that help block the pathways to the nerves in your teeth. These ingredients, such as potassium nitrate, act as a bandage over the issue. They don’t necessarily work to repair damage that causes sensitivity in the first place. As a result, you might want to use sensitivity toothpaste as a temporary measure to increase your comfort until you can see a dentist and have the root cause of your sensitivity addressed.

Enamel protection: The enamel is the outermost layer of the teeth. It can erode over time due to a variety of causes, ranging from aging to the regular consumption of sugary or acidic beverages. Enamel-protection toothpaste helps fight against further erosion and may also be able to repair some of the damage. Fluoride is a common ingredient in these toothpastes, too.

Combination care: Many of the toothpaste choices in this section are designed to address a variety of the concerns described above. It’s rare that you’ll find a toothpaste intended for a single purpose. You can find whitening anticavity toothpastes, enamel-protection toothpastes for sensitive teeth and many other great combinations to address all your oral healthcare needs. When there isn’t a single toothpaste that does everything you need, consider purchasing more than one kind and alternating between the two options for your morning and nighttime cleaning sessions.