Family Dentistry Pasadena, Deer Park Texas
How to pick out a toothpaste.
Fluoride
Make sure the ADA seal of approval is on your toothpaste and that it has fluoride in it. Fluoride strengthens the enamel and fights tooth decay. Toothpastes also have abrasives to get rid of stains and smooth the teeth, as well as ingredients that make the mouth feel clean and fresh. Colgate Total and Crest Pro-Health are two toothpastes that people in our office like.
Teeth that hurt If your teeth hurt when you eat something hot or cold, choose a desensitizing paste with strontium chloride or potassium nitrate. Expect to see real progress in about four to six weeks.
Tartar Control
“Tartar control” is a claim made by some types of toothpaste, and pyrophosphate is usually the ingredient that makes it work. Even though it won’t get rid of tartar, tests have shown that it will stop up to 36% of tartar from building up. Calculus (tartar) can only be cleaned away by a skilled prophylaxis.
Abrasiveness Many toothpastes now have baking soda in them, which makes them less rough. This is helpful for people whose gums are receding or whose teeth have been worn down by brushing too hard with a rough toothpaste.
Whitening
People now bleach their teeth to make them lighter. If you want a toothpaste that will whiten your teeth, look for one that has carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide as the main whitener. After whitening, these toothpastes are the best way to keep the color of your teeth. But these “whitening” toothpastes don’t do much to whiten teeth.Call our office if you have questions about how to whiten your teeth.
In the last five years, I’ve had two cavaties. When the dentist gets a cavity, it looks bad. I now use a prescription toothpaste called Prevident at night to protect myself even more. If I like it, I think my patients will like it too. I will tell you to use Prevident because it will make your teeth stronger and less likely to get cavities or be hurt by germs. We have Prevident in our office, and we sell it for less than the drugstore. You will only use the Prevident at night, so it will last a long time.
