Which Toothpaste Is Best For Sensitive Teeth, For Whitening, For Sore Gums, For A Child And How To Choose It Correctly

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 22:26

How to choose the right toothpaste for yourself and your child

The modern market has no shortage of varieties of toothpaste: world brands and domestic manufacturers, novelties and time-tested specimens are represented here. Pastes differ not only in price, age restriction and clinical purpose, but in taste, color, consistency, and other characteristics. If you are not one of those who take from the counter what lies closer, but are accustomed to a reasonable approach to the choice of purchased goods, it will be useful to understand all this diversity. We lay out the types of pastes "on the shelves" and look for the perfect one.

Content

• 1 What should be toothpaste

• 2 Means for children's teeth

  2.1 Photo gallery of toothpastes for children

• 3 Types of toothpastes

  • 3.1 Illustrative photos of hygienic toothpastes
  • 3.2 Photo gallery of prophylactic toothpastes
  • 3.3 In the photo: the most popular medicinal toothpastes
  • 3.4 Whitening toothpastes in the photo

• 4 What is what in toothpaste

  • 4.1 The most harmful ingredients

  • 4.2 Natural toothpastes

    4.2.1 Photo of recommended organic toothpastes

  • 4.3 The Colored Stripes Myth
• 5 Price segment and manufacturers
• 6 Experts advise
• 7 How to choose the right toothpaste (video)

What should be toothpaste

For a long time toothpaste has become an indispensable attribute of morning and evening dress. Fresh breath and clean teeth are a guarantee that we are truly awake and ready for a new day. At the same time, such an obligatory and important product is often purchased thoughtlessly: what is on sale or is more often advertised is taken. People who have not encountered specific oral cavity problems rarely come to mind to read information about the composition of toothpaste, its purpose and manufacturer.

According to consumer expectations, an ideal toothpaste should provide:

• cleanliness of the mouth and fresh breath;
• fight against plaque and bacteria;
• prevention of caries and other dental diseases;
• gum care and enamel strengthening;
• whitening effect.

On packages with toothpastes, you will often find check marks opposite all the proposed conditions, or maybe they will promise you even more advantages. But look at things realistically. Hardly a single toothpaste can cope with all possible problems. In addition, depending on age, health status and region of residence, we are all in different conditions, which means that the oral cavity needs different care. That is why toothpastes have long been produced taking into account various characteristics and consumer needs.

Means for children's teeth

Depending on the age of the consumer, the whole variety of toothpastes can be divided into adults and children

The latter type includes a minority of toothpastes, but it is perhaps unnecessary to talk about the responsibility of choice here. Children's toothpaste should have a soft structure that does not break the child's weak and sensitive enamel, therefore it is important that it does not contain abrasive particles. Children often swallow the paste during the cleaning process, which means it is necessary to exclude pastes containing active chemical components that can cause poisoning or allergies.

Often, children's toothpaste smells like fruit, so that the process of brushing your child's teeth evokes pleasant associations. Therefore, flavors and colorants will inevitably be present in the composition of such pastes.

Among children's toothpastes, there is an additional age division. So, some pastes are intended for children from 1 year old. It is understood that they are safe for the child. Some of them:

• ROCS Baby is intended for children from 0 to 3 years old, it is tasteless, odorless and contains no harmful components. It is much more expensive than its "counterparts" and has a very short shelf life due to the natural ingredients.
• SPLAT, Russia (0–4 years) has a milky-vanilla taste, contains many natural ingredients, incl. fish oil, aloe vera, etc.
• Lacalut Baby, Germany (up to 4 years old) contains 0.25% fluoride with an allowable rate of 0.05%.
• Aquafresh Kids (0–6 years old) contains colorants (two colored stripes), flavors and parabens.
• "Little fairy" (from 1 year old) has a very sweet taste and strawberry aroma, contains SLS and parabens.
• Drakosha, Russia - peach flavored gel contains sweeteners, preservatives and fluoride.

Photo gallery of toothpastes for children

Toothpaste 'Drakosha' (Russia)

Toothpaste 'Little Fairy' (Russia)

SPLAT children's toothpaste

Toothpaste from 0 to 4 years

ROCS toothpaste for children

ROCS toothpaste for children

ROCS for children

Aquafresh Kids Toothpaste

Types of toothpastes

The family of toothpastes is divided into four groups:

Hygienic - do not have a specific purpose. It is bought by a person with healthy teeth and gums. The task of such a paste is to cleanse the oral cavity and provide a long-lasting freshness effect. They do without active ingredients in the composition. Among the toothpastes on the shelves of chain supermarkets, a significant part is of this type

Visual photos of hygienic toothpastes

Colgate Hygienic Paste (Colgate-Palmolive Company)

Hygienic paste 'New pearl' (Nevskaya cosmetics)

Hygienic paste 'Family' (Russia)

Hygienic paste Aquafresh (GlaxoSmithKline plc)

Hygienic paste Blend-a-med (Procter & Gamble)

ROCS toothpaste (Switzerland-Russia)

Preventive - they affect tooth enamel and gums with the help of active substances, for example, fluoride or calcium. Their action is aimed at suppressing the growth of destructive microorganisms and preventing diseases of the teeth and gums

Photo gallery of prophylactic toothpastes

President Toothpaste for Halidosis Prevention

Preventive paste Faberlic

SPLAT for the prevention of gum disease

Coniferous paste 'Forest balsam' for the prevention of gum diseases

Prophylactic paste 'Fruit Kiss' (Russia)

Lacalute aktive prophylactic toothpaste (Germany)

Silka toothpaste (Germany)

Medicinal - are acquired when it is too late for prevention. That is, the problems have developed into diseases, and they need to be fought with. Gum bleeding is one of them. It is selected on the recommendation of a doctor, taking into account the disease (periodontal disease, caries, stomatitis, etc.). As a rule, it contains an antibiotic (triclosan) that relieves inflammation, and additional substances that fight symptoms and hypersensitivity

In the photo: the most popular medicinal toothpastes

SPLAT gum treatment

Lacalut fluor

'Parodontol' (JSC 'Svoboda')

Parodontax against periodontal disease

Whitening - designed for the gradual removal of unpleasant yellow teeth without going to salons. This refers to the duration and regularity of use. They are rich in both active substances and abrasive ingredients

Whitening toothpastes in the photo

Aquafresh Whitening Toothpaste

Whitening toothpaste ROCS

Blend-a-med whitening toothpaste

Sensodyne Whitening Paste

Whitening paste SPLAT

Colgate Whitening Paste

President whitening paste

What is what in toothpaste

When you read the ingredients on the packaging, you see a lot of ingredients. Which ones are needed and what are they responsible for?

The active substances are responsible for protecting and strengthening the teeth. Antibacterial effect, healthy enamel, strong gums

• Sodium fluoride (NaF) is the basic ingredient in toothpaste, which is responsible for the strength of teeth and provides protection against caries. Neutralizes acid, strengthens tooth enamel.
• Sodium bicarbonate - thanks to its abrasive structure, it cleans plaque, whitens teeth. Basically, it's just regular baking soda that removes stains with ease. Maintains an alkaline environment in the oral cavity.
• Triclosan, xylitol - protects against bacteria and plaque formation. The active ingredient in most antibacterial medicated pastes.
• Pyrophosphates fight tartar formation by preventing calcium and magnesium from settling on the enamel.
• Hydrogen peroxide is a whitening agent that polishes the tooth surface. Has an antibacterial effect.
• Potassium nitrate eliminates the problem of increased sensitivity of teeth to cold or hot, eliminates pain and discomfort with regular use. Strontium chloride and potassium citrate have similar properties.

Inactive substances carry an additional load, they are responsible for improving consumer characteristics: maintaining consistency and increasing shelf life, improving taste and aroma properties, etc

• abrasive substances that provide a cleaning effect and remove plaque (calcium or magnesium carbonate, aluminum oxide, phosphates);
• humectants (sorbitol, glycerin);
• binders (seaweed extract, cellulose fibers, alginate, resin, etc.);
• flavoring and aromatic additives (saccharin, sorbitol, xylitol, etc.);
• colorants (titanium dioxide);
• foaming agents (sodium or ammonium lauryl sulfate).

The most harmful ingredients

Most of the compounds in toothpaste are synthetic. The most dangerous of them are:

• Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is found in the vast majority of pastes, and premium pastes are no exception. This is the same blowing agent that is used in the manufacture of detergent and shampoo. Highly toxic allergen. On pastes that do not have this component, there is a special label SLS-free.
• Fluoride (fluoride) fights caries, but in excessive doses it contributes to the destruction of not only tooth enamel, but also bone tissue. A person, as a rule, already consumes a sufficient mass of fluoride from water and food.
• Triclosan (metronidazole, chlorhexine, bisabolol, biclotymol) are antibiotics and destroy not only pathogenic bacteria, but also those that are responsible for the formation of normal microflora in a healthy body.
• Aluminum lactate (aluminum lactate) reduces gingival bleeding and sensitivity. Being cheaper than natural counterparts, it is added to most toothpastes. In this case, aluminum very easily settles and accumulates in the body, causing degeneration of brain cells. Especially harmful for pregnant women, because accumulates in the placenta.

Natural toothpastes

For those who are suspicious of chemical ingredients and are looking for organic toothpastes, we advise you to look at products in which the content of chemicals is minimized.

• Aashadent with cardamom and ginger (India)
• Organic toothpaste Organic People (Russia)
• Agafia's organic toothpaste, lingonberry, cedar (Russia).

Photos of recommended organic toothpastes

Assortment of Russian-made organic toothpaste

Organic Toothpaste From India

Organic Lingonberry Toothpaste

Organic Cedar Toothpaste

The Colored Stripes Myth

For several years, information has been circulating on the Internet that the composition of toothpaste can be identified by the color of the stripes on the tube. These nonsense even migrated to the screen of the First Channel in the program "Living Healthy". However, experts from the Russian Perfumery and Cosmetic Association claim that the green, black, red and blue stripes do not say anything about the usefulness or harmlessness of the paste and its composition. These strips serve solely as a marking for packaging machines, and nothing more. So if you want to know the composition of a toothpaste, do not look at the strips, but read the composition of the product.

Colored stripes on a tube of toothpaste do not convey information about the quality and composition

Price segment and manufacturers

Both Russian and international brands are widely represented on the toothpaste market today. At the same time, some manufacturers specialize exclusively in the production of toothpaste, while others produce toothpaste along with other household chemicals and cosmetics.

The brands of the world concerns Procter & Gamble (Blend-a-med) and Colgate-Palmolive (Colgate) are very popular, leading in the world market of household chemicals in many positions. Britain's GlaxoSmithKline (Aquafresh) also ranks high.

Colgate and Blend-a-med are the leaders of foreign toothpastes on the Russian market

Russian manufacturers of cosmetics and household chemicals are also in demand: Novy Zhemchug (Nevskaya Cosmetics), 32 Bionorms (Unilever Rus), Lesnoy Balsam, etc. Among the popular manufacturers are Concern Kalina (Yekaterinburg), Nevskaya Cosmetics (St. Petersburg), Svoboda JSC (Moscow).

Domestic manufacturers specialize exclusively in the production of professional toothpaste, for example, SPLAT and ROCS, which have recently conquered a significant part of the Russian market. They have their own scientific laboratories, offer professional solutions for various oral problems and create a wide network of specialized products.

World brands of toothpaste:

• Lacalut (Germany) - professional treatment and prevention of dental and gum disease;
• PresiDENT (Betafarma SpA) - manufactured in pharmaceutical plants in Italy
• Silca (Dental-Kosmetik) - German quality confirmed by over 100 years of experience.

Where is the best place to buy toothpaste? The toothpaste is sold both in the trade and in the pharmacy chain. At the same time, pharmacies, as a rule, offer a wide range of medicinal pastes with a special purpose. Toothpastes that fight specific diseases of the oral cavity are not represented in the trade network and are distributed only through pharmacies or dental salons.

Typically, the price of pasta is divided into 4 price segments:

• economical;
• average;
• premium;
• super premium.

Super premium segment toothpaste

Super-premium class toothpaste is usually imported. The cost of such a paste is impressive. For example, the Italian brand Marvis costs about 1,000 rubles per tube.

Economy and medium segments range from 30 to 100 rubles per unit.

Experts advise

When choosing a toothpaste, some questions arise. Here are the answers given by dentists:

Is the whitening paste safe?

Only cheap pastes saturated with abrasive substances that scratch and thin the enamel are harmful to the teeth. The abrasiveness level of the paste is indicated by the RDA symbols and an index that indicates the size of the abrasive particles. The optimal indicator is RDA 70–120 (LACALUT White, PRESIDENT White, SILCA Arctic White, SPLAT whitening Plus).

Are antiseptic pastes harmless?

If pastes containing triclosan, chlorhexidine or hexitidine are used continuously, they can be harmful. following the pathogenic bacteria, they will begin to destroy the beneficial microflora. The course of treatment with such pastes should not exceed two weeks.

Is it true that gel is better than paste?

Both types provide equal care and cleansing. This is a matter of taste, and nothing more.

Should I brush my teeth after every meal?

The optimal regimen for brushing your teeth is morning and evening. More frequent treatments lead to thinning of the enamel and increased sensitivity. For oral health, it is enough to brush your teeth for 1.5 minutes twice a day.

How to choose the right toothpaste (video)

Toothpaste has long been a staple and everyday commodity. A conscious approach to her choice is a matter of taking care of the family's health. The ideal toothpaste does not exist, but after examining all the pros and cons, familiarizing yourself with the composition of the paste and the recommendations of dentists, choose the one that will be the most suitable.