Toothpaste

From Free net encyclopedia

Image:Toothpaste.png Toothpaste is a paste or gel used to clean and improve the aesthetic appearance and health of teeth. It is almost always used in conjunction with a toothbrush. Toothpaste use can promote good oral hygiene: it can aid in the removal of dental plaque and food from the teeth, it can aid in the elimination and/or masking of halitosis, and it can deliver active ingredients such as fluoride to prevent tooth and gum disease. Most people in developed countries consider toothpaste a necessity and use it at least once a day.

1 History
2 Ingredients and Flavors
3 Striped toothpaste
4 Popular brands
5 See also
6 External links

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History

The earliest known reference to a toothpaste is in a manuscript from Egypt in the 4th century A.D., which prescribes a mixture of powdered salt, pepper, mint leaves, and iris flowers. The Romans used toothpaste formulations based on human urine. Since urine contains ammonia, it was probably effective in whitening teeth. [1] An 18th century American toothpaste recipe containing burnt bread has been found. Another formula around this time called for dragon's blood, cinnamon, and burnt alum. [2]

However, toothpastes or powders did not come into general use until the 19th century. In the early 1800s, the toothbrush was usually used only with water, but tooth powders soon gained popularity. Most were home made, with chalk, pulverized brick, and salt being common ingredients. An 1866 Home Encyclopedia recommended pulverized charcoal, and cautioned that many patented tooth powders then commercially marketed did more harm than good.

By 1900, a paste made of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda was recommended. Pre-mixed toothpastes were first marketed in the 19th century, but did not surpass the popularity of tooth-powder until World War I. In New York City in 1896, Colgate & Company manufactured toothpaste in the first collapsible tube, similar to that recently introduced for artists' paints.

Fluoride started to be added to toothpastes in 1914, but while the early use of fluoride was criticized by the American Dental Association (ADA) in 1937, fluoride toothpastes developed in the 1950s got the ADA´s seal of approval. Countries limit and suggest different amounts acceptable for health. Much of Africa has a slightly higher percent than the U.S..

Toothpaste is most commonly sold in flexible tubes, though harder containers are available. The hard containers stand straight up, availing more of the toothpaste and saving shelf space.

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Ingredients and Flavors

Sodium fluoride (NaF) is the most popular active ingredient in toothpaste to prevent cavities; some brands use sodium monofluorophosphate (SMFP). Nearly all toothpaste sold in the United States has 1000 to 1100 parts per million of one of these active ingredients. This consistency leads some to conclude that cheap toothpaste is just as good as expensive toothpaste. When the magazine Consumer Reports rated toothpastes in 1998, 30 of the 38 were judged excellent.

Many, though not all, toothpastes contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or another of the sulfate family. SLS is found in other personal care products as well, such as shampoo, and is largely a foaming agent. SLS may cause a greater frequency of mouth ulcers in some people as it can dry out the protective layer of oral tissues causing the underlying tissues to become damaged[3].

Ingredients such as baking soda, enzymes, vitamins, herbs, calcium, mouthwash, and/or hydrogen peroxide are often combined into base mixes and marketed as being beneficial.

Toothpaste comes in a variety of flavors, most often being some variation on mint (spearmint, peppermint, regular mint etc). Other more exotic flavors include: anise, apricot, bubblegum (marketed mostly to children), cinnamon, fennel, ginger, vanilla, lemon, orange, pine. Some are even unflavored.

Toothpaste is not intended to be swallowed. Some types of toothpaste may cause nausea or diarrhea if swallowed in sufficient quantity. Extended consumption while the teeth are forming can result in fluorosis. This is why children of a young age should not use toothpaste except under close supervision.

Calcium used in toothpaste can be derived from animal bones or from lime. Vegetarians prefer to use products free of any ingredients derived from animals. For this reason, in India toothpaste suitable for vegetarians has been introduced and has done extremely well.

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Striped toothpaste

Image:Tooth-paste-stripes.jpg

Striped toothpaste is produced by including two different colored toothpastes in an unusual type of packaging. The collapsible tube has two tanks, one filled with each color paste (see figure). Squeezing the tube pushes the two pastes out the opening. The tube nozzle layers the pastes to produce a striped pattern.

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