Our 5 Favourite Toothpastes
Selecting a toothpaste can be tricky. You might feel challenged when faced with the myriad of options in the toothpaste aisle in the supermarket or pharmacy. How do you separate marketing hype from true effectiveness? What is the best toothpaste for you?
It’s important to note that mechanically removing plaque is much more important than the actual toothpaste selection. An analogy is squirting dishwashing detergent onto dishes but not scrubbing. This wouldn’t usually work. Similarly, toothpaste helps to remove plaque. But it can’t clean without your help to dislodge the bacteria. You do this using your toothbrushing and interdental cleaning skills!
Common ingredients in toothpaste
Water - blends everything together.
Fluoride - protects teeth from cavities by making the tooth structure more resistant to acid attacks.
Silica - cleans and polishes teeth.
Glycerin - prevents the paste from drying out.
Sweeteners such as xylitol - make the paste taste pleasant.
Cellulose Gum - gives the right consistency.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Lauryl Glucoside and Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate – foaming agents
Baking soda – known for its whitening effect
Benzyl alcohol – preservativeTo help you to understand some of the different toothpaste options available, we’ve compiled a list of
5 common toothpastes we recommend and in what situations to use them.
1) Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief: A toothpaste for sensitive teeth
Tooth sensitivity is a common complaint that affects up to 59% of the population. Tooth sensitivity is primarily caused by dentine sensitivity. Dentine sensitivity results from exposure of the softer tooth structure underlying enamel. This softer structure can become exposed when the enamel is damaged. Which can happen due to acid attacks, wearing enamel down or when the gums recede and expose the dentine directly.
According to research one of the most effective options for sensitive teeth is toothpaste with the active ingredient arginine.
Arginine works by blocking the tubules that conduct nerve sensitivity sensations.
Unfortunately, some of the other effective anti-sensitivity agents such as nano-hydroxyapatite are not widely available in Australia. For this reason, we tend to lean towards widely available, accessible and affordable options such as Sensitive Pro-Relief (1).
2) BioMinF: A low fluoride toothpaste
Some patients prefer a lower fluoride concentration. For these patients, we don't recommend avoiding fluoride altogether. We’d instead suggest trying something like BioMinF, which has about 530ppm fluoride (1/2 – 1/3 normal adult toothpaste fluoride). It also has the active ingredient fluoro calcium phosphisilicate.
Fluoro calcium phosphisilicate is effective in remineralising early decay. In some instances, it has even been shown to be more effective than high fluoride gel or 1450 ppm fluoride toothpaste. Its anti-sensitivity credentials are also strong. Some evidence suggests that it may be even more effective than some other common anti-sensitivity toothpastes (2).
3) Neutrafluor 5000ppm: A toothpaste for high-risk patients:
This is a higher fluoride toothpaste that we tend to use for some of our patients. It is suitable for those who have risk factors such as extensive medications or medical conditions. These medications or conditions may cause dry mouth, impaired hygiene abilities, sensory aversion and other unique needs. It is particularly useful in reducing the risk of root caries.
The toothpaste is only available ‘behind the counter’. We prescribe it for individual patients based on a risk assessment. The active ingredient in this toothpaste is sodium fluoride at 3-5 times the concentration of normal adult toothpaste (3).
- Children under 6 years should not use this toothpaste. Pregnant/breastfeeding women should also use caution and discuss it with their dentist/doctor prior to use.
4) Colgate Total: A toothpaste for everyday use
The formula for Colgate Total has changed over the years. The current active ingredients are arginine, zinc and 1450ppm fluoride.
The importance of the arginine and zinc combination is in reducing the accumulation of plaque over time. A significant reduction in the quantity of plaque has been demonstrated after 29 days of continual use. Additionally, after the same amount of continual use, a reduction in active disease can be seen when compared with a plain fluoride toothpaste without these active ingredients (4).
This approach lacks a substantial quantity of independent studies. However, we do like the idea of influencing the microbiome in order to decrease the risk of disease. We’re heartened that toothpaste is heading in this more sophisticated direction.
Who this is not good for:
- We don’t recommend using this for kids under 6 years of age
- We don’t recommend this for patients who are sensitive to sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS)
5) Colgate Smile for Good: A toothpaste for everyday use
This is a simple toothpaste for people looking to reduce the additives that some toothpaste tends to have. It is currently recommended for our patients who are vegan, gluten intolerant or sensitive to SLS.
We have included this on our list because it is the first readily accessible toothpaste available in a recyclable toothpaste tube. Hopefully, they all are one day. But for now, this leads us to recommend this for any patient looking to minimise the ingredients in their toothpaste (such as SLS). While also looking to get the benefits of key ingredients like fluoride, which it contains in sufficient quantities to significantly reduce the risk of caries at 1450 ppm (5).
This information is intended to increase general knowledge about oral health topics but is not a substitute for professional advice. We would encourage you to discuss decisions with your dentist.
If you think you’d like to book a consultation with Dr Kate Amos, Dr Sam Rosehill, Dr Theresa Nevell or Dr James Taylor call Ethical Dental on 6652 3185.
References:
1) Nathoo S, et al. J Clin Dent. 2009;20(Spec Iss):123–130.
2) Docimo R, et al. J Clin Dent. 2009; 20(Spec Iss):17–22.
3) Pereira et al., J Odontol 2018,2:1
4) Srinivasan M et al. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2014 Aug; 42(4): 333–340.
5) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30620868/
6) https://www.scielo.br/j/bor/a/FRsDSNcn9rDxxMxMQryzr4y/?lang=en
