Imagining life without brushing your teeth twice a day can well, be stinky, to start with. Toothpastes, also known as dentifrice in the scientific terminology form one of the most essential requirements for the upkeep of our oral hygiene on a daily basis. One makes use of a toothpaste to get rid of plaque and dirt that settles as an external layer on the outside of our teeth. Mechanically rubbing your teeth with a toothbrush may do the basic cleaning but to aid in a hundred percent clean up and ensuring a bacteria free mouth, toothpastes are used. These have some very important ingredients that process their aim of killing the germs in our mouth which come from delicious and healthy juices. Lets read on to know a little more on what our toothpastes are made of.
Fluoride:
This is considered to be one of the most important ingredients in toothpaste. It helps in preventing tooth decay and renders it strong, along with resisting the rise of dental plaque. Some brands use mono-fluorophosphate for protection from cavities. Bacteria tend to thrive on particles of food that get trapped in the oral cavity just after you have meals. These microbes secrete acid that damages teeth. Fluoride safeguards them from harmful effects of the acid. If your tooth decay is in the initial stages, then using fluoride in your toothpaste might even correct the problem. Daily usage of fluoride also makes the enamel powerful in order to thwart bacterial attack.
Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate also known as (Anti-tartar agents): Deposition of calcium and magnesium on the teeth result in dental tartar. Pyrophosphates stop this formation of tartar by removing the harmful effects of saliva. As we know, tartar is a result of years of deposition of different minerals from saliva.
Sodium Bicarbonate or (Baking soda)
photo: made-in-china.com
This chemical is abrasive and whitens the teeth mildly. The process works when acidic saliva is neutralized and an alkaline environment in the mouth is maintained even long after you brush. An alkaline environment inside the mouth does not let dental plaque form and hence helps in removing stains. It is a natural whitener of teeth. Working as an effective cleaning agent, its abrasive action clears off the yellow and brown stains on your teeth. When you brush every time with toothpaste the baking soda helps in infiltrating the tooth enamel. Hence it reduces the stains on the surface of the teeth.
Triclosan or Xylitol
Triclosan prevents the formation of plaque and destroys bacteria in a very efficient manner. At times, zinc chloride or zinc citrate is also used for controlling dental plaque as antibacterial agents. When zinc chloride and triclosan are combined, it becomes very effective for gum disease and bacterial formation. Triclosan basically restricts the production of a special enzyme from bacteria that is important for it to exist.
Desensitizing Agents like Potassium nitrate, potassium citrate, strontium chloride
Many people have sensitive teeth, for example, they feel acute pain while consuming sweets or ice creams. This is caused due to sensitivity problems of tooth. Toothpaste that contains such sensitizing elements relieves the pain and discomfort. Potassium nitrate is one of the ingredients to treat people with sensitive teeth.