Stiftung Warentest Better toothpaste is also available for a small amount of money

Stiftung Warentest checks the effect of toothpastes
Toothpaste is by no means the equivalent of toothpaste, which is why consumers should pay attention to some important details when buying. The Stiftung Warentest offers an overview of a total of 73 different products, including "Universal and Sensitive toothpastes and pastes with white labeling." For the current issue of the magazine "test", 19 universal toothpastes, many of them with herb-flavored checked. Stiftung Warentest claims to have investigated "how effectively they prevent tooth decay, remove discolouration on the teeth and whether they are microbiologically sound."

Every German consumes around five tubes of toothpaste per year, according to the Stiftung Warentest. There are basically three types of toothpaste to distinguish: toothpaste with white as well as universal and sensitive toothpaste. These promise to protect teeth from decay, restore their natural whiteness, or protect sensitive necks. Many of the toothpastes tested can actually convince with "good" results here, but individual products do not even meet the minimum requirements for caries prophylaxis in the opinion of the testers.

Fluoride is crucial for caries protection
Universal toothpastes usually promise complete protection for teeth and dental flesh and, above all, protection against tooth decay, according to the Stiftung Warentest. Here, the active ingredient fluoride is crucial, the caries proven to prevent. Tooth decay is caused by bacterial dental plaque, the plaque, where the plaque bacteria feed on sugar from our diet, the Stiftung Warentest reports. The bacteria form acids that dissolve minerals from the tooth enamel and damage it. With fluoridated toothpaste, the tooth surface can be given back to lost minerals. The teeth become more resistant to acids and thus to caries.

Antimicrobial properties
Very good for caries prophylaxis are, according to the Stiftung Warentest "mainly toothpastes with amine fluoride, tin fluoride and those with sodium fluoride." The combination of amine fluoride and tin fluoride have in addition to the caries-prophylactic and antimicrobial properties. So she not only prevent caries, but also act plaque and anti-inflammatory. However, a sufficiently high content of fluoride must be achieved in order to even protect against caries. According to Stiftung Warentest, however, some candidates among the tested universal toothpastes did not contain any fluoride. They come here therefore only to a "deficient" result.

Protection of sensitive teeth
In addition to caries prophylaxis, Sensitive Toothpastes must, above all, be as abrasion-resistant as possible, so that exposed, sensitive tooth necks are not strained any further. Here, however, the technique of tooth brushing also plays an essential role, as well as excessive brushing can damage the teeth, reports Stiftung Warentest. If the teeth are cleaned for less than two minutes, however, the fluoride does not have enough time to work. In the case of toothpastes with white statement, the removal of discolorations is in the foreground next to caries protection, which according to Stiftung Warentest requires increased abrasion. For example, surfactants and cleansing agents are contained in the tooth creams, with the toothpastes producing a different degree of abrasion, depending on the size, shape and type of the plaster elements added. Even a high abrasion could not harm healthy teeth, with exposed tooth necks, however, recommend a toothpaste with low abrasion. In fact, according to the Stiftung Warentest all products that promise, for example, "extra", "shiny" or "radiant" white teeth, the discoloration at least "good" fix.

Advertising claims are often untenable
The testers of Stiftung Warentest also compared the list of ingredients with the advertising slogans on the toothpaste packaging in order to check to what extent "specific active ingredients were actually labeled, for which a supportive effect has also been scientifically proven "The Stiftung Warentest comes to the conclusion that the packaging is often promised a lot of effect, but in the tubes sometimes there is little in it. In terms of caries protection, however, could convince most products. Only a few biomarkers, which purposely do without fluoride, performed "poorly" in this regard. (Fp)

Picture credits: Bernd Kasper 

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