Non-curative toothpastes

No toothpaste is able to strengthen the enamel or reduce sensitivity, scientists have proved

Ksenia Malysheva, Naked Science

An international group of scientists found no differences between pastes that supposedly "protect against enamel erosion", "strengthen enamel" or "reduce tooth sensitivity" from the control paste. Moreover, it turned out that all pastes are equally abrasive and none can reverse the abrasion of the enamel.

Dentists note that patients are increasingly coming to them with destroyed tooth enamel and hypersensitive dentin. The market responded to this trend with the appearance of toothpastes, whose manufacturers promise to prevent enamel erosion. But a study conducted by experts from Swiss and Brazilian universities has shown that none of the toothpastes studied, which are positioned as "protecting enamel", are able to combat the loss of tooth enamel substance, a key factor leading to increased sensitivity and tooth destruction.

In caries, enamel decomposes under the action of bacterial enzymes, but sometimes mechanical erosion leads to the fact that the dentin is exposed and the tooth becomes sensitive to hot, cold and touch. Most often, this problem occurs in the part of the tooth adjacent to the gum, because the enamel is thinner there. "One of the reasons for the discovery of dentin and the emergence of sensitivity is the erosion of enamel, which occurs when we brush our teeth. Therefore, for our study, we chose those toothpastes that promise to fight erosion or sensitivity," explains Samira Helena João–Souza, one of the authors of the study.

Scientists subjected human teeth donated by a dental clinic to five cleaning cycles using nine pastes of brands popular in Europe and Brazil with "anti-erosion" or "sensitivity-reducing" properties and one control paste, and measured the loss of enamel substance. The scientists published the test results in the journal Scientific Reports. According to the article, all tested pastes somehow contribute to the loss of enamel substance and none protects against erosion and abrasion. Moreover, the difference between the pastes of different brands turned out to be as insignificant as the difference between the "protective" pastes and the control one.

Reduction of the enamel area after five cycles of brushing with five toothpastes. The lower graph is for cleaning without paste in the presence of artificial saliva. João-Souza et al. Scientific Reports.

Toothpaste should be used for its intended purpose – to serve as a weak abrasive reagent and help remove food residues from teeth, as well as disinfect the surface of teeth and gums. But it cannot be used as a medicine, including as a cure for enamel erosion or hypersensitivity of teeth, the authors of the article note. According to Zhuau-Souza, only compliance with three rules can protect against enamel loss: timely visits to the dentist, regular dental hygiene and nutrition. According to scientists, it is impossible to rely on the protection of toothpaste.

Tooth erosion is a multifactorial process. It occurs most actively in an acidic environment, and some approaches to nutrition make the environment in the oral cavity very acidic – in particular, this happens if you eat a lot of industrial food.

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