Fluoride toothpaste vs. hydroxyapatite toothpaste: Which is best?
Right now, there is an increasing amount of research into the benefits of using hydroxyapatite toothpaste as an alternative to traditional toothpastes that contain fluoride. Is hydroxyapatite toothpaste better than fluoride toothpaste when it comes to cleaning and protecting your teeth?
What is fluoride?
Fluoride is an ingredient that is included in most modern toothpastes. It is a mineral that occurs naturally in drinking water. Depending on where you live in the UK, there will be varying levels of fluoride in your drinking water (it is sometimes added artificially too).
Fluoride is used in toothpaste as an effective tool to tackle plaque and tooth decay. It works to protect the enamel on your teeth to prevent the onset of tooth decay.
Fluoride-based toothpaste often contain unnatural and harsh chemicals such as parabens and foaming agents. Toothpaste doesn’t need to foam to be effective (the foaming is caused by chemicals such as sodium lauryl sulfate that is only added to give the illusion of cleanliness).
What is hydroxyapatite toothpaste?
Hydroxyapatite is a mineral that makes up 97% of your tooth enamel. It also makes up 60% of the components in your bones.
It’s been scientifically proven to strengthen and protect your teeth without the need for fluoride and therefore acts as a natural alternative to using fluoride toothpaste.
Hydroxyapatite works to remineralise and restore your tooth enamel and, because it is biologically compatible with your teeth, you can get all the same benefits you would get from a fluoride toothpaste without any of the drawbacks.
Your teeth recognise hydroxyapatite as a substance that belongs there, so when you brush with hydroxyapatite toothpaste your teeth absorb the mineral down to the root (as long as you don’t rinse after you brush)!
This also means that hydroxyapatite toothpaste is more effective when it comes to tackling plaque buildup, acid attacks, and enamel erosion... and may help your teeth to look whiter and glossier!
Another added benefit? Hydroxyapatite toothpaste can be especially beneficial for people suffering from sensitive teeth, as well as the ideal choice for children, as they are more likely to swallow some of their toothpaste and take in fluoride as a result.
Though hydroxyapatite toothpaste is not yet very well known outside of the dental industry, it’s been considered the gold standard of toothpaste in Japan for over 40 years.
So, which is the better option?
Ultimately, the choice between fluoride toothpaste and hydroxyapatite toothpaste is yours to make. It depends on what you are looking for from your toothpaste.
Hydroxyapatite toothpaste does tend to cost more than fluoride toothpaste due to the all-natural ingredients and its rarity outside of the USA and Japan, but it’s well worth looking into whether it’s the best choice for you and your teeth!
If you’re interested in trying a fluoride free toothpaste, hydroxyapatite toothpaste and seeing the benefits for yourself, then check out RiseWell - a fluoride-free hydroxyapatite range created by dentists and backed by science.
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