Toothpaste medium

Toothpaste cleans teeth, maintains their appearance, and promotes oral health.

Toothpaste contains abrasive materials, active ingredients (like fluoride), and inactive ingredients.

Active ingredients, such as fluoride, help prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

Inactive ingredients in toothpaste have various functions, often contributing to taste or texture (e.g., flavorings).

Toothpastes evolved from tooth powders in 19th-century Britain, with earlier forms appearing in ancient Egypt and Rome.

Toothpaste is a paste or gel containing abrasives, active ingredients (like fluoride), and inactive ingredients.

Toothpaste has seen a variety of forms and ingredients over time, with constant updates to formulas.

Patient choices on toothpaste are influenced by many factors, including advertising, and recommendations from others.

Large amounts of swallowed toothpaste can be harmful due to the presence of potentially toxic substances like fluoride.

Humectants help toothpaste retain moisture, which keeps it smooth and prevents drying out.

Preservatives protect toothpaste from bacteria, extending its shelf life and keeping it pure for use.

Sweeteners are non-fermentable sugars that improve the taste of toothpaste, making it more enjoyable to use.

Flavorings mask unpleasant tastes from other ingredients, creating a more pleasant flavor.

Coloring agents enhance the visual appeal of toothpaste, making it more eye-catching.

Polishing agents gently remove surface stains and polish teeth.

Fluoride is the most common active ingredient, helping prevent tooth decay and strengthen teeth.

Fluoride makes teeth more resistant to acid attacks and helps remineralize weakened enamel.

Active ingredients are added to toothpaste to provide specific benefits, like protecting against cavities.

Active ingredients have a direct effect on oral health, while inactive ingredients enhance taste, texture, or appearance.

Toothpaste's main goal is to prevent cavities by applying fluoride to teeth.

Besides preventing cavities, toothpaste helps remove plaque and surface stains from teeth.

Some toothpastes contain antimicrobials which can help prevent gum inflammation.

Toothpastes can include desensitizing agents to help reduce pain in sensitive teeth.

Some toothpastes contain whitening agents to help make teeth appear brighter.

Toothpaste can help improve breath, leading to increased confidence.

Certain ingredients in toothpaste can make the brushing experience more enjoyable.

Toothpaste ingredients are divided into active ingredients, which have a specific effect on your teeth and gums, and inactive ingredients which provide texture and stability.

Binding agents, such as carrageenans, keep all the toothpaste ingredients together and prevent them from separating.

Foaming agents like sodium lauryl sulphate create bubbles and help distribute the toothpaste.

These ingredients make teeth appear whiter by reflecting more light, but they don't actually remove stains.

This refers to how toothpaste physically removes plaque and stains through small particles that scrub the teeth.

These ingredients try to stop tartar buildup by interfering with mineralisation of plaque.

An ingredient that helps prevent tartar formation by interfering with the crystallization of plaque.

Relative Dentin Abrasion - measures how abrasive a toothpaste is. Higher RDA means more abrasive.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is a foaming agent, often found in toothpaste. SLS-free means the toothpaste doesn't have this ingredient.

There are three main types of fluoride used in toothpastes: Sodium Monofluorophosphate (MFP), Sodium Fluoride (NaF), and Stannous Fluoride (SnF2).

Children aged 0-3 years should use a smear of toothpaste with over 1000 ppm fluoride. Children aged 3-6 years should use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste with 1350-1500 ppm fluoride.

Adults over 6 years old should use toothpaste with 1350-1500 ppm fluoride. High-risk individuals over 10 years old may be prescribed toothpaste with 2800 ppm, and very high-risk adults may be prescribed toothpaste with 5000 ppm.

This technique involves spitting out the toothpaste after brushing but avoiding rinsing with water. It maximizes fluoride exposure to teeth for better protection.

These agents are added to toothpastes to help with dentine sensitivity. Examples include Strontium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Nitrate, Sodium Citrate, Strontium Acetate, and Calcium Sodium Phosphosilicate (Novamin).

These agents help prevent plaque buildup and development by inhibiting bacterial growth. Triclosan is a common example.

Apart from Triclosan, other anti-plaque agents include Zinc Citrate Trihydrate, Chlorhexidine, and Sodium Ricinoleate.

While popular in recent years, whitening agents in over-the-counter toothpaste have a minimal effect on whitening teeth. They might remove superficial stains but for significant whitening, professional bleaching is required.

For significant tooth whitening, bleaching procedures performed by a registered dental professional are necessary.