Q: Isn't one toothpaste pretty much like any other?
A: Toothpastes certainly have their similarities. But it is a well-documented fact that fluoride toothpastes are better at reducing cavities in children and adolescents than are non-fluoride toothpastes. A comprehensive review in 2003 of more than 5 decades of clinical trials involving children and adolescents found that regular brushing with fluoride toothpastes resulted in 24 percent fewer cavities. The review found that in the prior 30 years the incidence of children's cavities had declined significantly in many communities, the result of both fluoridation of community water supplies and the increased use of fluoride toothpastes.
The reviewers looked at 74 studies done between 1950 and 2001 in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Those studies involved more than 42,000 youngsters under age 16. The review also concluded that brushing with fluoride toothpaste at least once a day reduced cavities even in areas where the water supply was fluoridated. Talk with your dentist about the benefit of fluoride toothpaste.
|
Top
