Fluorides in toothpaste – protective shield for sustainably healthy teeth and gums

It is well known: Fluoride in toothpastes is important for successful caries prophylaxis. However, not all fluoride is the same. There are some differences and sometimes they can only be used in combination to achieve the desired effect.

In general, fluorides are most effective when they are on the surface of the tooth. The tooth enamel should always be well moistened by a fluoride layer. If there is an acid attack by food or bacteria, essential minerals dissolve from the tooth. Fluoride then ensures rapid remineralization of the tooth. It can take direct countermeasures.

Fluoride protective layer usually lasts for several hours

Even if the calcium fluoride layer is not firmly bound in the mouth, it can withstand more than you think. Viewed under the microscope, it appears in several layers in the form of densely packed spheres. After brushing your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste, the protective calcium fluoride layer can be detected for a few hours.

If you take a look at the ingredients in your toothpaste the next time you brush your teeth, you will probably find at least one of the following products. Here you can find out how the different fluorides work.

The classic: sodium fluoride

The vast majority of toothpastes contain sodium fluoride. This is a simple compound: a fluoride ion and a sodium ion bind to each other due to their electrical attraction. Chemically speaking, it is a salt that dissolves well in saliva. It brings a lot of fluoride ions into the mouth during the brushing process and thus contributes to caries prophylaxis. However, this only works if the product does not contain calcium at the same time. If calcium and fluoride combine in the tube, a chemical reaction can occur in which calcium fluoride is formed. This reaction can affect the effectiveness of the toothpaste because calcium fluoride is poorly soluble and can be deposited as a solid layer on the teeth. And: Sodium fluoride transports sufficient fluoride ions into the mouth. However, they then have to find their way from the cleaning foam to the tooth surface themselves.

Aluminium fluoride: rather unsuitable for caries prophylaxis

Aluminum fluoride, just like sodium fluoride, is a salt. However, with a decisive disadvantage: it dissolves as poorly in saliva as the above-mentioned calcium fluoride. Aluminum fluoride is therefore not helpful for caries prophylaxis. It just has another benefit: it can help reduce bleeding gums. For people with bleeding gums who also attach importance to functioning caries prophylaxis, the following fluoride is more optimal.

Tin fluoride: best combined

Tin fluoride, on the other hand, again shows very good water solubility. In fact, even the first fluoride toothpaste was a product with tin fluoride. However, tin ions proved to be very reactive. A stable toothpaste formulation with tin fluoride is therefore not so easy to produce. Only the combination with amine fluoride, for example, can shield the reactive active ingredient and provide stability.

In the case of problems such as bleeding gums or periodontitis, it can be worthwhile to use toothpaste made of tin fluoride in combination with another fluoride, because: tin fluoride shows higher activity against plaque-forming bacteria and can soothe the gums.

People with sensitive teeth can also benefit from tin fluoride. Studies have shown that long-term use reduces sensitivity to pain. In acute cases, it can be helpful to apply a small amount of toothpaste directly to the tooth with your finger.

Amine fluoride: particularly effective

Amine fluorides are also to be classified as salts. In contrast to the aforementioned fluorides, however, they have a more complex structure and have particularly good properties in terms of caries prophylaxis.

In amine fluorides, the fluoride ion is bound to a fatty acid amine ion – a long-chain organic molecule. And that’s what’s special about it. The combination of a polar, water-soluble amine part and a long, non-polar fatty acid residue part makes amine fluoride a surface-active substance. What does that mean? Let’s compare the mode of action again with the sodium fluoride described at the beginning. While sodium fluoride only transports fluoride ions into the mouth, which then only partially find their way to the tooth surface, the water-repellent amine end of amine fluoride acts like a rocket that brings the required fluoride directly to the tooth surface: to the tooth surface. Tests show in a direct comparison that the enamel surface absorbs fluoride faster and more effectively when brushed with amine fluoride than with sodium fluoride.

And what about toothpaste without fluoride?

Here it can be said quite clearly: fluoride-free toothpaste does not provide optimal caries protection. These toothpastes rely exclusively on mechanical abrasion by the cleaning particles they contain. Although the plaque is removed here, the enamel-hardening effect is absent. The same applies to natural products such as sludge chalk.

In conclusion, it can be said that products with amine fluoride are most effective in caries prophylaxis. If you use a combination product with tin fluoride, you also protect yourself from gingivitis or pain-sensitive teeth. It’s worth taking a look at the ingredients.

Related products:

→ Tin II fluoride 
→ Sodium fluoride 
→ Sodium fluorophosphate