Everyone knows there are lots of types of toothpaste and that each one has a specific job, depending on what our teeth need. Some people may think it’s all just a marketing invention by the brands, but the truth is that they have all been developed to meet each person’s particular dental needs.
It’s hard to know which toothpaste is best, so it’s a good idea to ask a professional to tell you which one suits your dental needs.
Choosing a good toothpaste can help us fight and prevent problems such as tartar, tooth decay or gingivitis, as well as support whitening or ease tooth sensitivity.
Types of toothpaste
Anti-cavity
These are the majority: toothpastes with fluoride, ideal for fighting tooth decay. Fluoride is a mineral that helps reduce tooth sensitivity. It also helps fight plaque, although that isn’t its main job.
Anti-plaque
This toothpaste prevents plaque from forming. It’s one of the best for protecting your gums and preventing decay. It usually contains essential oils, although chlorhexidine is now being added too.
Anti-tartar
The ideal toothpaste for preventing dental tartar is one with added zinc salts, which stop plaque from forming on our teeth.
Tooth hypersensitivity
No toothpaste will cure tooth sensitivity as soon as you start using it. What it can do is help the teeth recover by covering the tiny pores that open up in the dentine, which are what cause pain when you have very cold, very hot or very sugary food.
Gum disease
Ideally, the toothpaste for this kind of problem should be recommended by your dentist, although you can buy it without a prescription if your gums are bleeding or inflamed.
These toothpastes contain ingredients such as triclosan and chlorhexidine, which are beneficial because of their anti-inflammatory action. Even so, you need to be careful, because toothpaste for gingivitis can have some side effects.
Whitening
Whitening toothpaste is the most popular, because we all want a perfect smile without going to the dentist.
However, this type of toothpaste helps protect and maintain the teeth whitening done at the clinic. So it doesn’t work miracles: to get a real benefit, you first need to have had a whitening treatment, and using this toothpaste will then help keep your teeth stain-free.
These toothpastes usually contain sodium bicarbonate and carbamide peroxide.
Combination toothpastes
These are the toothpastes sold as “pro expert”, “triple protection” or “triple action”, for example. They contain different ingredients that help protect the gums, prevent decay and plaque, or maintain whitening results.
There is a wide range of toothpastes on the market covering everything each person needs, depending on the problems they have with their teeth.
If you have pain or any problem with your teeth, the best thing is to see a professional who can check your mouth and tell you which type of toothpaste you need to improve your oral health. Book your appointment at Clínica Dental Acosta Cubero and we’ll advise you.
