6 Things You Should Know About Toothpaste

Amanda Abella
Have you ever found yourself staring at the endless selection of toothpaste in the supermarket? With so many different options promising great things it is pretty overwhelming to make a decision. To make the decision making a little easier Yahoo Health asked the pros to see what people should look for in toothpaste in order to get the best dental care for your teeth.

Dental Tip #1: Toothpaste needs fluoride.

No matter what your individual dental needs are one thing remains certain: effective toothpaste must have fluoride. According to the Academy of General Dentistry, brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride can reduce tooth decay by as much as 40 percent.

Dental Tip #2: When shopping for toothpaste look for a seal of approval.

It is tempting to save cash on a generic brand of toothpaste, however you could just be wasting money instead. Yahoo Health reports that you should always look for the ADA seal of approval whenever you purchase toothpaste. This ensures that the products of scientific evidence to back up their dental hygiene claims.

Dental Tip #3: Whitening toothpaste does work to a certain degree.

All toothpastes contain some sort of abrasive that removes surface stains from teeth. However, toothpaste does not contain bleach and therefore cannot give you the pearly whites a professional dental whitening can.

Dental Tip #4: Use less toothpaste.

A brush full of toothpaste won't make your smile any brighter. In fact, a full brush is only as effective as a half brush of toothpaste.

Dental Tip #5: How you brush is what matters.

It does not matter what kind of ADA approved toothpaste you are using, if you are not brushing correctly you will not get results. You can visit the ADA website for tips on how to brush.

Dental Tip #6: Organic toothpaste works.

If you are willing to spend a little more in an effort to save the environment, eco friendly organic toothpaste is just as effective as the generic brands- provided that they contain fluoride.

For more toothpaste tips to aid you in your dental hygiene needs visit Yahoo Health.

Sources:
Yahoo Health
American Dental Association

Published by Amanda Abella

A freelance writer since 2009, Amanda Abella has had work published on Yahoo News, eHow, Miami Examiner, Environmental Graffiti, The Smart College Grad, and Handmade News. She also runs a Gen Y personal deve...  View profile

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