Cleaning teeth is not a new human endeavor. According to the evidence found, toothpaste was in use in ancient Egypt since before the invention of the toothbrush. Even so long ago, our ancestors understood the importance of a clean and healthy mouth. Surprisingly, some of the principles of tooth cleaning displayed by early examples of dentifrice (or toothpaste) continue in the toothpastes of today. Perhaps less surprisingly, toothpaste of today has a few advantages over those of the past.
The Benefit of Dental Abrasion
Although early toothpaste served the same purpose as it does today—cleaner, whiter teeth and fresher breath—the ingredients were quite different. Some examples include chalk, coal, burnt eggshells, and ox hooves ground into a powder. Odd, yes, but these ingredients added necessary abrasive power, much like baking soda and similar ingredients do for your modern toothpaste. Abrasion is the process of scrubbing something away, and in a dental sense, it refers to the power of your toothpaste to remove debris and light stains from the surface of your teeth.
Why Toothpaste Contains Fluoride
There is much discuss concerning fluoride, but as an additive to most modern toothpastes, the main concern is how fluoride helps prevent tooth decay. When you consume sugar, bacteria in your mouth do, too. The germs, however, convert into acid that attacks and weakens your tooth enamel until it can no longer protect your teeth from bacteria. Fluoride helps negate acid erosion of your tooth enamel by accumulating in the weaker areas of your enamel and strengthening it. If a cavity has already formed, however, then the effectiveness of fluoride is foiled.
ABOUT DOWNEY FAMILY & COSMETIC DENTISTRY
Dr. Hadis Reyhani, Dr. Ben Reyhani, and Dr. Pasha Hakimzadeh, DDS, provide a wealth of combined experience along with innovative technology and personalized care, to help improve our patients’ dental health so they can enjoy smiling again. To schedule a consultation, call Downey Family Cosmetic Dentistry today at (562) 472-2433.
