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11 Myths on Toothpaste That You Haven’t Heard About

 

Toothpaste plays a major role in our daily life. Several brands of toothpaste are available in the market. So selecting toothpaste is confusing. Most of us don’t know the significance and facts about using toothpaste. We would like to take this opportunity to bust some myths about toothpaste.

Top 11 Myths on Toothpaste

  • Myth1: Kids toothpaste is a marketing gimmick

Answer: No. Children need different toothpaste because they are more prone to swallow toothpaste, and adult toothpaste can be hard on little kids’ tummies. Children’s toothpaste also has, high levels of sugar to make it more palatable.

normal toothpaste and kids toothpaste

  • Myth2: People Diagnosed with Diabetes need a special toothpaste

Answer: Yes. There are 2 considerations to be made before picking a toothpaste for diabetic patients, one it should be sugar-free and two it should have fluoride.

  • Myth3: Toothpaste freshens breath

Answer: Yes, but just temporarily. Toothpaste incorporates into its formulations many flavouring agents such as peppermint, cinnamon, and menthol. These help to mask odours temporarily. But the brushing action is also important since it removes food debris and plaque that contribute to bad breath. If you have chronic bad breath, please consult your dentist today.

  • Myth4: Antimicrobial toothpaste is the best

Answer: No. Antimicrobial toothpaste has triclosan and other bactericidal ingredients. These kill the pathogens along with beneficial microbes (in lay man’s terms – bad and good bacteria). The pathogens over time develop resistance to this, and in the long run, ends up potentially dangerous. So unless specifically recommended by the dentist it is better not to use antimicrobial toothpaste.

  • Myth5: Ayurvedic Toothpaste is the best

Answer: No. When it comes to 100% natural or ayurvedic formulations the attractive part is that there are no chemicals – but there certainly are downfalls. Ayurvedic toothpaste doesn’t always contain fluoride so they may not be able to prevent cavities. Certain ingredients like aloe vera are claimed to help reduce or even fight plaque and gingivitis, however, there is very little evidence of the same.

  • Myth6: All Toothpastes are the same

Answer: No. Using the wrong toothpaste is quite harmful, as they may have ingredients that can harm your teeth, while others won’t be enough to protect your teeth. For example, using a whitening toothpaste on sensitive teeth will aggravate the problem.

  • Myth7: Antibacterial Toothpaste is the best

Answer: No. Antibacterial toothpaste has triclosan. This ingredient is not necessary for most people. Prolonged use carries a potential health risk.

  • Myth8: As long as I brush my teeth well with tartar control paste, I don’t need to go to the dentist to get my teeth professionally cleaned

Answer: No. Toothpaste with pyrophosphates or zinc citrate, among other ingredients, can help reduce the build-up of tartar (hardened plaque), but only on the tooth surface not covered by the gums. And it’s below the gum line where tartar poses the biggest risk for periodontal disease. A regular check-up not only helps you maintain your oral hygiene, but it also helps to catch any cavity in its nascent stages.

As long as you are thoroughly brushing twice a day, accompanied by flossing and tongue brushing along with regularly getting your teeth professionally cleaned and examined by a dentist, the toothpaste you select will be all about individual preference. A good rule of thumb is no rinsing, eating or drinking until 30 minutes after brushing as well as consulting your dentist on a regular basis.

  • Myth 9:  Color codes  on the toothpaste box represent the content inside

Thanks to a viral internet post, people now have the misconception about the color codes of toothpaste tubes. According to the post, the color squares in the corner of the toothpaste tube indicates the ingredients. That is, Green Square supposedly shows that the toothpaste is herbal in nature. Similarly, blue indicates the medicinal properties of the paste, while red shows the chemical content. And if the square is black? Well, it is said that it can be considered as an utterly chemical toothpaste. But No. even though due to the nature of advertisements, in general, this might seem right, this internet tip is baseless. It is only a packaging technique used by the companies during the manufacturing to ensure the dimensions of the toothpaste package. Hence, be sure that color boxes have nothing to do with the toothpaste content.

  • Myth 10: Toothpaste do not have an expiry date

Okay, when was the last time that you have checked the expiry date on a toothpaste cover? Never? Well, it is a widely celebrated myth that tubes of toothpaste do not have expiry dates. But just like any other commercial product, toothpaste does expire. It is mainly determined by the degradation of fluoride, which is active content in the toothpaste. Fluoride helps to fight cavities and to support enamel. But over the period, it degrades and becomes less effective. Hence please do ensure that you take the expiration dates of toothpaste seriously the next time you are at a store.

  • Myth 11:  Natural toothpaste do not contain chemicals

This is absolutely false. Most of the times, in consumer markets of developing country “natural,” is only a positioning strategy. Just because the toothpaste is advertised to have the flavour of a natural ingredient, does not mean that it is completely free of added chemicals. Bottom-line: Natural flavour does not equate to chemical free.

For further information regarding toothpaste read the following article

Ultimate Guide for Choosing the Right Toothpaste

Top 10 Benefits of Regular Dental Check-ups