If you are a freelance dental hygienist or even a dentist, the question you always hear is “what kind of toothpaste should I use”. The truth is, there are plenty of choices out there where it might be hard to choose. Patients trust their dentists and the people who help keep their teeth clean.
So it comes as no surprise that they’ll ask them questions. As a dental professional, it’s important to recommend a toothpaste that is proven to work. After all, your recommendations will tie to your integrity and trust with patients.
The last thing you want is to lose the trust of your patients over an ill-fated recommendation of what toothpaste to use. However, there are kinds of toothpaste that contain this one ingredient that is highly recommended. We’ll be talking about stannous fluoride and why it’s important compared to a toothpaste that doesn’t contain this specific ingredient.
Let’s get right to it.
What Is Stannous Fluoride?
Stannous fluoride is an ingredient typically found in most over-the-counter toothpaste. This makes it very hard to whittle down your final options for toothpaste. However, it can come down to personal preferences like flavors and what it’s proven to do.
One major benefit to point out is that those who use stannous fluoride reduce their risk of bleeding gums by half. This type of fluoride is used as a protectant against cavities, gingivitis, and other common dental issues. It is often compared with sodium fluoride in terms of how well it performs.
Stannous Fluoride vs. Sodium Fluoride
While both ingredients contain fluoride, there are some distinctions between the two. While stannous fluoride is proven to fight and prevent gingivitis, sodium fluoride falls short of this ability. Unfortunately, sodium fluoride won’t do a great job in protecting your teeth against cavities and freshen your breath.
In other words, your patients should avoid sodium fluoride for the reasons listed above.
What Science Has Proven
If there is one thing that can be hard to argue against, it’s scientific evidence. Stannous fluoride toothpaste has more bioavailability compared to standard toothpaste. This means that it can be able to work faster and protect your teeth from decay.
When implementing flossing with their regular dental care, patients have seen a 40 percent decrease in bleeding gums when brushing manually with a well-formulated toothpaste that includes stannous fluoride.
The Choice Is Clear
If you are a dental professional, it’s important to recommend toothpaste with stannous fluoride to your patients. One such brand that contains this specific ingredient is Colgate. But don’t count out some of the other brands as well.
The scientific evidence has never been clearer. It provides so many different benefits compared to most standard toothpaste on the market. Your toothpaste recommendations might just give your patients an even better smile.
If you are a dental professional looking for your new gig, check out Stynt. You can fill out the form or download the app to get started now.
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