Home Life Style Toothpastes are More Effective with Triclosan

Toothpastes are More Effective with Triclosan

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Why Toothpastes are Important

We have to take good care of our teeth. We may not know this but our teeth plays a major role in our digestive system. It functions by chewing food and breaking it into smaller pieces so that digestive enzymes can easily digest it. We also need our teeth to pronounce words accurately. A beautiful set of teeth makes a perfect smile complete. It also gives a firm shape to our jaw, without which our face would have hollow spaces on each side. These are all the reasons why we need to take care of our teeth.

Taking care of our teeth entails careful brushing, and our toothpaste plays a major role in brushing. This is because the right kind of toothpaste can remove films of bacteria growing on our teeth and gums. These bacteria are responsible for plaque and cavity formation which may further lead to tooth loss and gum disease. Also, the components of toothpaste make tooth enamel stronger and helps promote mineralization to repair tooth decay. Toothpaste polishes the teeth like a floor polisher does to the floor and also removes debris and stains. If we brush with the right kind of toothpaste, our mouth remains fresh and clean.

Toothpaste typically contains fluoride, an ingredient that helps fight off cavities and tooth decay. Other components include sodium lauryl sulfate, an ingredient which is responsible for toothpaste foam.

Toothpastes and Triclosan

A recent review from the Cochrane Library shows that a certain antibacterial agent renders a toothpaste more effective than the usual toothpaste. This antibacterial agent is known as triclosan, which when combined with a copolymer, can reduce gingivitis, plaque and bleeding gums. It can also lessen the extent of tooth decay. The researchers undertook this endeavour of finding out what ingredient makes a toothpaste more effective because they are aware that gingivitis and tooth decay would lead to tooth loss and gum problems. These diseases can also lead to a condition known as periodontitis, a painful gum disease than can also lead to tooth loss.

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In this review, toothpaste with triclosan reduced plaque by 20%, reduced gingivitis by 22%, reduced bleeding gums by 48% and reduced tooth decay and cavities by 5% as compared to toothpaste with fluoride only. However this review failed to show that toothpaste with triclosan can reduce the incidence of periodontitis. The researchers did not note any adverse effects.

Other studies in the past have reviewed the safety and efficacy of triclosan toothpastes and have noted that indeed these toothpastes were able to reduce cavity formation, plaque formation and gingivitis.

Triclosan is a phenol which has antibacterial and antifungal activities. According to experts, this substance has no other benefits except the reduction of plaque formation and gingivitis in the form of toothpastes. It has been used for decades as an ingredient in soaps, deodorants, powders, shampoos, mouth washes, handwashes and cleaning products. Though it has antibacterial and antifungal activities, some environmentalists say that it is toxic to both humans and the environment. However, authorities concluded that exposure of triclosan through the skin and the mucous membranes can facilitate its penetration to the bloodstream in minute quantities but these levels do not pose a risk to human health such as cancers, endocrine effects, reproductive effects and the like.

Users should be careful if they have previous allergies to phenol however, because triclosan can precipitate food allergy and allergic contact dermatitis. More studies should be performed especially by some toothpaste companies as to how safe and effective are toothpastes containing triclosan. The researchers stated that their work did not have sponsorship from certain toothpaste companies and are independent in their own way.

Do you want to learn more on how to take care of your teeth? Feel free to browse other articles on oral health at this site.