Is toothpaste really necessary?!
Question:
Is toothpaste really necessary?
Do you believe in flouride & all these chemicals to help protect your teeth & gums? Aren't they just advertising gimmicks? I don't use toothpaste. Just brush, rinse with water & gurgle with mouthwash to keep my mouth fresh. What do you think?
Answers:
Here's my professional advice, which I am qualified to give as a licensed dentist:
Toothpaste does quite a lot:
- The fluoride changes the minerals in enamel so that it becomes less soluable (hydroxyapatite --> fluoroapatite), allowing the enamel to better withstand acid attack when one eats sugary/acidic foods. It will also promote remineralization of areas that have been demineralized by acids.
- The slight amount of silicate-based abrasive in the toothpaste does two things: It scrubs sticky things off teeth, and polishes tooth surfaces to make it harder for bacterial plaque to reattach.
- There is a wetting agent in toothpaste, which is why toothpaste feels slippery and foamy when mixed with water. The wetting agent allows the toothpaste to spread into all the little nooks and crannies in your teeth to deliver the fluoride and abrasives to those areas, and helps flush away debris. Water by itself will not do this very well.
Ultimately, it's your teeth. Hopefully you have been getting regular checkups to ensure you have no dental problems.