A glance at a store’s toothpaste selection can make your head spin. Narrow the choices by checking for the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of approval. Then try this guide:
Pastes with mouthwash offer no advantage in beating bad breath, says Matt Messina of the ADA.
Skip the mouthwash pastes.
All pastes contain a polisher and an abrasive. Baking soda is both. Choose this only if you prefer the taste.Add baking soda.
Whitening pastes won’t get your teeth as white as if they’d been bleached, but they will brighten them more than a standard toothpaste, says Samuel Yankell, a dental scientist at the University of Pennsylvania.Lighten up.
Kids don’t need their own toothpaste. And most don’t develop tartar until puberty, so a fluoride paste is enough, says Messina.Skip the children's toothpaste.
Potassium nitrate on the label means this paste will help block your teeth’s pain receptors.Sensitive teeth?
