What to Look for on a Toothpaste Label
Fancy toothpastes come in a variety of colors and contain unusual ingredients, but they probably don’t provide better dental health than regular pharmacy toothpaste. Here’s what to look for if you’re trying a new brand:
Abrasives
Toothpastes provide little mechanical brushing aid; this is the main reason for their existence. The sand particles help to scrape off bacterial plaque from the teeth. Some common abrasives include calcium carbonate, silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, and magnesium carbonate. Charcoal can also act as an abrasive, but some dentists warn that charcoal can be too hard .
Fluoride or (possibly) an alternative
Bacteria are constantly dissolving your teeth and your teeth are constantly trying to heal. (Your saliva naturally contains calcium, which helps in this process.) This process, called remineralization, is aided by fluoride. All toothpastes with the American Dental Association seal must contain fluoride.
Some brands are now using hydroxyapatite instead. Research suggests hydroxyapatite may be as good as fluoride for remineralizing teeth, but science is not yet conclusive enough for most dentists to recommend it. If you have a specific reason why you need to avoid fluoride, ask your dentist about hydroxyapatite; but now most of us should probably stick with fluoride toothpastes.
Ingredients for texture and taste
Everything else is done just to keep the toothpaste simple and pleasant to use. Moisturizers help the substance to maintain its gel-like texture; blowing agents make it bubble while cleaning. Toothpastes lacking these ingredients are still great for cleaning teeth. (I use non-foaming toothpaste and prefer it.)
Flavors are flavors, and sweeteners are now usually artificial sweeteners like saccharin. Toothpastes cannot get ADA approval if they contain sugar. I swear I’m not in Big Dental’s pocket, but I personally would rather use ADA-approved drugs in a pharmacy than a trendy new brand, however photogenic it is.