what are you using for toothpaste?

Since Crest bought out Tom's of Maine, I am having trouble finding a suitable toothpaste.

If I were willing to give up fluoride, I could find one, but I think I need that. My teeth are not very good, partly due to neglect especially dating from when I was consistently too ill to brush or floss them (I still find this hard and barely ever floss, but I can brush sometimes now), and also likely from an inhaled corticosteroid for asthma.

I can't find anything to use.

 

My hands are too large to use handheld floss effectively on anything but my front teeth. However, a while back I ran across this (below) (Listerine "Ultraclean" - formerly called "Reach").

The floss units are disposable. They seem resilient enough to be re-used once or twice if rinsed, but I don't know how good of an idea that is. The replacements units (on the right) cost about ~$4 and last a month if you skip a day here and there.

Since using this, my dental hygienist actually complements me on how well I'm taking care my teeth. Trust me - that never happened before.

For toothpaste, I use Sensodyne, which seems to be good for sensitive teeth. I often get random nerve sensitivity in a tooth and Sensodyne seems to help.

 

Another option if flossing is hard to do are electric water flossers.

Mouth wash is a great addition when you periodically struggle to brush your teeth. At times I have it standing by the night stand so I can access it on days I don’t leave the bed.

There are also toothpaste powders that come in all sorts of eco friendly and allergy friendly varieties. You could check out allergy related websites for tips.

 

I've used Sensodyne ProNamel for years. I used to have sensitive teeth but haven't been bothered by it since a couple of months after starting this toothpaste at the recommendation of my dentist.

 

The flossing solutions could help, thanks.

Due to ingredients it's really very hard to find any product that I could use, but I am glad you others have things that work for you.

 

If you can’t find anything you can use, what I would do as a temporary solution is to brush with just water and then rinse with salt water. It’s not ideal but it’s a lot better than nothing.

Hope you have some luck finding a new toothpaste soon!

 

there are semi-industrial mouthwashes on amazon. maybe one of them is mostly fluoride?

similar search needed here. i have just developed trigeminal neuralgia and i believe dental issues have something to do with it [even if only triggering].

i want fluoride [or at least i think i do], especially stannous fluoride as opposed to sodium fluoride. but i can't risk glycerin in my case [severe angioedema trigger includes soap; glycerin is a soap product; any chemists are welcome to correct me as i'd like to use glycerin if it is not going to get sensitized like all soaps have].

i have been doing water and salt water. also adding xylitol when possible. i have asked for a thermos for salt water and something i can spit into to rinse after meals.

 

I don’t use floss I have interdental brushes.

My dentist doesn’t approve of mouthwash after brushing as it washes the toothpaste away and stops it filling in the tiny holes.

When I don’t have the energy to have a proper wash/clean teeth I rinse with salt water which is quite effective.

 

I brush and rinse, then put a fresh dab of toothpaste in my mouth and spread it on the teeth, and leave it there.

 

Glycerin is tricky. As best I understand it, it’s a fatty acid that could be used to make soap, and could be a byproduct from soap making. It’s an emollient (keeps moisture in the skin). Possibly it might depend how much you trust the manufacturer to have a clean product.

Not able right now to add links and double check my work.

I would trust your gut.

 

Somebody helped me find a baking soda and fluoride toothpaste at Trader Joe’s that’s working out okay.

Thanks everyone. Great ideas, and I hope everybody can find something they can use.

 

I'm using Arm & Hammer baking soda and peroxide fluoride toothpaste.

 

Short answer:

I only use toothpastes without sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). I don't seem to have sensitivity to any other ingredients.

Brands that have worked for me include Spry and Sensodyne (Kroger makes a generic equivalent that is cheaper). It can be hard to find a toothpaste that includes flouride and also excludes SLS.

Longer answer:

I have a tendency toward canker sores (mouth ulcers, aphthous ulcers).

Many years ago I discovered that a common ingredient in toothpastes, sodium lauryl sulfate (aka, SLS), is one factor in causing them. It is not the ONLY factor but it makes a difference, at least for me. And I found this on pubMed:

Effect of sodium lauryl sulfate on recurrent aphthous stomatitis: A systematic review
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30839136

Mouth ulcers are often caused by irritation (eg, biting your inner lip or cheek). But I used to get them all the time for seemingly no reason at all.

I now know that, for me, SLS is one of the main triggers. Now I use only non-SLS toothpaste. I have gotten maybe one or two canker sores over the last 15-20 years! I forgot when I figured this out, and switched toothpastes, so I don't have an exact date.

 

@WillowJ I found a site that lists many brands of toothpaste without SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate):

https://slsfree.net/sls-free-toothpaste/#sls-free-toothpaste-brands

I know you did NOT mention SLS-free as a requirement but I thought I'd pass it on just as an additional list of options to look through.

 

@ahimsa thank you, that’s very helpful! I get mouth ulcers very easily, and sometimes feel like they have taken up permanent residence and formed townships. I will look into SLS and see if it can help me to stay away from it.

 

That’s exactly what I use and can’t use any other toothpaste. It’s called Parodontax.

 

I get a lot of mouth ulcers...it’s mainly due to my low folate levels (classic symptom apparently). Have you had your folate levels checked?....just rang a bell reading your post ...could be totally unrelated to your ulcers but thought I would mention it.

 

Thanks, I appreciate the kind thought!

Since my mouth ulcers went away with a change in toothpaste, and they have not come back over the past 15-20 years (versus happening almost every week), I'm gonna guess that sensitivity to SLS in toothpaste was actually the cause for me.

I'm sure I've had my folate levels checked a bunch of times, especially in the early years when they were testing everything and I was undiagnosed. And I've been taking B-complex vitamin supplements from almost the very beginning. I actually had a high B-12 on a couple tests because I was getting B-12 shots. These shots didn't do anything for my energy but I tried a whole bunch of things back in the early days.

Low folate may be a possible cause but I don't think it's very likely in my case.