Toothpaste
Toothpaste was invented to promote oral hygiene beyond the dental clinic and of what a dentist could provide. Although, the ancient Egyptians were among the fist to use toothpaste, it wasn’t until the 1900’s when toothpaste became manufactured and was sitting in everyone’s washroom cabinet.
Toothpaste is meant to prevent cavities and tooth and gum disease. It aids in removing plaque and food from your teeth, and delivers fluoride to prevent gingivitis.
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There are many brands of toothpaste today, but among all of them, they all contain somewhat of the same ingredients. They contain:
Fluoride, which makes teeth more resistant to acids produced by plaque bacteria and foods. It is usually found in the form sodium monofluorophosphate or sodium fluoride.
Abrasives, which gives toothpaste its cleaning power. It is usually found in the form of calcium phosphate, alumina, calcium carbonate, and silica. Some abrasives in toothpaste are too abrasive causing damage to the tooth enamel, leading to tooth sensitivity. It also causes yellowing as the thinned enamel reveals the yellowish dentin layer below.
Detergents, which create the foaming action in toothpaste. Foam keep the toothpaste in our mouths, preventing it from dribbling out as we brush. Sodium lauryl sulphate is the form of detergent most commonly used.
Humectants, which give toothpaste its texture as well as retain the moisture in the toothpaste so it doesn’t dry out. Glycerin, sorbitol, and water are commonly used humectants in toothpaste.
Preservatives, which prevent the growth of microorganisms in toothpaste, thus eliminating the need to refrigerate it. Commonly used preservatives include sodium benzoate, methyl paraben, and ethyl paraben.
Colouring agents, which make the colour of tooth paste more clean looking. Titanium dioxide is used to make some toothpastes white.
And there are also added flavorings, like peppermint, kids cotton candy, and more. There are other additional chemicals that are added to toothpastes like tetrasodium pyrophosphate, which removes the calcium and magnesium from saliva (interacts with it to do so), which reduces the amount of tartar (bacteria) deposits on teeth. Other chemicals include sodium hydroxide (NaOH), pentasodium triphosphate, and acrylic polymers.
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Of course chemists and dentists were brought together for the manufacturing of toothpaste to ensure that the at home process of cleaning your teeth was safe, even if swallowed. Brushing your teeth does help prevent oral health problems, but it is always important that we visit our dentist every few months.
Dentists can reach, clean, and fix our teeth beyond the levels of toothpaste. Even if you brush your teeth often enough, alignment irregularities, stains, root cannels, and pains can only be checked and fixed by a dentist.
So as you can see, dentists and chemists are much alike in the bases of materials used for oral health.
Toothpaste is meant to prevent cavities and tooth and gum disease. It aids in removing plaque and food from your teeth, and delivers fluoride to prevent gingivitis.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
There are many brands of toothpaste today, but among all of them, they all contain somewhat of the same ingredients. They contain:
Fluoride, which makes teeth more resistant to acids produced by plaque bacteria and foods. It is usually found in the form sodium monofluorophosphate or sodium fluoride.
Abrasives, which gives toothpaste its cleaning power. It is usually found in the form of calcium phosphate, alumina, calcium carbonate, and silica. Some abrasives in toothpaste are too abrasive causing damage to the tooth enamel, leading to tooth sensitivity. It also causes yellowing as the thinned enamel reveals the yellowish dentin layer below.
Detergents, which create the foaming action in toothpaste. Foam keep the toothpaste in our mouths, preventing it from dribbling out as we brush. Sodium lauryl sulphate is the form of detergent most commonly used.
Humectants, which give toothpaste its texture as well as retain the moisture in the toothpaste so it doesn’t dry out. Glycerin, sorbitol, and water are commonly used humectants in toothpaste.
Preservatives, which prevent the growth of microorganisms in toothpaste, thus eliminating the need to refrigerate it. Commonly used preservatives include sodium benzoate, methyl paraben, and ethyl paraben.
Colouring agents, which make the colour of tooth paste more clean looking. Titanium dioxide is used to make some toothpastes white.
And there are also added flavorings, like peppermint, kids cotton candy, and more. There are other additional chemicals that are added to toothpastes like tetrasodium pyrophosphate, which removes the calcium and magnesium from saliva (interacts with it to do so), which reduces the amount of tartar (bacteria) deposits on teeth. Other chemicals include sodium hydroxide (NaOH), pentasodium triphosphate, and acrylic polymers.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Of course chemists and dentists were brought together for the manufacturing of toothpaste to ensure that the at home process of cleaning your teeth was safe, even if swallowed. Brushing your teeth does help prevent oral health problems, but it is always important that we visit our dentist every few months.
Dentists can reach, clean, and fix our teeth beyond the levels of toothpaste. Even if you brush your teeth often enough, alignment irregularities, stains, root cannels, and pains can only be checked and fixed by a dentist.
So as you can see, dentists and chemists are much alike in the bases of materials used for oral health.