Australians are being encouraged to exercise caution when considering a switch to alternative  toothpastes. This advice comes amidst data revealing the demand for herbal and fluoride-free  toothpastes is experiencing significant growth1 with an increasing number of people making their  own via online recipes or via celebrity social media accounts. 

While some options are clinically proven to deliver strong results, matching the wrong toothpaste  to the wrong mouth can result in a degradation of your oral health, pose dangers to children or  just cost you a lot of extra money for little to no extra benefit. 

Bupa Dental Head Dentist Dr Cathryn Madden says choosing the best toothpaste for your  specific needs can be challenging with supermarket aisles bulging with options and social media  feeds filled with information on ‘the next big thing’ for your teeth. 

“Every mouth is different so don’t automatically think that a new product that suits your favourite  celebrity will work for you. For example, tooth powders have been shown to be effective in  removing stains and plaque but can be overly abrasive, and while fluoride-free toothpaste may  have fewer additives, using it may increase your chances of developing cavities. 

“Invariably the ideal toothpaste for you should be matched with your age, diet, sensitivity levels and the current state of your teeth and gums.,”One important thing to note is that if a toothpaste  doesn’t contain fluoride, then it provides minimal protection from developing decay” Dr Madden  said. 

In light of the growing number of options, information and misinformation people are exposed to,  Australians are being encouraged to discuss toothpaste choices with their dentist, particularly  ahead of a change in brand or active ingredients. 

“Your teeth are way too important to risk an adverse switch. Even swapping out your normal  toothpaste and purchasing an alternative for a tube’s worth of time can expose you to over a  month of sub-optimal protection… and a lot can happen in your mouth in a month! 

“Your friendly local dentist can talk to you about all the ins and outs of regular and alternative  toothpaste types and arm you with all the information required to make a decision you can smile  about,” Dr Madden said. 

Regardless of what toothpaste you use, you can make a healthy choice for the environment by  recycling empty tubes at Bupa Dental practices around Australia as part of our Everyday Dental  

1 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/herbal-toothpaste-market-3899 / 

https://www.expertmarketresearch.com/reports/fluoride-free-toothpaste-market 

Recycling Program. Once processed, your used oral health products can be repurposed into  useful new products like garden furniture and playground equipment. 

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