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What to Look for When Choosing Toothpaste
How To Choose The Best Toothpaste For You
Did you know that around
26% of Americans suffer from tooth decay? Even though tooth decay is a common problem, it can easily be avoided by paying more attention to your dental health. After all, any dentist in Riverdale, IL, will tell you that brushing your teeth every day is important.
However, before you brush your teeth, how can you be sure that you're choosing the best toothpaste for you. When it comes to toothpaste options, the correct choice can make all the difference for your dental care. Fortunately, this guide will show you everything you need to know about toothpaste and toothpaste ingredients.
To start off, let's see why you should always buy toothpaste with fluoride in it.
Why You Should Get Toothpaste with Fluoride
Your teeth are all covered in a substance known as enamel which is the strongest tissue in the human body. However, because enamel is the strongest doesn't mean that it's invincible. Its weak point is that it is porous and can allow bacteria to sneak in and start creating damage.
For example, when you don't brush your teeth, the bacteria that live in your mouth will eat up any remnants of food you have on your teeth. As the bacteria eat, they secrete acid as a byproduct. While you might not notice this acid at first, it can quickly start eating away at your enamel, a process that can ultimately lead to cavities and tooth decay.
The bacteria in your mouth also secrete plaque. Plaque is a sticky film that coats your teeth and can be easily brushed away with a toothbrush. However, when left to sit around, it can turn into tartar which is a hard material that only a dentist, Riverdale, IL, can remove with special tools.
Eventually, tartar can cause tooth decay as well as gingivitis. In severe cases, tooth loss can occur. When you brush your teeth with toothpaste that contains fluoride, you won't have to worry about any of these problems.
Fluoride is unique in that it can help strengthen damaged enamel. This, of course, depends on how damaged your enamel is. However, as long as your teeth are not in the more serious stages of tooth decay, fluoride should be able to help strengthen weakened enamel.
Fluoride might be able to even prevent tooth decay in the first place. Besides in toothpaste, you can also find fluoride in most tap water and mouthwashes.
Why You Need Whitening Toothpaste
Fluoride in toothpaste is the most important thing you should look for when choosing toothpaste. However, choosing a whitening toothpaste is also important if you want to have a healthy and shiny smile. Keep in mind, however, that whitening kinds of toothpaste can't perform miracles.
Many believe that by using a whitening toothpaste that they can achieve the same bright white smiles as seen on TV. This is not true, but not necessarily due to the quality of whitening toothpaste. Everyone has different shades of teeth.
Some people have naturally yellow or grayish teeth. Other people have white teeth but have their teeth stained over time by food and drinks. If you have darker teeth, you'll need something more substantial than whitening toothpaste to get bright white teeth.
However, whitening toothpaste still wouldn't hurt since most people have surface stains that make their teeth appear darker in the first place. Some common substances that darken teeth include red wine, red fruit juices, black tea, and cigarettes. Over time, these substances can cause dark stains on your teeth that can be hard to remove.
Once you start using a whitening toothpaste, you shouldn't expect results right away. Instead, you'll need to use your new toothpaste for a month or two before you start to see results. By that time, the toothpaste will really start working to remove surface stains and you should notice your teeth appearing lighter.
If you're still not happy with the results of your teeth by then, you may need to go to a dentist for
professional teeth whitening.
Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth
There are many people across the country that suffer from sensitive teeth. This condition involves feeling pain or discomfort in your teeth when you consume hot or cold substances such as soup. Thin enamel is the root of tooth sensitivity.
Some people are born with enamel that is thinner than average which can predispose them to sensitive teeth. Other people get sensitive teeth because they are in the early stages of tooth decay that has thinned their enamel. When enamel gets thin, hot and cold substances feel uncomfortable or painful because the nerves inside of your teeth are not as protected as they should be.
Many people who have sensitive teeth also find it uncomfortable to brush with regular toothpaste. For that reason, toothpaste for sensitive teeth exists. It won't irritate your teeth because it usually contains a mild numbing agent so you won't feel any discomfort while brushing.
More than that, it is also full of fluoride which will help build up your enamel with time. After using toothpaste for sensitive teeth after a while, you should notice a big improvement in your tooth sensitivity. More often than not, your local dentist can recommend some toothpaste brands for sensitive teeth.
Choosing the Right Toothpaste and Visiting the Dentist in Riverdale, IL
By the end of this article, you should know everything about how to choose the right toothpaste for you. Beyond brushing your teeth, it's always important to visit the dentist in Riverdale, IL, every once in a while to ensure that your teeth stay healthy.
