Your Teeth, Your Toothpaste: A User's Guide

Standing in the dental care aisle looking for toothpaste, the number of choices can be overwhelming. Different dental issues call for different toothpastes, so it helps to know your own mouth and what it needs.

Your friend, fluoride

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that helps prevent cavities by making tooth enamel more resistant to the acid attacks that cause decay. Before teeth erupt, fluoride from food, drink and supplements strengthens enamel from within; after they erupt, fluoride toothpaste and other products help rebuild and remineralise weakened enamel from the surface.

Whitening toothpaste

Whitening toothpastes use either abrasive ingredients to scrub away surface stains, or peroxide as a whitener, so check the ingredients and make sure you are comfortable with the product. Whichever you choose, look for Australian Dental Association approval as your guarantee of safety. Because these products can be abrasive, United Smiles can also offer a professional in-office treatment or a take-home kit if you want whiter teeth.

Best toothpaste for tartar

Once plaque hardens into tartar, it cannot be removed at home and needs to be scraped away with a dental pick, but you can stop it forming in the first place. Look for toothpaste that mentions tartar prevention and ingredients such as pyrophosphates.

Best toothpaste for sensitive teeth

As many as 46 per cent of people have experienced tooth sensitivity at some point, which may be caused by enamel erosion, new fillings or other reasons. Toothpastes for sensitivity typically include strontium chloride or potassium nitrate, which block the pathways from the tooth's surface to its inner nerves; relief may take several weeks, and some products include a mild analgesic for faster relief. Discuss ongoing sensitivity with your dentist, as it is sometimes caused by a condition that needs treatment.

Children's toothpastes

Children need their own age-appropriate toothpaste. Toddlers should start with a toothpaste safe to swallow, since the early years of brushing rarely go without an accidental swallow, and children's toothpastes are formulated with less fluoride, which can stain developing teeth if overused. Ask your dentist if you are unsure which brand suits your child, and make sure they like the taste, since that makes them more likely to brush happily.

United Smiles is conveniently located in the heart of Mernda Village, serving patients from all Melbourne areas, with ample parking at the rear and wheelchair access at the front.

Special offer for new patients

No gap for checkup and clean for Medibank, Bupa, HCF and CBHS.