Your dental health is a bigger deal than you may realize! Basic care will go only so far to ensure that these important bones function well and do not cause you any pain or problems. Your toothpaste is one of the most effective tools you have to protect your teeth against deterioration and poor health—here are a few ingredients you should look for that dentists are sure to recommend.
Zinc Citrate
Every delicious bite of food or sip of a drink introduces particles to your mouth that stick to your teeth. Those particles build up quickly, creating a kind of sticky layer over your teeth’s surfaces that contains harmful bacteria which breaks down the enamel of your teeth. This makes them soft and causes cavities unless it is scraped off or (better yet) prevented altogether through a nutrient called zinc nitrate. As Tom’s of Maine points out, zinc nitrate significantly reduces the amount of plaque buildup on your teeth! For that reason, it is one of the most common ingredients in toothpaste (as well as mouthwash, gum, and rinses.)
Fluoride
Your primary defense against cavities is fluoride. This nutrient doesn’t just protect your teeth’s enamel, it actually strengthens it! Gingivitis and sensitivity in teeth are also benefited by routine doses of fluoride. This is especially valuable for young children whose teeth are developing. According to Maccaro Orthodontics, fluoride is often recommended as a supplement for children. If you aren’t getting enough fluoride in your daily dental care (or if your daily dental care is lacking in general), you are at increased risk of painful, deep cavities that are difficult to treat and frustrating to deal with.
Calcium Carbonate
Calcium is the basic building block of your bones. It stands to reason, then, that it makes a great ingredient for the toothpaste that is meant to reinforce your teeth to be strong and durable! According to Frau Fowler, calcium carbonate is especially helpful; it serves as an abrasive substance that helps clean teeth deeply and removes unpleasant stains from your teeth. This abrasiveness is not something to be concerned about, either—it will not damage the tissue of your gums or erode the enamel of your teeth, it will only work on the food particles stuck to your teeth surfaces and get that unwanted plaque out of there!
Taking good care of your teeth starts with using the right tools. To make sure that your toothpaste is effective, check the ingredients and make sure they include zinc citrate, fluoride, and calcium carbonate. These will help protect, build, and strengthen your teeth like you need them to be!
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