Learn More From Our Glendale Dentists About The Ingredients That Strengthen Smiles

Written by Dr. McKay on Nov 27, 2018

One of the most important decisions that you make as a dental patient is what type of oral hygiene formulations you’ll use. There are many types of dental products on the market today, and many of them claim to offer a number of unique benefits. Today our Glendale dentists are reviewing a few of the ingredients you’re likely to find in oral hygiene products. We’re going to talk about what these specific ingredients do, so that you can make informed choices for your smile. Let’s get started!

Fluoride

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that is included in many toothpastes and mouth washes. Fluoride is also administered topically in professional treatments. Fluoride is useful in dentistry because it helps to re-mineralize and strengthen enamel. One think to keep in mind: young children, who are prone to swallowing oral hygiene products, should not use formulations with fluoride. This is because ingesting fluoride while permanent teeth are still developing can cause adult teeth to grow with discoloration and textural irregularities.

Triclosan and Xylitol

Both of these ingredients have antibacterial properties. Triclosan and xylitol neutralize bacteria, and combat plaque formation. You want to use oral hygiene products with bacteria fighting properties, because built up plaque and tartar increases your risk of developing cavities, gum disease, and chronic bad breath.

Tetra Sodium Pyrophosphate

When plaque is allowed to sit on a patient’s smile for an extended period of time, it calcifies and bonds to the tooth structure—hardened plaque is called tartar. Tetra Sodium Pyrophosphate disrupts tartar production by minimizing magnesium and calcium in the mouth, as both of these things facilitate plaque calcification.

When caring for your smile day to day, you want to make sure that you’re using the right tools and products. Our Glendale dentists are happy to give you any additional information that you may need about common dental ingredients—give us a call to learn more!