At C.S. Family Dental, we want you to know that we care about you, your health, and especially the care of your teeth. When it comes to your teeth and gums, it is important that you always use products that are not going to cause damage to them. With that being said, did you know that the toothpaste you are using may be expired? It is true, toothpaste does expire and it is important that you know what the expiration date is.
Many people simply assume that toothpaste stays good forever and will stock up on it and leave it in their cabinet and grab a new bottle when needed. This can be a bad practice, especially if the toothpaste you have is expired. But, what will toothpaste that has expired really do to you?
You may be thinking that the toothpaste becomes acidic and easts at your enamel or maybe it causes your gums to become irritated and red. Well, it is not that extreme, thank goodness. If it did that, then we would see many more patients because using expired toothpaste is more common than you think.
The biggest problem with expired toothpaste is that it will not be effective anymore. What this means is that if the toothpaste claims to have fluoride in it or other benefits, they will simply be ineffective once the expiry date has been reached.
If you do use a toothpaste that has fluoride in it, the tube MUST contain an expiration date somewhere on the tube per the American Dental Association or ADA. If you look for an expiration date and cannot find it, try to locate the manufactured date on the tube. If you can locate that, the expiration date is two years from the date.
Once the expiration date has passed, you can still use the toothpaste, if you wish, but at C S Family Dental, we do not recommend it. In fact, we would not want you to use it simply because the toothpaste will provide poor performance and will not properly keep your teeth clean, which could lead to tooth decay.
If you do try to use toothpaste and it is past its expiry date, you may notice that the paste inside is more of a liquid and is much thinner than it should be. You may also notice that the toothpaste has a weird taste to it and does not hold its shape. When this happens, it is time to toss it out.
If you have accidentally brushed your teeth with expired toothpaste, do not panic. You are not at any health risk and you will not develop any medical or oral conditions because of it. So, don’t head to the emergency room yet. The only thing you need to do is throw out the expired toothpaste.
If you are wondering how you can avoid purchasing expired toothpaste, we do have some tips for you. First and foremost, you need to make sure that you are purchasing toothpaste from a reputable and well-established brand. If the brand is a well-known one, then it is likely that they follow all of the ADA requirements and have an expiration date on the bottle.
Next, you want to check the date on the tube. You want to pay attention for an expiration date which may say, exp. or expires. If you see neither of these, look for the manufactured date on the bottle and know that the paste expired two years after this date.
Lastly, check to see if the toothpaste you are considering has fluoride in it or not. If it does not, then you do not have to worry much about the expiration date, since the expiry is only made on fluoride and other claims such as whitening and more.
When it boils down to the core, you need to simply look at the tube and evaluate the date. If you feel comfortable with the information provided, then you can use the paste, but if you are unsure, look for a different brand.
When all else fails, the team at C S Family Dental is ready to help you and will advise you about the best toothpaste to purchase. We are always here to answer your questions and provide you with the best dental care.
