Does Toothpaste Expire?

Yes, pay attention to the expiration date on your tube of toothpaste!

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.