Toothpaste is an element almost always present in our shopping cart. Often, however, in front of shelves full of tubes with multiple variations (whitening, fluorine, sensitive teeth …) we do not know what is the best way to direct our choice.
Our teeth have individual peculiarities for which each of us can have the foresight to choose the product that best meets the needs of your dental system.
It is good to specify however that the toothpaste is only an adjuvant in the daily activity reserved for oral hygiene, the effectiveness of a good cleaning of the teeth is in fact due to the correct methods and times of brushing.
That said, it is always good to know the differences between the many types of toothpaste on the market.
Historically one of the main components of toothpaste is fluoride.
Fluorine is a mineral that helps prevent plaque and consequently tooth decay and at the same time has the function of remineralizing dental enamel. A fluorine-based toothpaste, forming a thin layer in the most superficial part of the enamel, therefore helps to counteract the acids produced by the bacterial plaque.
In products where the “against tartar” label appears, we often find pyrophostats or zinc citrate among the components of the toothpaste. These elements are added to counteract the sedimentation of the plaque which, if not removed, turns into tartar, obviously the toothpaste will never have the ability to totally eliminate the layer of tartar which can only be permanently removed by your dentist in an adequate session. oral hygiene.
For those with particularly sensitive teeth, therefore evident reactions and nuisances to hot or cold stimuli, there are specific products. In this case, potassium nitrate is often contained in the toothpaste tube, a chemical compound that certainly does not eliminate the problem but can provide temporary relief.
The whitening toothpastes (all whitening products for example) are composed of abrasive particles or chemicals (often blue in color) that have the function of polishing the enamel, although it can be thought that they have more aggressive agents than other products on the market, in reality, also in this case, it is not the toothpaste that is the cause of any abrasion of the enamel, rather the hardness of the bristles of the toothbrush or too vigorous brushing.
No toothpaste will be able to cure gingivitis or bleeding gums.
In some of the products where a specific action on the gums is indicated, we will certainly find chlorhexidine, a component that has a disinfectant action on the bacteria that cause gingivitis. This type of toothpaste should be used for short periods of time and on clear indication of the dentist.
Consult your dentist for general indications on which toothpaste to choose is always a good practice, with the awareness that it is not for the contents of the tube to completely solve our dental health problems.
