Category Archives: Dental Procedures

Debunking The True Meaning of the Color Bars on Toothpaste

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There is much speculation and concern growing on social media sites about toothpaste and its safety. Many have pointed out the bottom of toothpaste tubes, a square printed with a specific color to indicate contents as natural or mixed with chemicals. People are coming to the belief that the color marked on toothpaste can be dangerous to your body as you could be ingesting harmful chemicals. In reality the squares do not possess a specific purpose or indicate the ingredients in use. The squares are called eye marks and do not measure up to beliefs of toothpaste color codes of the industry.

Taking a step back from the labels and contents, we will remind you what toothpaste really does for our smile. Toothpaste, or dentifrice, is an important staple to a person’s daily oral hygiene. They are approved products from the American Dental Association, to help remove bacteria and plaque from teeth and gums that build up throughout the day. The ADA seal is placed on packages of common toothpastes sold in the United States, symbolizing their safety and effectiveness to help maintain healthy teeth.

The Talk of Toothpaste Color Codes

There are a many blogs and articles circulating that tell a story of color markings on the bottom of a toothpaste tube which indicate an important detail that people are unaware of. Authors of these articles suggest the following as a description of colors marked on toothpaste tubes:

  • Green = Natural

  • Blue = Natural and Medicine

  • Red = Natural and Chemical composition

  • Black = Pure Chemical

Many pass on this information to their friends and family alike, warning each other to watch out for toothpastes with the red or black square as they are noted as unsafe. Do you think there is some truth behind this claim?

Color Bars on Toothpaste Are Falsely Accused

The squares marked on the toothpaste do not classify or indicate anything about the contents of the paste at all. They are not placed there by the paste manufacturer, but the companies who design toothpaste packaging. The term used for the color squares are eye marks. They are placed on the plastic packaging of the tube as markers for sensors at the packaging industry, so the machines know where to cut and crimp the individual tubes.

Color bars are also found on most newspapers and other color printed items. This is solely for aligning color during the printing process. Most manufacturers who print in color use this method of colored squares to help in the process of alignment. The labeled color does not indicate anything other than where printers should align the labels of color packaging items.

For more information about ADA approved toothpaste and their ingredients for a brighter smile, meet with your San Diego dentist. The labels on toothpaste tubes are placed on the bottom for label alignment purposes only. Each color does not indicate hidden meanings of material blended in the paste. Read the labels of toothpaste at your local retailer and find the products marked with the ADA seal, approved for consumer use which in no way harm the body when ingested.

The Secret to Choosing Smile-Friendly Candy

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Halloween is just around the corner and with costume season upon us, children grow ecstatic for all the candy they get to sink their teeth into. This year parents should pay a little more attention to their children’s candy choices as their teeth could be exposed to more danger than it can normally handle. We all know that candy is bad for our teeth, but some candy is actually worse for your teeth when exposed to.

Research shows that the worst candy for teeth comes in varieties of hard candy, gummies and sticky candy. Parents and kids need to be aware of the effects that their candy is having on teeth, which makes it difficult for trick-or-treaters to cope with every year. The dental procedures that your dentist provides is at an increased risk of damage when exposing the mouth the tasty treats. Explore healthier alternatives this year and choose candy that is safer for your smile and trick-or-treaters.

Reduce Time with Sugar Exposure

Halloween treats that can be eaten quickly are the best for adults and children. Candy such as chocolate and sugar-free substances are the simple solutions to avoid lengthy exposure of to sweets. The less amount of time that sugar spends with teeth, the better, because small pieces of non-almond chocolate break down quickly and reduces contact with teeth. Almond and peanut chocolates should be avoided as they require the individual to crunch the candy apart which makes the sugar penetrate deeper into teeth and consumes more time.

Avoid Getting Stuck On Hard and Chewy Candy

After returning from trick-or-treating, parents and children should separate the bad candy from the good. This will help avoid temptation of eating the cavity-makers. Dentists agree that hard and chewy candy should be avoided as much as possible, so the contents do not stick on teeth. Halloween candy that should be avoided includes:

  • Hard candy (jawbreakers, lollipops and mints)

  • Chewy candy (candy corn, gummies and dried fruit)

  • Sticky candy (caramel, taffy and gum)

These treats may taste good for a short time, but their effects leave bad results in the long run. They take too long for the mouth to completely dissolve and expose the teeth to sugar longer than other candy. The longer that candy sticks around on teeth is the more likely it is to integrate with bacteria, which will then lead to acid production. The more acid that gets generated from candy is the more risk the individual has to develop cavities.

Serve Halloween Treats Not Tricks

According to Delta Dental, sticky and chewy candy results in long contact with teeth. The candy that gets stuck to the surface of teeth is increases the risk of sugar producing enamel eating acid. Thus far increasing the amount of trips to the dentist every year. The best solution to fight against plaque is to adopt healthy candy consumption habits, such as:

  • Consume small candy portions

  • Avoid eating hard candy or sticky and chewy candy

  • Brush teeth or drink water after every candy serving

  • Have children eat dinner before trick-or-treating

  • Pass out sugar-free candy or miniature plain chocolates

This Halloween do not allow yourself or your kids to expose their teeth to the sticky and hard candy. Dried fruits can even get stuck to teeth causing sugar build up. Limit time to eat candy to avoid lengthy sugar exposure. This will help fight off the spooky cavities and extend the lifespan of dental work. Long after the costumes are put away, everyone in the household should make smarter and healthier choices with smile-friendly candy.