How Does Toothpaste Work?

Toothpaste is necessary for keeping your mouth healthy and clean. In fact, it contains various ingredients, including fluoride, abrasives, and detergents, which together work hard to provide the following benefits for your teeth:

Helps Prevent Cavities and Plaque

Each time we eat or drink, our enamel becomes susceptible to attack by the sugars, carbohydrates, and acids in our foods, which help contribute to plaque, a sticky bacteria film that leads to gum disease, and dental erosion, which eventually leads to cavities. Therefore, toothpaste is specially formulated to help safeguard our teeth against these attacks.

One of the main ingredients in toothpaste is fluoride. Fluoride helps strengthen the teeth against acid erosion and plaque by penetrating deep into the enamel where it helps to remineralize the tooth, thus making it more resistant to food and plaque attacks. Some toothpastes also include other plaque-fighting ingredients, such as triclosan and Xylitol, which helps hinder plaque and bacteria growth.

Cleans and Polishes the Teeth

Toothpaste contains mild abrasives and detergents that help keep your teeth clean and stain-free.

The mild abrasives work by physically scrubbing away food, plaque, and stains from the enamel and also polishes the tooth surface, while the detergents neutralize food particles, and the foam helps break up and dislodge stubborn debris from the teeth for a healthy clean mouth.

Whitening toothpaste contains special abrasives that are designed to clean surface stains better than standard toothpaste.

Freshens the Breath

Cleaning food debris and bacteria from your mouth with toothpaste helps remove odor causing substances and also neutralizes volatile sulfur molecules, which contribute to bad breath. Additionally, toothpaste is available in a variety of flavors like bubble gum, mint, and cinnamon to help leave your mouth with a fresh scent.

A good toothpaste along with proper brushing, regular flossing, and yearly dental cleanings can help keep your enamel strong, so it is less vulnerable to enamel- damaging elements, such as plaque, which can lead to oral problems.

If you would like a dentist-recommended toothpaste or toothbrush for best results, or if you would simply like to schedule a yearly dental cleaning as part of your oral hygiene regimen, feel free to contact Fairfield Dental Arts, the leaders in comprehensive dental care