Toothpaste is an essential part of your oral hygiene routine. We rely on it to keep our teeth clean and healthy in between visits to our dental clinic in Saskatoon. But with a wide variety of toothpaste on the market, it can feel overwhelming and challenging to pick the right kind. Today, we will be looking at the basics of toothpaste shopping so you can begin improving your dental care today.
The Basics
If you have ever tried to shop for toothpaste before, you will notice that each option has different flavors, thickeners, abrasive agents and detergents. Each toothpaste option will have a different purpose, let us use the abrasive agents, silicate and calcium carbonate as an example. These are used to eliminate bacteria and food particles from the surfaces of our teeth. In terms of detergents, sodium lauryl sulfate is found in most toothpaste and is used to create suds.
So what is the most important ingredient to look for? Dental fluoride…
Fluoride is one of the most fundamental ingredients in toothpaste. Why? Fluoride functions as a protectant against harmful acids. When you consume sugary foods or beverages, bacteria in your mouth feed off the sugars and produce acids. Acids have harmful effects for your tooth enamel, but using a toothpaste with fluoride can prevent tooth decay and cavities.
Different Toothpaste for Different Conditions
When you buy food at a grocery store, you typically look at the ingredients, right? This is because you know not every food is created equally. The same logic applies to toothpaste shopping.
It is important to note, that each type of toothpaste is designed for different types of patients and their oral conditions. So when you are buying a toothpaste, choose a type that is intended specifically for your dental issue. For example, if you have sensitive teeth that are easily irritated by hot or cold temperatures you will want to find a toothpaste that caters to your condition. Desensitizing toothpaste typically contains the chemical compounds, potassium nitrate or strontium chloride. When you brush your teeth using this type of toothpaste, it can provide sensitivity relief by blocking pain signals to the nerves of your teeth.
Tips for Choosing Your Dental Toothpaste
When it comes to choosing the right toothpaste, use the following 3 tips down below.
Leverage the help of your dentist: Ask your dentist in Saskatoon for some toothpaste recommendations. They will be able to pinpoint which toothpaste products are best-suited based on your oral health needs.
Read the label carefully: Pay attention to the ingredients on the label of the toothpaste you are looking at it. This will help you find a toothpaste that will be beneficial for your oral conditions.
Look for the CDA Seal: Any products with the CDA Seal are approved by the Canadian Dental Association (CDA). The CDA Seal means that these products are guaranteed to provide the oral health benefits claimed by the manufacturer and have been independently reviewed.