Got Grit? Explaining The Ingredients In The Prophy Paste Your Dentist Uses

If you have ever been to a dentist, then you know that teeth cleaning includes a propylaxis treatment. This is the removal of stains, tartar and plaque from your teeth and leaves them very smooth and shiny white. If you have also stuck your tongue into the polish the dentist uses, even for a moment, you know that it is very gritty. Do not worry; your dentist is not using sand or sandpaper on your teeth! Here is more on what goes into dental polish so you can feel more at ease about your regular cleanings.

Flavoring

If you were to taste "prophy" paste without flavoring, it might make you gag just a little. It tastes a little like "clean dirt," or purified sand, which really does not say much unless you have actually consumed either of those products by accident at some point. This is precisely why prophy paste is flavored mint, cinnamon, raspberry, chocolate, strawberry and one or two other popular flavors. The flavoring hides the real taste of the prophy paste, which is essential if your dentist is going to get it past your kids' tastebuds (and yours, if you have a sensitive gag reflex).

Fluoride 

In the U.S., prophy paste contains fluoride to help restore tooth enamel and decrease dental sensitivities. Some dentists may even use just the prophy paste alone and skip the next step, which is often a fluoride treatment. In special needs children and adults, who would not tolerate sitting for a fluoride treatment, the fluoridated prophy past delivers the much needed fluoride to these patients' teeth. Then they can go home after just the polishing.

Grits

There are grit levels in the prophy paste, ranging from fine to extra coarse, depending on what the patient needs to really clean and restore his/her teeth. The grittiness you feel (and subsequently the weird aftertaste) comes from food-grade diatomaceous earth, which is ground up bits of fossilized sea shells. It may also come from ground feldspar, a softer type of rock, or from pumice, which is the sandy leftovers of volcanic eruptions (and also the source of the "clean dirt" taste you may pick up on). Each one of these ingredients has its own unique taste, and after some time you may even begin to recognize the differences between the grits and the type of ground material used in the polish just by the aftertaste.

Are you due for a dental cleaning? Visit The Downtown Dental Clinic for more information.     

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