Growing up, I used to think that one type of toothpaste would work for everyone and any old toothpaste will do. Recently, I have learnt that is not the case as the market in South Africa is growing more and more brands and types of toothpastes are reaching our shores, making it easy to find a type that will suit your needs. Here’s a quick and easy guide to choosing toothpaste:

Your teeth are stained from drinking too much coffee, red wine or smoking too much.
If your teeth are stained, it is often recommended by dentists to have your teeth professionally bleached, which is extremely costly. There are at home bleach kits, but concern has been raised of their effectiveness.  Whitening toothpaste is popular at the moment. It has two uses; if you have had your teeth bleached, it can be used to maintain the whiteness or it can be used on its own to lighten your teeth. I used to be addicted to coffee, which left its effect on my teeth and I have personally used whitening toothpaste as part of a routine and I noticed a huge difference. Routine is important, because you won’t immediately see the difference.

Your teeth are extremely sensitive.
Teeth can become sensitive for many reasons and if your teeth are sensitive, you need to get toothpaste that does not have abrasives, detergents or whiteners as these can make your teeth even more sensitive. It is best to use desensitising toothpaste that is especially designed for sensitive teeth. In order for desensitising toothpaste to work, it needs to be used on a daily basis for a few weeks, and in some cases even months. This, however, will be worth it, as you’ll be able to enjoy hot or cold meals and drinks without tooth pain.

You enjoy eating foods that have ingredients such as garlic or onions.
Garlic bread and onion rings are delicious, especially on cold winter days, but the smell it leaves behind is not delicious at all. There are many flavoured toothpastes that have delicious scents that will disguise the smell or these foods. Remember to thoroughly brush your tongue, as smells are commonly stuck here. If your breath smells even after you cleaning your mouth with scented toothpaste, you may have a medical issue and should consult a doctor.

You have no dental issues and your teeth are healthy.
If you have no dental issues, use regular toothpaste or gel that contains fluoride twice a day. Remember to floss and you should not have any problems.

You need toothpaste for your children.
If you have children under the age of two, it is highly possible that they may swallow some or all of the toothpaste when cleaning their mouths. It is therefore important to purchase toothpaste that is specifically designed for them. Choose toothpaste that has low fluoride content with mild flavouring, as your child may not like the strong mint flavour that most toothpastes have.

All of these products are easily found at pharmacies, beauty stores and large retailers nationwide.

Article by: Odette Johaar http://www.beautybulletin.com/blog-directory/our-bloggers/o-so-inspired