“Öko-Test” test toothpaste: half drops from 400 products
The consumer magazine “Öko-Test” has tested a 400 tooth pastes. Almost every second product. The toothpaste effective fluoride protection against tooth decay is often lacking. In addition, in some tubes of controversial ingredients.
Brushing your teeth protects against tooth decay
Regular teeth the effect is inflammation brushing the fullest measure to the gums, tooth pain and tooth decay efficiently prevent. It is, among other things, heavily on the right technology. Shaking and brushing according to dentists. Also important is the quality of the toothpaste is. However, the often poor, as a current Test of “Eco-Test” shows. The consumer magazine has tested a 400 tooth pastes. In this case, each second was just – you a more effective fluoride protection against tooth decay is often lacking. Especially natural cosmetics products were disappointing in the Test.
400 tooth pastes in the Test
Such as “Öko-Test” reported on its web site, were studied in the Test, all of the important own – brand and branded products from Discount and super markets, drugstores, pharmacies and Online stores.
A total of 204 Universal tooth pastes, 36 sensitive tooth pastes, 94 toothpastes for whiter teeth and 66 Children toothpastes for milk teeth and juniors were taken more exactly under the magnifying glass. 65 natural cosmetics-tooth pastes, which are aimed at adults.
The Tester wanted to know, whether controversial ingredients stuck in the tubes, whether sensitive toothpaste really helps with the pain of sensitive teeth, how far the promised Whitening effects of toothpastes are scientifically proven and whether the provider tooth pastes for Children to access sufficient information about cavity protection with fluoride.
A third of the tested products can be recommended
According to “Öko-Test” could well be a third of all tooth pastes are recommended: 116 products with “very good”, 27, “good”. These toothpastes contain fluoride, and no controversial ingredients.
However, almost every other toothpaste in a Test falls by: All 199 products were rated “poor” or “unsatisfactory”. “Satisfactory” or “sufficient” are 58 dental creams, as they have minor defects.
The individual scores of the tested products can be viewed free of charge.
No or too little fluoride
As the main problem is the consumer describes magazine that in 85 of the tested toothpastes for adults no or little fluoride. Among the affected tooth creams 51 natural cosmetic products. These were not rated better than “poor”.
Who is going to clean his teeth regularly with fluoride toothpaste prevents Caries. According to the experts, this effectiveness is demonstrated, from school age, without a doubt.
Therefore, the German dental medicine-guideline for adults recommends unequivocally fluoride-containing toothpastes.
Also the risk that it could be due to fluoride in toothpaste sick, don’t insist.
Fluoride can harm, but only if you take to a blow of very high quantities for them to be declared “Eco-Test” elsewhere.
A 70 kilogram adult would need to take for the first signs of Intoxication at least 350 milligrams of fluoride: as much as two to three tubes of toothpaste.
Even those who have eaten the contents of a complete range of standard tube (75 ml), would swallow according to the experts, only a maximum of 150 mg fluoride. Who are the teeth spits out, so normal cleaning, and then, you must have no fear.
As experts in milk teeth fluoride toothpaste is not recommend, so far, clearly, was not a Children’s toothpaste devalued without fluoride.
Controversial Ingredients
In some tested products controversial ingredients have been identified. So, every fourth of toothpaste in the Test, sodium lauryl contains some sulfate. The image is to help end foam, food particles, and plaque to be washed out.
The substance is regarded as relatively aggressive, and can irritate the sensitive mucous membranes. Another problem is that the 91 tested tooth containing pastes polyethylene glycols and chemically related substances (PEG).
These can make the mucous membranes more permeable to foreign substances. In almost one sixth of the tested toothpaste puts both even: a PEG, and sodium lauryl sulfate. These tubes cut off, therefore, no better than “poor”.
In four of the tested toothpastes the bacteria-killer Triclosan. According to experts, it can make bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
Moreover, in animal studies, Triclosan intestinal inflammation and cancer can cause.
The products in question fail with “insufficient”. Affected are the Colgate Total Original toothpaste, the Colgate Total plus healthy Fresh toothpaste, Colgate Total plus interdental cleaning toothpaste, as well as the Fuchs Dent-A-Xyl toothpaste.
The Natuvell Dental cream herbs not should not have been sold, according to “Öko-Test”, because the use of an ingredient in the toothpaste (a solvent) is permitted by law. A surveillance authority confirmed this.
Natural cosmetics-toothpastes offer no protection against caries
65 tested toothpastes for adults are certified as natural cosmetics: many of the Universal tooth-pastes, but also for sensitive and whiter teeth.
Of the natural cosmetics products all 51 fall through, because they often contain no fluoride and is a proven protection against caries is missing.
13 fluoride-containing organic toothpastes tested were rated “very good”.
Half of the children tooth pastes is recommended
A good half of the tested tooth pastes for Children is to recommend – including four products without fluoride. However, eleven Children toothpastes for milk teeth and three Junior toothpastes flopping completely.
One of the most striking problems: about half of all tubes of toothpaste for milk teeth, the Tester complain to the information on fluoride.
Because fluoride-free but fluoride-containing tooth pastes for Children should ensure there is a clear evidence that parents provide their children with fluoride.
In addition, each seventh Children’s toothpaste contains the problem substances, peg’s or sodium lauryl sulfate.
False expectations should be avoided
Sparkling white teeth with toothpaste? From the point of view of the “Öko-Test” is unrealistic.
On the whole 75 packaging the Tester to miss a note, for the purpose of preventing false expectations. You do not inform that the Fill-in-the result of a natural tooth depends on the color.
In addition, the provider submitted on the request hardly any studies on the effects of their products, and these studies were not conclusive.
In addition, more than half of the toothpastes for whiter teeth contains the problem substances sodium lauryl sulfate or PEG. Therefore, only 16 of the 94 products that are overall to recommend.
Sensitive-toothpaste is aimed at people with sensitive teeth, can help against the painful Pull when consuming cold or hot food. It occurs especially in the case of exposed tooth necks.
Almost half of the tested tubes can be recommended. Twelve fail with “insufficient” or “inadequate”. Very often, the foaming agent sodium lauryl sulfate and PEGs, the notes, press here.
Against the pain most of the tooth containing pastes in the Test of potassium salts, stannous fluoride, hydroxyapatite, or arginine. These substances can have a soothing effect. The success, however, is not guaranteed to be scientific, therefore, a grade will be deducted.
Tips from “Öko-Test”
Finally, the experts of the “Eco-Test buying” a few tips for the tooth cream:
You brush your teeth as an adult, only with fluoride-containing toothpaste. Their effect against dental caries is well documented.
You are looking especially for natural cosmetics-toothpaste carefully at the list of ingredients. It often contains no fluoride, and provides no effective protection against caries.
Leave toothpaste also, when sodium lauryl sulfate (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) is declared.
Toothpaste for whiter teeth is not usually recommended. It often contains too many problem materials. The advertised-Lightening effects in addition to go in addition, often barely over the conventional toothpaste. (ad)