What Your Toothpaste Can’t Do

When it’s time to talk toothpaste, your caring family dentist in Ankeny, IA will be right there with you. Toothpaste is a vital and necessary part of any home dental hygiene routine. You’ve probably heard it before, but brushing twice a day, flossing daily and maintaining your scheduled exams and cleanings are all smart tools for preserving the health of your teeth. But as much as dentists recommend toothpaste, it can’t do everything. There are things your toothpaste can do, and other things it can’t.

Toothpaste Can’t Seal A Chipped or Cracked Tooth

If you’ve ever patched a nail hole with a dab of toothpaste, you might think “Wouldn’t it be nice if I could use toothpaste to fill a chip or crack in my tooth?” While toothpaste can’t do that job, a talented dentist can often restore a damaged tooth with a bonding procedure. A specially formulated resin, tinted to match your tooth’s color, can be applied to fill a chip or small crack. The material is then hardened and gently smoothed, for a durable and usually invisible repair.

Toothpaste Can’t Clean Effectively Between Teeth

If you’ve ever wondered why flossing is so important, it’s because toothpaste and the bristles or your toothbrush are not fully effective at cleaning between teeth. The larger, flatter surfaces, like the tops of your molars and the visible teeth in your smile can be brushed clean, but the narrow and tight spaces between teeth need a different treatment. Dental floss can slide into those gaps and scrape away the food bits. Dental floss is also good for gently dislodging anything harmful at the juncture where the teeth meet the gums.

Toothpaste Can’t Give You Personal Attention

There are hundreds of brands of toothpastes on thousands of store shelves, and as long as you look for the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance, you can be pretty sure they will deliver as advertised. But when something doesn’t seem quite right, it’s good to know that a caring dental office staff as close as a phone call. Building a relationship with a family dentist is as important as your careful daily home care routine.

Maintain Realistic Toothpaste Expectations

Have more questions about the tools you use to maintain dental health at home? Your dental team has the answers, and we are happy to share them with you. Find out if you’re making good choices by scheduling a visit with your Ankeny, IA dentist today! Contact Peddicord Family Dentistry to set up an appointment by calling 515-963-3339.