How Do I Choose a Healthy Toothpaste?

With plenty of varieties of toothpaste available on the market, you might need assistance choosing a healthy toothpaste. There are toothpastes that eliminate tartar and whiten the teeth, while others help to relieve sensitivity. Then there is the controversy about toothpastes containing fluoride, and about the other ingredients residing in them. To choose a toothpaste that is healthy, you'll need to learn about fluoride, which is the standard active compound included in most approved toothpastes, as well as other elements for sweetening and flavoring. The most important thing you can do in deciding on a toothpaste is read the list of ingredients on its label.

Although a subject of much debate, dental specialists do recommend that you use a healthy toothpaste containing fluoride, a chemical most known for its plaque-removing and enamel-defending properties. Opponents argue that communities may be providing too much of the substance to people, as fluoride is already commonly found in foods and drinking water. It is important to understand that the way fluoride provides its protection and repairing effects is by actually touching the surface of teeth, not basically through its ingestion. In case you are against using fluoridated toothpastes, you'll need to discover a way to safely replace the action of this compound or select one that contains a little.

Flavoring is not harmful, but sugar is not an ingredient present in a healthy toothpaste. Sugar actually encourages the development of dental caries, openings embedded in the teeth caused by acids produced from bacteria often known as plaque. Allowed to accumulate on teeth and gums, this can lead to gingivitis which is the beginning of periodontal conditions. Reading the toothpaste labels is important to make sure that they do not include sugar in the formula of ingredients. Quality toothpastes use artificial sweeteners such as saccharin, and some toothpaste formulas have no sweeteners at all in them which are the healthiest.

Certain healthy toothpaste formulas have all-natural, organic ingredients. This means that they have no artificial additives and do not contain harsh abrasives or chemicals known to be cancer-causing. Several natural brands often include aloe vera, honey, and tea tree oil, while the flavoring in these pastes are essential oils.

You can also make an organic toothpaste yourself. Popular homemade toothpastes usually include sodium bicarbonate, peroxide, and glycerin. While this may appear to be an effective formula, the glycerin presents a problem as it prevents remineralization, the ability for teeth to repair tiny caries. Look online or consult with your local health food store for the best recipe for homemade toothpastes.