Yes, pay attention to the expiration date on your tube of toothpast
e!
According to a Chicago Tribune article about items that can lose their effectiveness,
- The greatest concern about toothpaste is the reduction in the concentration of fluoride, which is key to cavity prevention, said Frank Lippert, a researcher at Indiana University’s Oral Health Research Institute.
- Anti-tartar and whitening agents also can degrade, making the product less effective.
- Toothpastes with chemicals such as triclosan, which fights gingivitis, have an even shorter shelf life because that chemical can leach into the packaging material over time, cutting effectiveness.
- Also, disappearing flavor and the process of syneresis (when water leaves the gel and makes the tube hard to squeeze), make old toothpaste unpleasant.
Aesthetic Dentistry by Design 719-599-0700.