Plaque Control Toothpastes: Good Preventative Dentistry?

The marketers of toothpastes have come up with a new spin that will work on your teeth – toothpaste that helps prevent plaque. Since most American consumers are now aware of oral hygiene and the threat of gum disease, toothpaste manufacturers and marketers have spent upwards of $77 million to sell anti-plaque and tarter control home care products. The media blitz in the dentistry world is on.

Dentists have always known that plaque is the cause of gum disease. And plaque will eventually contribute to the formation of tarter on your tooth. But if you use these new toothpastes, will they work.

Crest and Colgate and other major brands have added a substance that seems to slow the accumulation of tartar on the tooth. You can try it and see for yourself if it works.

But the bottom line for many dentists would be to make sure you're brushing right, no matter what toothpaste you use. A new group of bacteria forms on a tooth every 24 hours, so the object of brushing is to disrupt these colonies. Dental hygiene includes: good tooth brushing techniques, a learned skill that takes practice. However, even the most determined brushing won't always get rid of debris beneath the teeth.

That's why an annual dental cleaning and refresher course on brushing and flossing should bring you up-to-date on the oral health front. And what about those new toothpastes? Can't hurt. Call your dentist today.

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