Three Minerals That Really Matter In Your Toothpaste

Wouldn’t it be cool if there were such a thing as vitamin toothpaste? You could slather it on your teeth each night before bed, and know your teeth were getting all the nutritional goodness they needed to fight off cavities. You’d never have to eat vegetables again! That’s not gonna’ happen – you do need to eat your vegetables – stop it. You know what, though? Minerals can be found in your toothpaste, and they’re there for good reason. Calcium and phosphorous (in the form of phosphate), along with fluoride, are included in toothpaste because they play a key role in keeping your teeth from becoming soft and yucky, which makes it easy for cavities to form.. Let’s find out more!

• Flouride: In a way, most of us have come to associate teeth with fluoride. In fact, fluoride can even help reverse tooth decay. Pretty neat, huh? For some great stuff we’ve written on the topic, check out our writing about the ADA’s recommendation that kids under the age of 3 need it, why you might want it in a mouthwash, and in whether the young ones in your family may needfluoride supplementation.
  
  Fluoride’s main role is in helping  teeth reinforce their enamel through the process of remineralization. And, it does so by working with two other minerals: calcium and phosphate.
• Calcium and Phosphates: When we think of strong bones and teeth, we often think of calcium. But there’s another mineral most of us never even think about, that serves an equally important role: phosphates. In fact, it’s when these three minerals work together that our teeth benefit most.
  
  Let’s take a quick look. Phosphates exists (among other places) in our saliva. In fact, it’s one of the most prevalent minerals in the human body! After eating, phosphate ions and calcium ions work to naturally repair teeth through a process known as remineralization. What’s really cool is that this process has to happen via saliva. Without saliva there is no way to carry these ions into the “pores” of the tooth. When fluoride is added to the mix, the three form into a different mineral known as fluorapite, which makes our enamel harder than it would be by nature, and layers on this protective mineral faster than enamel remineralizes on it’s own. The result is stronger teeth! Pretty cool, huh?

So there you have it – calcium, phosphate and fluoride. The teeth musketeers! Want to make sure you have enough phosphate in your diet? Simply eat a well-rounded diet that includes meat, cheese, yoghurt, grains, nuts, and fruits and vegetables … it’s really that simple! All for one, and one for all!

Different Techniques for Flossing

When it comes to dental floss, what’s the best kind? Well, if you ask a dentist, they’ll tell you the best dental floss is the floss you’ll actually use. That could be Teflon floss, dental tape, nylon floss, waxed floss, and flosses with or without flavors – there are a lot of choices! There are also a number of ways to get your flossing done that don’t have you wrapping a long string of floss across your fingers and deftly maneuvering your hands in such an enclosed space. Enter the oral irrigator, the vibrating flosser, and the dental pick! Which might be best for your kids?

• Dental Pick: If you’re prone to ignore flossing, you may want to consider a good ol’ fashioned dental pick. You’ve no doubt seen these before (sometimes cast aside on the sidewalk!) … they look kinda’ like a plastic toothpick with a strand of dental floss strapped across a wide u-shaped tip. The simplicity and compact nature of these little portable floss “picks” seem to add to their convenience, and kids seem to love them when they’re first learning to floss. We’ll bet you can find at least one colleague in your office who has a few in their purse or desk for those moments when lunch lingers on the teeth a bit longer than appreciated!
• Electric Flossers: Depending on the brand, electric flossers are known by a variety of names, and searching for these handy little devices can be somewhat maddening online (trust us!). You may be best just wandering into the drug store or supermarket to explore in person! There are vibrating flossers, power flossers, and air flossers. Picking the one that’s right for you depends on the task at hand. Power flossers and air flossers seem best if you’re dealing with space concerns near the gumline, and may be a good substitute for an interproximal toothbrush. A vibrating flosser, on the other hand, looks much like a dental pick and because of its design, can cover the entire length of the tooth. Ask your dentist which is best for you.
• Oral Irrigator: An oral irrigator is a device that uses a pulsating stream of water to remove plaque and food debris from between your teeth. There are a variety of instruments on the market, and your dentist can recommend one based on the health of your gum tissue and budget. Oral irrigators are remarkably effective at keeping gum tissue healthy, and have been shown to reduce pocket depth due to periodontitis. “Pocket depth,” refers to the depth of the gum tissue that immediately surrounds your teeth. You may not know it, but that’s what your dentist or hygienist is testing for when they’re poking that instrument in your mouth during an exam and calling out numbers!

It’s worth noting that each of these devices, while recommended, should be considered as supplements to normal flossing – still your best choice. But, if you have dexterity concerns, are purchasing something for a youngster, or just want to ensure your teeth are the cleanest they can be, these tool are great options!