Choosing a Toothpaste: More Than Just Mint

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When it comes to plaque removal, it’s your toothbrush that does most of the heavy lifting, but toothpaste contributes by removing stains and leaving your mouth fresher. Typically, commercial toothpastes are a concoction of abrasives, foaming agents, water, and binders, with flavor, color, and sweeteners added. They also may contain therapeutic agents such as fluoride or ingredients designed to combat tooth sensitivity. The main difference between gels and pastes is that gels contain more thickeners.

Be Aware of Abrasiveness
An important consideration when choosing toothpaste is its level of abrasiveness. Materials such as chalk, bicarbonate, and silicon or aluminum oxides remove external tooth stains. Polishers are included to restore the luster that abrasive materials dull. Although you want a toothpaste with enough abrasiveness to remove stains, high abrasive content and an incorrect brushing technique can lead to permanent tooth damage, particularly around the gum line. Abrasion also can wear away the fragile gum tissue, causing the gums to recede faster.

If you don’t smoke and have few stains, low-abrasive toothpaste is best for you. A standard test is used to determine the abrasiveness of toothpaste, and the result is a Relative Dentin Abrasivity (RDA) value. Unfortunately, the RDA values of different brands of toothpastes aren’t readily available. Since the ADA issues its seal of approval only to toothpastes that are mild to moderately abrasive (250 RDA or less), choosing a toothpaste that carries the ADA seal is a simple way to ensure that your toothpaste isn’t too harsh.

Look for Fluoride
Also, choose toothpaste with fluoride. This additive is instrumental in warding off tooth decay. Most brands on the market today contain fluoride. Another ingredient, triclosan, has long been used in European dental products to combat gingivitis, a form of periodontal disease. Colgate Total was the first FDA-approved brand of toothpaste in the United States to contain this antimicrobial agent.

Some toothpastes are designed to reduce hypersensitivity. The ADA has granted approval to several products formulated for this purpose. Some antisensitivity toothpastes contain fluoride as well.

For a Whiter Smile
Toothpaste companies have bombarded the marketplace with toothpastes that claim to whiten teeth. Most major brands have at least one such toothpaste. All toothpastes contain mild abrasives that help remove surface stains. However, “whitening” toothpastes that contain the ADA Seal of Acceptance also have chemical or polishing agents that provide added stain removal power.

Dental Health for Adults: A Guide to Protecting Your Teeth and Gums. Copyright © by Harvard University. All rights reserved.