How Does Toothpaste Work?
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Introduction
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Your mouth is a world full of many different types of organisms. In fact, your mouth is often the home of more than 500 different kinds of microorganisms. Most of these organisms are good and helpful. They help digest your food, and in some cases can also help fight disease and act as a barrier of protection for the body. However, some of these organisms, such as streptococcus mutans, are not helpful. They are the microorganism that can cause teeth plaque, discoloration, and bad breath. This is why it becomes important to practice good dental hygiene, mainly brushing your teeth.
Importance
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Toothpaste is your first line of defense against the microorganisms in your mouth that can damage your teeth and gums. The organisms in your mouth survive and feed off the leftover food that gets stuck on and around your teeth after you eat. The byproducts of their eating are acid and sulfur. The acid quickly starts to wear away at the enamel of your teeth which causes cavities. The sulfur is the product that you can smell when someone's has bad breath. Using toothpaste when brushing your teeth helps prevent both of these issues.
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Abrasives
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The first way that toothpaste works is by using abrasives. Most toothpastes have mild abrasive additives. When these are moved between your teeth and the toothbrush, they help dislodge and remove a greater amount of microorganisms and remaining food than if you were to only use the brush and water.
Fluoride
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Fluoride is another important ingredient in toothpaste. Because the acid starts to wear away the enamel of your teeth, fluoride works to combat that acid and helps protect the teeth from future exposure to the acidic byproducts left by microorganisms.
Plaque
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Many modern day toothpastes are also including new ingredients such as triclosan and Xylitol. These chemicals help hinder the growth of bacteria that produce plaque on the teeth. Plaque can cause cavities, and eventually can lead to periodontal disease if not taken care of properly.
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Resources
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