If you are looking for ways to cut corners on your grocery budget, you might think that buying a discount toothpaste might be a good way to save a couple dollars now and then. But when it comes to toothpastes, it’s important to make sure that you’re buying a product that is safe and effective.
To help guide your choice, the Australian Dental Association (ADA) places its seal of approval on toothpastes that it considers to be effective. But how do products earn this important safety mark?
International Toothpaste Standards
First, a toothpaste must meet the International Standardization Organisation’s (ISO) rules for toothpastes. These rules govern many things, including the fluoride level of toothpaste, the pH of the toothpaste, the presence of heavy metals, the presence of bacteria, sugar content, and stability — how long the toothpaste can retain its properties on the shelf or in your home.
The ISO standards also cover abrasivity — how scratchy the toothpaste is. A toothpaste that is too abrasive will erode your dental enamel — the white outer layer of your teeth. Many discount toothpastes that promise whitening use very abrasive formulas, which can whiten in the short term, but will damage teeth in the long term.
Fluoride Testing
The ADA considers fluoride content to be the most important aspect of a toothpaste. The fluoride content of toothpaste helps ensure that the enamel of your teeth is strong, especially when your body starts working to repair your teeth from minor damage due to daily exposure to acid from food and bacteria.
Testing methods must establish the total fluoride in the toothpaste. The ADA requires that at least 90% of the fluoride on the label be available in both the fresh and the aged samples. Aged samples are those at the end of their expiration period.
The ADA also requires that the fluoride has to be released within one minute of mixing with water or saliva. To get the ADA seal, 80% of the fluoride must be released in the first minute.
Testing Innovative Formulas
But many toothpastes contain additional ingredients intended to reduce sensitivity, whiten teeth, reduce tartar, and many other benefits. In order for these claims to be approved, toothpaste manufacturers have to conduct at least two studies that are at least two years long and compare the toothpaste with a standard toothpaste.
In addition, the manufacturer has to submit data showing that the toothpaste ingredients aren’t toxic.
Earn Fewer Visits to the Dentist
The benefit of all this testing is that you get a toothpaste which has the ingredients to protect and repair your teeth. This means that you should be able to make fewer visits to the dentist. You’ll just make your visits for routine cleanings and checkups, and won’t have to come back for fillings or crowns.
If you are looking for a dentist in Baulkham Hills to handle those checkups or any cosmetic dentistry work you might desire, please call (02) 9686 7375 today to schedule an appointment at My Hills Dentist.
