With so many toothpaste brands on the market, it can be overwhelming to decide which one is best for you. With so many varieties to choose from, it’s no wonder we need a little help: you’ve got traditional paste, advanced gels, and special varieties for sensitive teeth, whitening, or enamel protection, among others. Pretty much all of them state loudly on the box that the toothpaste will protect against tooth decay or relieve tooth sensitivity, but it’s hard to know which brands live up to their claims and will truly be best for your teeth. Fortunately for us, toothpaste research methods exist that evaluate the abrasive effects of different toothpastes on human teeth!
Abrasive particles make up roughly half of the formula in a typical toothpaste and are necessary for removing plaque from the teeth, but formulas that are too abrasive may cause damage to the tooth enamel. The corrosion of the enamel is permanent because this protective outer cover of the teeth does not regenerate itself. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM in Halle have taken a new approach in order to determine the abrasion levels of different pastes by testing them on human teeth.
FUN FACT: To simulate an environment similar to a real mouth, they dilute the paste with water and saliva. They apply this mixture to a single bristle which is moved over the tooth in straight and circular motions many times using specialized instruments. Highly sensitive devices are then used to analyze the resulting effects on the surface of the teeth. The abrasiveness of a variety of toothpastes has been evaluated on a microscopic level, and, for the first time, elements such as friction have also been assessed.
This new research shows that the level of abrasiveness assigned by the previous method for analyzing wear on enamel is generally a good evaluation, although these assigned values tend to vary from lab to lab. The new method also revealed that the structure of the bristles on toothbrushes can affect the friction levels and abrasive tendencies when brushing. Using this new information, manufacturers will be able to develop more safe and effective toothpastes and toothbrushes. Consumers will be able to feel more comfortable purchasing high quality toothpastes and toothbrushes to maintain optimum oral health.
If you are interested in cosmetic dentistry to correct damages resulting from enamel loss or want to learn about any other cosmetic dentistry procedures, please call the Beverly Hills office of Dr. Sands. To schedule a consultation, feel free to fill out our contact form or call (310) 273-0111 today.