What kind of toothpaste should I use?
4 out of 5 dentists recommend
Choosing toothpaste is hard because advertising has made it unnecessarily tricky. How many times have you heard “4 out of 5 dentists recommend________?” I personally have never been asked my thoughts on toothpaste, but I’m still holding out hope for that special call.
When you walk into a store and see the dental aisle, it can feel pretty overwhelming. What used to be 4-5 options of toothpaste has multiplied to dozens of types, all fighting for your attention. Whitening, charcoal, baking soda, tartar control, sensitivity, plaque control, the list goes on.
Fortunately, taking care of your teeth doesn’t need to be that complicated.
What makes toothpaste tricky is that a lot of it depends on what you are trying to achieve. Most toothpastes have the same ingredients, but in different concentrations.
Let’s break it down into a few common categories:
Overall gum health and cavity protection
Sensitivity
Whitening
Toothpaste for overall gum health and cavity protection
The first category is the workhorse of the toothpaste world. These all have fluoride, which is very important for strengthening the outer protective layer of your teeth (enamel) and preventing cavities. Fluoride gets a bad rap sometimes, but the concentration in over the counter toothpaste is extremely low and the benefits are exceptional. These toothpastes will help freshen breath (make sure you remember to brush your tongue too), keep your gums healthy, and promote overall good oral health.
Sensitivity toothpaste
The second category is designed for people who experience sensitivity on their teeth, usually to hot and cold. The fancy term for this is “dentinal hypersensitivity” and it is very common, especially in older adults as their protective enamel gets thinner and the underlying tooth structure (dentin) is exposed. Sensitivity toothpastes have the same ingredients as regular toothpaste, but they work by adding active ingredients such as potassium nitrate, stannous fluoride, or strontium chloride to seal off those exposed areas. It can take 2-3 weeks to notice the benefits of sensitivity toothpaste, but many people notice a significant improvement with continued use.
Whitening toothpaste
Last but not least, the showstopper: whitening toothpaste. Whether you just completed some cosmetic dentistry and want to maintain your new pearly whites or are trying to get a few shades whiter, this type of toothpaste can be a valuable asset. To be clear, over the counter whitening toothpastes are not going to change the natural color of your teeth. The only way to do that is through in-office or at-home whitening treatments.
Whitening toothpastes work on the surface level in two main ways:
They contain abrasive particles that physically scrub off surface stains from things like coffee, tea, wine, and soda
They often also have chemicals like peroxide that help to dissolve the surface stains
Some newer toothpastes also contain pigments like blue coravine, which coat the surface of the teeth in a thin bluish layer. This film acts as an optical illusion that makes the teeth appear less yellow, and therefore brighter and whiter.
The biggest downside with whitening toothpastes is that they often cause tooth sensitivity. In addition, the extra abrasives can cause excess wear on the enamel, especially in combination with a firm toothbrush.
