Types of Toothpaste


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When shopping for toothpaste you will be inundated with dozens of different types claiming to be better than others. Which toothpaste you choose is dependent on what you wish to achieve with it. Some toothpastes are specialised in whitening, some in protecting enamel and others that fight plaque “better than others”. Some toothpastes may suit one person more than another. For example, whitening toothpaste is more suited to those without sensitive teeth as it may contain more abrasives that could wear the tooth enamel further. There are several generic categories of toothpaste for you to consider when shopping.

Standard toothpaste

These toothpastes tend to contain the common ingredients (listed above under ‘What is toothpaste made of’) in relatively similar amounts. They are a good, effective choice for cleaning “normal” teeth but do not tend to specialise in any particular area.


Sensitive teeth toothpaste

These toothpastes normally contain the standard ingredients in similar amounts. However, they additionally contain potassium chloride to close off channels to the nerves to prevent painful reactions to certain food and drink.

Whitening toothpaste

These are a very popular choice for those who long for a ‘Hollywood’ smile full of shiny white teeth without taking a trip to the dentist. Whitening toothpastes claim to remove more stains than standard toothpaste is able to. They normally contain a higher amount of abrasives than standard toothpaste; this is used to aim to remove stains on the tooth’s surface. Many whitening toothpastes use baking soda as their abrasive.

For a good and effective whitening effect, you should use toothpaste that does not irritate your gums over the period of time of which you are using it. You should also be prepared for the abrasives in the toothpaste to dull dental crowns and veneers if used for a long time.

Children’s toothpaste

These tend to contain less fluoride to try and prevent fluorosis. You can often purchase a wide variety of flavours that may appeal more to a child. These flavours often avoid the generic mint associated with most adult toothpastes, and head more towards sweeter flavours, such as fruit.

Smoker’s toothpaste

These tend to contain different ingredients in different amounts to try and tackle stains that are a result of the intake of nicotine and tar. The toothpaste may be more abrasive in an attempt to wear away the stains.

Baking soda based toothpaste

Some people believe that this type of toothpaste is more effective at cleaning teeth in a less abrasive way. However, many dentists oppose this view and claim that they only give a cleaner feeling rather than actually providing cleaner results.

Available toothpaste brands

There are abundant toothpaste brands available worldwide. It is impossible to try and tell you which toothpaste you will like best and will be most suited to you. Instead, it seems more sensible to provide you with a comprehensive overview of a number of options available to you.

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