Toothpaste: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. What’s Actually Good For Us?
No one should underestimate the power of toothpaste. As you’ve heard time and time again, it is not only necessary to brush several times a day to avoid oral problems, some of these problems come from the use of an ineffective toothpaste, or using oral products containing harmful components.
Let’s take a look at some brands of toothpaste and their characteristics, so that the next time you go to the drug store, you know exactly which one to choose.
White, clean and strong teeth
A good toothpaste has to guarantee a series of benefits for your oral health: it must put an end to cavities and gingivitis, it must eliminate bad breath, and it has to whiten and strengthen teeth all while having a pleasant taste, of course.
The main ingredient to a good toothpaste is fluoride. Even so, not all toothpastes meet this requirement. Let’s see which brands make the cut:
The Good
Among the most reliable brands of toothpastes we see that some products that are exceptional, and whose characteristics will benefit your oral hygiene in multiple ways.
Crest Pro-Health Original Flavor: This known toothpaste aids in the prevention of cavities, helps prevent gingivitis and has no harmful effects associated with gingivitis. This is a great pick when it comes to taste, while fighting bad breath and tooth sensitivity.
Sensodyne ProNamel Fresh Breath: This toothpaste is not only good for day-to-day use, but also is the best for sensitive teeth. It is specifically formulated to help protect against the effects of acid erosion.
Tom’s of Maine Simply White Natural Fluoride Toothpaste: This one is the best for those who want their teeth as shiny as pearls. Also, it fights cavities, whitens with naturally sourced silicas, freshens breath, and helps prevent plaque and tartar buildup.
Colgate Cavity Protection: The classic toothpaste by Colgate is one of the cheapest and more effective toothpastes existence. It relies on sodium fluoride to offer cavity protection. Colgate also has a very mild mint flavor that providesa menthol finish, producing that clean foam we love to see when brushing.
The Natural Dentist Healthy Teeth & Gums Anti-Cavity Toothpaste: Another good option, and one that is not as well known as its predecessors, but just as good. It does not contain sodium lauryl sulfate, artificial dyes, or artificial sweeteners and contains what is really important: fluoride, so you’ll be getting the full benefits of cavity protection. It also contains a number of natural ingredients like aloe leaf juice and echinacea extract, which have anti-inflammatory properties.
The Bad
Colgate Total: Although this toothpaste is prized as one of the best brands of toothpastes, offered at an accessible cost, this specific member of the Colgate family may be harmful to your health, and not only for your mouth. Colgate Total contains an antibacterial and fungicidal agent called Triclosan, whose long-term ingestion can cause illness. Some effects of Triclosan are:
1. hormone imbalance
2. might contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant germs
3. disrupts both good and bad bacteria causing an imbalance of delicate flora
4. can harm the immune system
5. might increase the calcium levels inside the neurons and with this, theoretically, affect the mental development.
For all of these reasons, we invite you to avoid this popular pick for extended use.
The Ugly
The following toothpastes are not harmful to your oral health, but they may not help to keep your teeth free of cavities or gingivitis because of their low concentration of fluoride. Some of these include Pepsodent, Mentadent, Oraldine and PHB Total.
If you’re looking to get your oral health back on track for an affordable out-of-pocket dental cost, look no further than Zentist today.
