Toothpaste maintains oral hygiene. This tool has a therapeutic and prophylactic effect. Modern pastas have a pleasant taste, excellent breath freshening and rarely lead to allergic reactions. There is a classification of toothpastes in composition. Each species has its own purpose.
But not so many people when buying study products, composition. Usually look at the firm and the price. There are popular products that remove soft plaque, whiten teeth, but are not suitable for everyone, therefore, they can harm teeth and periodontium. The classification of toothpastes is presented below.
Bit of history
Instead of toothpaste, the ancient Romans used improvised natural remedies - plant roots, wood ash, and resin. Paste in tubes began to be produced in the 19th century - this hygienic product became popular among people, therefore it replaced all natural analogues.
Now in pharmacies, in addition to pastes, there is a powder, presented in the form of chemically precipitated chalk, saturated with useful additives, flavors.
Kinds
Before you get acquainted with the composition, properties, classification of toothpastes, you should find out the categories of this tool. It happens:
- medical;
- hygienic;
- treatment and prophylactic.
In Western dentistry there are anti-carious, desensitizing pastes. Whitening protects against plaque and stone. This is a common classification.
Hygiene products provide 2 functions: breath freshening and tooth cleansing from soft plaque. They have abrasive and foaming components, flavors and flavors.
Other varieties
The composition of the classification of toothpastes is as follows:
- deodorizing - provide gentle cleansing, eliminate bad breath;
- cleansing - eliminate plaque.
The abrasive is silica or chalk. The larger the partial component, the more efficient the cleaning. But large particles erase the enamel, therefore, in the manufacture of the product, a balance must be struck between the safety of the product and its function of removing contamination. Abrasive pastes should not be used with sensitive enamel. In this case, it is better to choose gels.
Therapeutic
Such tools have many functions. In addition to abrasives and fragrances, they have extracts, salts, vitamins, peroxides, enzymes. Some are designed for daily dental care for hygiene and prevention. Others may be prescribed by your doctor to treat your oral cavity.
The classification of toothpastes divides therapeutic and prophylactic pastes into several types:
- Anti-cariosis. Protect against plaque, strengthen teeth. Many have fluoride. But the paste can be without it, then there are enzymes or calcium compounds.
- Anti-inflammatory. They provide improved blood circulation, metabolism, elimination of bleeding and an unpleasant odor. This group includes salt pastes, products with chlorophyll, antimicrobial agents, plant extracts, biologically active components.
- Desensitizing. Designed for sensitive teeth. They may contain potassium and strontium salts that block tooth sensitivity. They do not include potent abrasive materials, which leads to the rapid appearance of plaque.
- Whitening. Means are affected by the destruction of plaque or discoloration, pigment removal. Bleaching pastes are advised to be used more often 2 times a week, so sometimes they are assigned to a separate species.
- Sorption. Polymethylsiloxane polyhydrate and additional sorbents are included. Their main task is to cleanse the oral cavity of microparticles and harmful bacteria.
- Organic These are natural pastes, including herbal extracts. Abrasive is chalk. Dentists have a different opinion about the use of these products, as specialists are not always involved in creating such products.
- Baby. The composition of such funds is chosen so that there is no harm to unformed enamel. They are not dangerous even if swallowed.
Medical pastes are available only in pharmacies. They are used as prescribed by a doctor to disinfect the oral cavity and eliminate acute inflammation. You need to use them based on instructions from the manufacturer.
According to Ulitovsky
The classification of toothpastes according to Ulitovsky is slightly different. The professor and doctor of medical sciences in dentistry divided these funds into the following types:
- Hygienic. They perform the function of cleaning the teeth and deodorizing the oral cavity.
- Medical and preventive. Such pastes are divided into simple and complex.
Colors
There is a classification of toothpastes by color. They are:
Depending on the color, each paste has its own purpose. For example, white performs a whitening effect, freshens the breath. Blacks are used to remove plaque, stone. Greens include plant extracts that provide a healing effect.
Structure
There is another classification of toothpastes. The composition is also important, since the effect and therapeutic effect depend on this. The main components include the presence of:
- essential oils;
- vitamins and minerals;
- antiseptics;
- enzymes;
- different salts;
- calcium compounds;
- fluorine compounds.
The composition and properties of toothpastes are interconnected. Fluoride pastes are effective for caries protection and enamel strengthening. This component and its compounds are present in many agents. Fluorine was first used at the beginning of the 20th century in the USA.
The benefit of this component is based on the fact that its ions remain on the surface of the teeth and in cracks, and then bind calcium and other minerals, creating solid compounds. The resulting fluorapatite will be harder than hydroxyapatite. Therefore, fluoride paste makes teeth harder and more resistant to acidic conditions.
Usually in dentistry, fluorine compounds with tin, aluminum, and sodium are used. Tin fluoride is not used now, because with prolonged use, gums become inflamed because of it and demineralized areas of enamel are stained. Sodium fluoride is in demand today, because it has a high remineralizing effect. It is used in pediatric dentistry.
There are many opinions regarding the benefits and harms of fluoride. In large quantities, this component is toxic. Funds with it should not be used by residents of regions where there is a lot of fluoride in drinking water.
Surfactant
The main function of these components is the creation of foam, due to which the enamel is cleaned of food residues and microbial plaque. In many pastes, sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate are used as surfactants.
The component can lead to irritation of the gums and mucous membranes of the cheeks, their dryness, allergies. In addition, the taste perception changes after cleansing the teeth.
Humidifiers
Moisture-retaining components are polyhydric alcohols. It can be glycerin or propylene glycol. With them is achieved:
- fluid retention in the paste;
- plasticity of consistency;
- increase in freezing temperature;
- improving the taste of the hygiene product;
- extension of use time.
Flavoring
To give the paste a pleasant aroma and taste, aromatic components are added. They can be synthetic and natural. The most common is mint. Expensive products include fennel, anise, lavender. But such pastes are not suitable for every person, since essential oils can lead to severe allergies.
Sweeteners and Dyes
Due to the presence of sodium lauryl sulfate, the paste acquires a specific flavor, because of which it is not so easy to use the product. Sweeteners help to improve the taste: xylitol, stevia extract or saccharin. The first component is the best because dental health is maintained with its properties.
The coloring components give the paste a pleasant tone. But it is advisable not to choose products with artificial additives, especially with titanium dioxide.
Pastes with salt formulations and soda
Such drugs are used in the treatment of various infectious processes, usually inflammation. Indications for the use of pastes are bacterial, aphthous and fungal stomatitis, inflammation on the gums and periodontal tissues.
Salt and soda pastes have a positive effect on the oral cavity:
- restore blood circulation and mineral exchange of gums;
- improve the outflow of exudate from inflamed areas;
- normalize natural acidity and protect enamel from external factors;
- eliminate the components of dental plaque.
Salt pastes have a moderate analgesic effect and eliminate pain during periodontitis, periodontal disease. They are used for gingivitis and other inflammations.
Benefit
The healing properties of toothpaste are based on fluoride content. This component strengthens tooth enamel. The beneficial properties of toothpaste will be manifested if it contains titanium dioxide and triclosan. With the daily use of such funds, pathogenic microflora is destroyed. Especially quickly they remove streptococci, which are responsible not only for the formation of plaque in the mouth and teeth, but also for caries of the root part of the tooth and bad breath.
Triclosan is a powerful antiseptic that is found in many antibacterial cosmetics and medicines. The benefits of pastes are to cleanse the teeth and gums.
Application rules
Considering the classification of toothpastes, properties, purpose, application, you should familiarize yourself with the recommendations of doctors regarding the use of funds. Dentists advise squeezing a little pasta near the pea. Do not hold the paste for longer than 2-3 minutes in the mouth, do not swallow.
All teeth must be thoroughly brushed, doing this for 2 minutes. The reverse side of the brush must clean the tongue. After that, rinse your mouth thoroughly. Brush your teeth 2 times a day.
The choice
Before buying, you should familiarize yourself with the composition. There should be no harmful substances in the product. It is desirable that it does not contain sodium lauryl sulfate and parabens. The latter lead to allergies, problems with the thyroid gland. And laureth sulfate provides dehydration of the tissues of the oral cavity and negatively affects the gums.
You can perform cleaning with folk remedies. For example, some use flour from the roots of horsetail or iris. They also make herbal mixtures. For this, dried leaves and flowers of birch, string, sage, St. John's wort, chamomile and laurel are finely chopped. Additionally apply licorice root, pine needles. There is toothpowder in stores, which is also suitable for brushing your teeth.
Black paste with birch charcoal is now in demand. It has an antibacterial, whitening effect. It can also be used for sensitive enamel. But such tools are more expensive.
Baby
It is important that they are of high quality. It is necessary to take into account the age of the child. You should read the information on the packaging, because it usually says who the paste is for. For babies, fluoride-free or low-fluoride products are more suitable, especially up to 6 years. An excellent substitute is calcium, a nourishing and firming enamel that protects against tooth decay.
You should not choose highly abrasive pastes, as children's enamel is not fully formed and sensitive. It is better to exclude triclosan, which affects harmful and beneficial bacteria in the oral cavity.
Thus, toothpastes are needed for oral hygiene. But you need to learn how to choose a quality tool. It is also important to use it correctly.