Toothpaste?!!

Maggiemaybe

I have sensitive teeth and back in the day could tolerate nothing but Sensodyne, which was expensive at the time. Now there are loads I can use, for which I’m very thankful. I really don’t know what all the differences are, but I just pick up a cheap or discounted “sensitive” one. In fact I bought a healthy gum one recently forgetting to check whether it was for sensitive teeth, and it was fine too. Years ago I’d have hit the roof! Perhaps my teeth have mellowed with age.

I can also use non sensitive ones but only occasionally like when on holiday.i generally stick to sensodyne but after reading this thread may try some supermarket brands too, thanks 🤩

I use the Oral B version which comes in a "Clean Mint" flavour as I dislike many of the others. My gripe with it is that it starts off as a fairly stiff paste but by the time I've reached the end of the tube it is far too liquid.

I looked a a Which review of toothpastes after reading comments on this thread. It went into great detail about which ingredient was important for which specific problem. Very confusing though. The key message is always to go for ones with fluoride.

Silverbrooks

Depends what the toothpaste is. Some do have a chemical component that binds to exposed dentine e.g. Novamin in Sensodyne, but most toothpaste is just a combination of chemical substances that I don't want in my mouth any longer than necessary.

Just Google "ingredients of toothpaste and dangers". Sores, inflammation, hormone disruption, antibiotic resistance, gut bacteria imbalances, increased blood glucose levels, fluorosis, carcinogens and microplastics.

At 70, I still have very good teeth and gums so I must be doing something right.

I agree Silverbrooks.
I think Sensodyne does help but the rest, imo, is just marketing flannel. The amount of choice is ridiculous.
Some have sweeteners. I have read some Finnish research that xylitol (?) is supposed to be good for teeth. It's dangerous for dogs I know that.
Pick a taste you like and don't spend too much. I bet it's the brushing that does the good, not what we put on the brush!

I buy Wisdom Sensitive toothpaste - £1 from Savers.

Homebargains are quite good for fancy, expensive toothpaste, often sold discounted. I just buy a sensitive tooth paste. I think all these whitening toothpastes are just a gimmick tbh. I floss always & that makes a big difference to gum health.

I know. Oral B used to be just that. I picked up the wrong one and my gag reflex went into overdrive. Bought my usual clean mint today. Hope they haven’t changed it!

IamMaz

I buy Wisdom Sensitive toothpaste - £1 from Savers.

Yes that’s the one I buy Iammaz- nice, mild taste- some burn my tongue.

Due to a medication I’m on I have to use a toothpaste prescribed by dentist. It’s a Colgate one, but it can’t be supplied without a prescription. My last few visits to the dentist I’ve had a clean bill of tooth health. My DH likes Colgate gel toothpaste. Our last dentist was a lovely young man from Greece, who said the toothbrush was more important than the paste, and advised all the family to use an electric toothbrush. You can guess what everyone got for Christmas that year😂😂

I always seem to lose fillings ( of which I have many) if I use an electric toothbrush ( used to lose them after a scrape and polish but my NHS dentist doesn’t do them any more).I did give my electric toothbrush a go the other night and my teeth felt really clean afterwards. I agree about interdental sticks and also floss. I so wish when I was young we’d been educated about dental hygiene.

I use colgate with arginine at night.
Not sure what it's called as often buy imported versions from discount stores.
I just check the ingredients for arginine.
It costs about 2.60 pounds.
I use that at night as it has longer to stay on the teeth.
I buy a cheap standard lidl one for under a pound for use at other times.
I used to esp like the look and taste of their herbal one
White with dark green stripes.
But they must have found out I liked it and stopped doing it.

I keep mistakenly buying that vivid blue toothpaste which looks like it’s radioactive.

The packet descriptions are very confusing as some show it to be white, but upon opening I find it’s the vivid blue stuff.
They seem to be replacing a lot of white paste with the mucky
Blue stuff.
I can’t stand it.

Anyone remember the old toothpaste
A solid block in a round tin.
Gibbous. Red tin. With children and flags on the lid. Pink inside.
I used more recently to use mentadent pink paste in a tube.
It tasted similar to the old one.
Perhaps same manufacturer?
Can't find it now. Disappointed.
Bought 2 mentadents but one is pale blue paste the other white.

I wrote Gibbs
Gibbs.
But this phone keeps monkeying around...

When I was at boarding school we ran out of toothpaste, 100+ pupils & staff all had to brush with salt for almost a week, it worked fine but tasted yuk.

I wish they would do an all in one toothpaste! I want whitening AND cavity protection, and enamel coating, and sensitive,and all of it all in ONE!

Ah! Gibbs Dentifrice - I remember that. I also remember h9 excited we all got when toothpaste came with stripes in it😂.
I use Oral B Sensitive now. I don’t like the taste of Sensodyne. I buy it in a twin pack at B&M and it’s very reasonable as are their Wisdom interdental brushes. I’m another who hates electric toothbrushes!

I’m a hygienist and when patients ask which toothpaste is best , I say whatever you like the taste of, as long as it has fluoride .Own brands are just as good as named brands . It’s more important to spend money on your toothbrush than toothpaste and to use floss and interdental brushes.
For sensitive teeth I recommend sensordyne or Colgate sensitive .
Duraphat is the toothpaste on prescription only . As is Biomin which is recommended for dry mouth, especially post chemo .
If you suffer from ulcers , dry or burning mouth or lichen planus , use a toothpaste which is sodium lauryl sufphate free .
The whitening toothpastes don’t work . You need whitening treatments .

Personally I think they all contain rubbish….and (unless you use a natural one like kingfisher which I use once a day) all contain fluoride which is a toxin(but of course it’s in a ‘safe’ dose). So I buy one that’s on offer and I definitely use a small amount and rinse it well out of my mouth after cleaning.

Toothpaste is just something you put on a toothbrush. It doesn't have magical properties. Adverts that say it does are lying.

Thank you Tenko for sharing your expertise with us. Very kind of you and helpful. 👏

That's totally wrong stillness - never rinse after brushing your teeth.

We use Kingfisher with fluoride. Kingfisher is sodium laurel sulphate free.

I changed dentists recently. I love my coffee and as such end up with coffee stains on my teeth. I had asked previous dentists what toothpaste they recommended and never received a straight answer. I decided to ask this new dentist what toothpaste he recommended and used himself. He was very forthcoming and said the basic dark blue Oral B. Well I can honestly say I wish I would have started using this years ago!

It's not the toothpaste, it's what you do with it ie use it on toothbrush correctly. Unless you have any specific dental/allergy health issues that require a specific kind, clean your teeth regularly, use interdental brushes and try to attend dental surgeon at least once a year for check up.

Tenko

I’m a hygienist and when patients ask which toothpaste is best , I say whatever you like the taste of, as long as it has fluoride .Own brands are just as good as named brands . It’s more important to spend money on your toothbrush than toothpaste and to use floss and interdental brushes.
For sensitive teeth I recommend sensordyne or Colgate sensitive .
Duraphat is the toothpaste on prescription only . As is Biomin which is recommended for dry mouth, especially post chemo .
If you suffer from ulcers , dry or burning mouth or lichen planus , use a toothpaste which is sodium lauryl sufphate free .
The whitening toothpastes don’t work . You need whitening treatments .

I was going to mention sodium laurel sulphate. I saw my doctor a few years ago because I kept getting blood blisters in my mouth and realised my toothpaste contained it. It’s in so many things.