Toothpaste is a heavily researched and widely produced product that is essential in the effective cleaning of teeth on a daily basis.
Since it is used so regularly, personal taste heavily influences the type and brand of toothpaste that we pick up from the shelf. Children especially tend to have an aversion to certain flavours of toothpaste labelled as “mint” and comment on a “spicy” sensation when using these products.
Often people are on the lookout for an alternative to a mint toothpaste and unsure what qualifies for a suitable toothpaste. The following are recommended ingredients in a toothpaste to gain the most effectiveness from whichever product you choose.
Recommended ingredients
- Fluoride
Fluoride has been dentists main defence in the fight against tooth decay, and for this reason most dentists will strongly recommend a toothpaste/dentifrice that includes this ingredient.
2. Abrasives
Abrasives aid in gripping the plaque, while also aiding the toothbrush bristles in removing biofilm (plaque layer) from the surface of the tooth. They also work as an extrinsic (outside the enamel) stain remover. When it comes to an abrasive you can have too much of a good thing, so don’t pick out a toothpaste that has too many abrasives.
3. Anti-bacterial
Anti-bacterial agents in a toothpaste play the role of slowing down the proliferation (growth) of plaque in the mouth, therefore lowering the bio-burden in the mouth.
Other products to consider include; preservatives, humectants, detergents and alternative remineralising agents, pH buffers, digestive enzymes, colouring and most commonly flavour.
When choosing an alternative toothpaste it is important to consider that if a fairly standard ingredient has been removed it has generally been replaced with something or else the effectiveness will be affected.
In the case of an aversion to flavours, strong tastes such as mint are often used to mask the taste of preservatives, which give the toothpaste a longer shelf life and prevent contamination once opened. Therefore you will often find alternative flavours tend to be more commonly found in “natural” or “kids” toothpastes, however some alternatives do exist.
For baby teeth
The amount of fluoride contained in these products is recommended for children with primary teeth. Once a child begins to lose their baby teeth it is recommended to switch to a toothpaste with a higher concentration of fluoride.
Bumbl co
Australian made
No spicy mint
No gluten, sugar, SLS, PEGs and parabens
Flavours: strawberry, watermelon, bubble gum
500ppm fluoride
Available online: https://bumblco.com.au/
Colgate 0% artificial
No artificial colours, flavours, preservative and sweeteners.
Flavours: 0-3 mild fruit, 4-6 strawberry
Recyclable packaging
Age-appropriate Fluoride
Available at Coles, Woolworths and major chemists
https://www.colgate.com.au/products/toothpaste/0-artificial-4-6-kids-toothpaste
Once adult teeth start appearing and beyond
Hello: Unicorn sparkle
Vegan friendly
No SLS/sulfates, gluten, parabens, artificial sweeteners and flavours, or microbeads
1100ppm Sodium Fluoride
Flavour: Bubblegum
Available at Woolworths and major chemists
https://www.hello-products.com.au/products/unicorn-sparkle-kids
Curaprox: BeYou
No SLS, triclosan or microplastics
950ppm Sodium monofluorophosphate
Flavours: Grapefruit, watermelon, blackberry, apple, peach, gin and tonic
Available online: https://curaprox.com.au/shop/toothpaste/whitening-toothpaste
Archie
Australian owned and made
1000 ppm Sodium Fluoride
Vegan friendly
Refillable glass bottle
Flavours: Strawberry, cola, watermelon, lemonade
Available online: https://archie.store/collections/fluoride-toothpastes
For more information and advice, please do not hesitate to contact our friendly team of professionals.
