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Choosing A Toothpaste

Choosing A Toothpaste
While toothpaste [dentifrice] is a valuable adjunct to a toothbrush in oral hygiene, it is the correct brushing action that removes the plaque [sticky mixture of bacteria, food & debris] from your teeth.

• Fluoride Any brand toothpaste that contains fluoride and the ADA Seal of Approval, to attest that there is evidence of its safety, reliability and effectiveness through clinical trials, is acceptable. It makes no difference if the toothpaste is a gel, paste or powder or which flavoring agent is used. However, from an individual motivational standpoint, and assuring its use, these characteristics may be important. Other than fluoride, which strengthens the enamel and fights decay, toothpastes contain abrasives to remove stain and polish the teeth and ingredients to leave the mouth with a clean, fresh feeling.
• Sensitive Teeth If your teeth are sensitive to hot or cold, choose a desensitizing paste with either strontium chloride or potassium nitrate as an added ingredient. Expect about 4-6 weeks to see real improvement.
• Tartar Control There are brands of toothpaste that advertise "tartar control" and usually have the active ingredient pyrophosphate. While it will not remove tartar, studies have shown it will reduce tartar formation up to 36%. Tartar [calculus] can only be removed with a professional prophylaxis [cleaning].
• Abrasiveness Many toothpastes now contain baking soda, which is less abrasive. This is advantageous for reducing tooth sensitivity in people with gum recession or those who have eroded their teeth by rigorous brushing with an abrasive toothpaste.
• Whitening Bleaching teeth to make them lighter has become popular. If you desire a whitening toothpaste, look for the active whitening agents of carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide. These toothpastes serve best to maintain the tooth shade after bleaching procedures. Call our office if you have bleaching questions.
• Dentures If you wear partial or full dentures, they will also stain and absorb odors. Ask your pharmacist to recommend an ADA Accepted denture cleaning paste and/or solution. When brushing, it is not necessary to overload your brush with toothpaste. Squeeze a "pea-sized" amount on the top of the bristles. Correct brushing techniques will cause the paste to foam and cover all of your teeth.

Sippy Cup: Friend Or Foe?
The sippy cup is a spill proof, lid-covered drinking cup designed to help parents teach their toddlers how to drink without spilling. Children can toss it, drop it and turn it upside down, but they can't spill its contents. That's thanks to a valve in the top that releases liquid only when a child puts his lips around the tip and sucks. Day after day countless parents reach for that sippy cup their toddlers love so well, proud that the bottle is a thing of the past, and thrilled that their car seats and living room carpets will be spared! These parents though, should think twice before resorting to extended use of the sippy cup.
Many parents operate under the mistaken impression that the sippy cup is better than allowing the child to sleep with a bottle. The damage done by the bedtime bottle is fueled by the fact that no saliva flows during sleep to clear liquids from the mouth or dilute them. Liquids bathe the teeth all night. The sippy cup filled with sweetened liquids can cause the same damaging effects. The child's teeth are immersed in the liquid during drinking and many parents allow unlimited access to the sippy cup.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children be weaned from the bottle by 12-14 months of age and be encouraged to drink from a cup. Parents are cautioned however that the repetitive consumption of liquids that contain fermentable carbohydrates (milk, juice, soft drinks etc.) from a bottle or sippy cup should be avoided.
• Be very selective about the liquids that you give your child from the sippy cup. Avoid milk, juice, and soft drinks. Try water or sugar free beverages instead.
• Use the sippy cup only as a transition to a regular cup or adult drinking glass with no lid.
• Consider cup design carefully. A pop-up straw reduces the amount of time the liquid is in contact with the teeth.
• Some speech pathologists have expressed concern about over use of the sippy cup and liken its use to a thumb-sucking habit, the effects of which are well documented.