From the Guidelines
The best toothpaste is one containing fluoride, which helps prevent tooth decay by strengthening enamel. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1, fluoride is a safe and effective agent that can be used to prevent and control dental caries. The recommended concentration of fluoride in toothpaste for adults is 1000-1500 ppm, which can be found in brands like Colgate Total, Crest Pro-Health, and Sensodyne.
Key Considerations
- For specific concerns, choose specialized formulations:
- Sensodyne for sensitive teeth
- Crest 3D White for whitening
- Paradontax for gum health
- Children under 6 should use a children's toothpaste with lower fluoride content (around 500 ppm) and only use a pea-sized amount
- When brushing, use a small amount (pea-sized), brush for two minutes twice daily, and avoid rinsing immediately after brushing to allow the fluoride to work effectively
- The effectiveness of toothpaste comes primarily from the mechanical action of brushing combined with fluoride's remineralization properties, rather than from fancy additives or flavors
- Your dentist may recommend prescription-strength toothpaste with higher fluoride content (5000 ppm) if you have high cavity risk or specific dental issues, as supported by the study 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
The FDA drug label does not answer the question.
From the Research
Characteristics of Effective Toothpastes
- Contain fluoride, which is the most important therapeutic substance used in toothpastes for dental caries control 2
- May include other ingredients such as triclosan, which reduces dental biofilm, gingivitis, periodontitis, calculus, and halitosis 2
- Potassium nitrate is used as a desensitizing agent to treat dentinal hypersensitivity 3, 4, 5
- Arginine has been shown to provide significant reduction in dentin hypersensitivity 5
Comparison of Different Toothpastes
- A toothpaste containing 8.0% arginine, calcium carbonate, and 1450 ppm fluoride provided significantly greater reductions in dentin hypersensitivity compared to a benchmark commercial desensitizing toothpaste containing 2% potassium ion 5
- Fluoride toothpaste with a concentration of 1000 to 1500 ppm reduces caries increments when compared with non-fluoride toothpaste 6
- Higher concentrations of fluoride in toothpaste are associated with increased caries control, but also increase the risk of fluorosis in developing teeth 6
Recommendations for Toothpaste Use
- The use of fluoride toothpaste to reduce caries in children and adults is strongly based on evidence, and is dependent on the concentration and frequency of use 2
- The choice of fluoride toothpaste concentration for young children should be balanced against the risk of fluorosis 6
- Toothpastes containing stannous fluoride reduce biofilm and gingivitis 2