How to Select The Right Toothpaste?
Have you been to the grocery store or pharmacy lately looking
for toothpaste? The number of brands and varieties is truly
overwhelming! Whitening, baking soda, peroxide, sensitive teeth
formula – the list goes on and on. And just because a family member
or friend uses a specific kind of toothpaste doesn’t mean it will
be the best choice for you. The tips laid out here are meant to
help guide you through the process of selecting the right
toothpaste for you.
• First, identify what is important to you in choosing
toothpaste. Do you have any specific dental issues that need to be
addressed? Are you looking specifically for an organic or
all-natural toothpaste? Is the toothpaste for a child or toddler?
Do you want a whitening toothpaste?
• Once you’ve identified the important issues in choosing
toothpaste, you can begin to select the right toothpaste for you.
First, unless you specifically are seeking to avoid it, your
toothpaste choice should have fluoride. Fluoride is the ingredient
in toothpaste that helps prevent cavities and tooth decay.
• If you’re seeking to avoid fluoride, there are organic and
all-natural toothpastes that do not have this ingredient. Many
organic or natural toothpastes have ingredients like tea tree oil
and baking soda, which help promote good oral hygiene and teeth
health, without the use of chemicals like fluoride or sodium lauryl
sulfate, another common ingredient in many toothpastes.
• If you have sensitivity problems with your teeth or problems
with eroding enamel, you may want to consider a specialty
toothpaste for these problems. There are also specialty toothpastes
for excessive tartar build up, whitening, bad breath and a number
of other common dental or oral-hygiene issues.
• Finally, consider the consistency and flavor of your
toothpaste selection. While it isn’t relevant to its effectiveness,
toothpastes commonly come in a gel or paste formulation. This, like
flavor, is largely a personal preference.
With the explosion in brands and formulations on the market
today, choosing the right toothpaste can be confusing and downright
intimidating. The guide laid out here is meant to give you some
areas to think about to help you select the right toothpaste for
you.