Best before date
To find out this information, just carefully study the packaging; it indicates the period during which the product can be stored. Some manufacturers write until what month and year the paste can be used. And others indicate the date of production of the product and indicate during what period (months or years) it does not lose its properties. Usually this is 2–3 years. This information concerns the length of time during which the paste can be stored unopened.
But there is another shelf life for toothpaste. Once the tube is opened and the protective foil is removed, it should be used within 6-12 months. This information must also be indicated on the packaging. Usually it is applied in the form of an image of an open jar, on which there is the letter “M” and a number, which is the number of months during which the product should be used after opening.
Active ingredients in toothpaste
Most toothpastes contain five active ingredients, including fluorides, abrasives, flavoring agents or sweeteners, humectants and detergents, all of which are listed on the tube box. Thanks to saccharin or sorbitol, the paste has a pleasant sweet taste. Sodium lauryl sulfate, which is part of many cosmetic products, is a detergent that acts both as a humectant, giving toothpaste a soft consistency, and as a foaming agent for better cleaning of teeth.
Mysterious multi-colored stripes on the tube
There is an opinion that strips on toothpaste hide information about quality, composition and safety. Therefore, many buyers began to pay attention to its color, located at the adhesion site.
If you look at all the products presented, you can see that the color scheme of the stripes is not so diverse, there are only four of them.
- Green, which, according to many, including leading experts in various medical programs, indicates the natural composition of the paste. Associative thinking allows you to compare the color green with ecology and nature. This means that such a product should contain no chemical components, and the shelf life of the toothpaste should be short.
- Black is the opposite of green. It is believed that toothpaste with this label consists exclusively of chemical elements and is completely free of natural ingredients. And this category belongs to the cheapest segment, since black color indicates low-quality products.
- Red and blue stripes on toothpaste supposedly indicate that the product is of average quality. It contains approximately equal amounts of natural and artificial ingredients.
Common Myths
You can determine the expiration date of a toothpaste by looking at the colored stripe on the seam of the tube. The bar won't actually give you the answer. Many also believe that the color of the strip depends on the composition of the product and will tell about its quality, for example:
- green is used to identify herbal cleanser;
- blue indicates a natural product with mineral components;
- red indicates the medicinal properties of the product;
- black identifies the chemical base.
In fact, the color of the strip has nothing to do with the quality of the paste. It is used to identify the tube when distributing different types of product in automated plants. (See the video about the origin of the strips at the end of the article.)
Accordingly, the correct choice of a suitable product for cleaning your teeth can be made only by studying the composition and permissible shelf life, making sure in the store that they have not been exceeded on the date of purchase.
Changes in the taste or color of the product are also not related to the length of its storage. After removing the protective foil, the cleaning agent begins to come into contact with oxygen.
A change in the color, smell or taste of the cleaning mass warns a person that the process of its destruction has begun. She is no longer able to cope with her task efficiently. Brushing your teeth with such a product, at best, does not ensure the destruction of bacteria and the prevention of caries. Moreover, low-quality chemical compounds, when destroyed, can turn into hazardous substances.
The manufacturer does not indicate the expiration date of the toothpaste after opening the package. Each tube has an icon in the form of a round jar with an open lid. The icon must include a number and the letter M. In a similar way, the manufacturer indicates the maximum permissible period for using the product after opening. The numbers correspond to the number of months during which the cleaning product remains resistant to the damaging effects of oxygen. The absence of a special mark may mean that the product has not passed the appropriate certification.
If you take a serious approach to choosing a substance for cleaning your teeth, you need to pay due attention to the rules for storing the product. Only a high-quality product can achieve the desired result.
If you care about hygiene,
Why can't the color of the strip serve as a guide?
If you follow this logic, then toothpastes with a green stripe should cost significantly more than those with a black stripe. When conducting a comparative analysis of the assortment range, such a pattern is not visible.
If this statement is taken as an axiom, then the shelf life of toothpaste should be different for products with black and green labels, since natural products always have a shorter shelf life. But if you compare products with markings of different colors, this is not confirmed.
The paradoxical nature of the idea that color matters also becomes apparent after analyzing tubes of children's toothpaste. The black stripe on them is very common. But it is difficult to suspect manufacturers that they will produce dangerous and low-quality products for small consumers. This category of goods is subject to increased requirements for certification.
Does he exist?
Without exception, all toothpastes are mixtures of chemical compounds, so chemical reactions .
In this regard, the product has a limited period of consumption.
Among the factors influencing the determination of this indicator are the quality of the starting components, composition and storage conditions.
So, if production technology is violated, life of the product is reduced .
Various pastes are characterized by similarities in the basic principles of production, in particular they contain :
- substances to combat caries (either calcium or fluoride);
- abrasives based on silicon compounds ;
- antibacterial substances , incl. natural origin (triclosan, soda, propolis, herbal extracts, etc.);
What are the strips for?
Color coding is required for production. It serves as a guide for machines that operate in automatic mode. Using these strips, they can determine the location of the adhesion or what type of paste should be poured into a particular tube. Since the packaging is not completely white and contains graphic images, it must be a contrasting color for the sensor to recognize the markings. That is why toothpaste for children, the tube of which is very bright and contains many drawings, is often marked with a black stripe.
Rules for brushing with Blend-a-med Pro-Expert toothpaste
According to all the rules, brushing Blendamed teeth should be done after each food item enters the oral cavity. If this turns out to be unattainable, then cleaning must be done twice - in the morning and in the evening. To brush your teeth with Blendamed paste, you need to get a brush with soft bristles. The time indicated for the effective use of Blendamed is at least 2 minutes, it is distributed over half a minute for each segment of the oral cavity (upper - right and left, as well as lower - right and left). You can use a timer to be sure that you are using Blendamed toothpaste correctly.
Technically, the process can be described as follows:
- It is better to start brushing from the top surface and move along the teeth, holding the brush at an angle of 45 degrees. Movements must be made against the gum line. Don't forget to clean the outer teeth.
- The next step is to clean the chewing surfaces. The brush is held straight and cleansing is carried out along the dentition.
- To clean the front teeth from the inner zone, the instrument must be taken vertically and manipulated with the same movements.
- Be as careful as possible around the gum line.
- Remember to brush your tongue to remove bacteria and oral odor.
What to look for when choosing toothpaste
There are Russian and international standards regulating the composition of toothpastes and their packaging. Each product must have the full name and full manufacturer information, as well as contact information. Information about the volume of the tube, storage requirements and expiration date of the toothpaste when closed and after opening should be included. The full composition must be indicated; if fluorine is present in it, then its mass fraction must be indicated. It is important that the tube is made from food-grade materials that protect the toothpaste from drying out.
Proper storage conditions
For unopened packaging, the rules are specified in GOST 7983-99.
Standard requirements for the conditions for keeping toothpaste include a temperature range from 0 to +25°C, protection from direct sunlight and location away from heating devices.
It is not recommended to store tubes that you will not use in the near future in the bathroom.
The tube cap should be tightly closed to avoid unnecessary contact with air, and to minimize it, it is recommended that the tube be kept in a vertical position with the cap down.
If these conditions are met, the shelf life for a sealed tube will be from two to three years .
In our article you will find information about decoding product barcodes.
By unsealing the tube cap, you can count on maintaining the characteristics of the paste for two to six months , and for children - no more than one month.
Requirements for choosing children's toothpaste
Toothpaste for children is significantly different from that for adults. Since babies often swallow it, special requirements are placed on the safety of its composition. Therefore, for small family members it is necessary to choose products specifically designed for them. Please note that this category is divided into age categories. It also depends on the composition and proportion of active ingredients.
Tubes of children's toothpaste are smaller than those for adults. This is done due to the fact that the period of use of toothpaste after opening the package is negligible. For example, toothpaste should be used within one month. When choosing, it is important to pay attention to the fact that children's products must contain a minimum amount of fluoride, but it is advisable to choose toothpastes without it. The best toothpastes are those that have a natural composition and soft abrasives, and do a good job of cleaning teeth from plaque.
The composition and cost of toothpaste are not indicators of its shelf life. Thus, the expensive Jason paste (about 700 rubles), which has a natural composition, has a shelf life of 3 years. That is, it is the same as Blend-a-med, the price of which is significantly lower.
Shelf life of toothpaste by manufacturer
The most well-known toothpaste manufacturers indicate the following expiration dates for their products:
- Colgate - 3 years from date of production;
- Splat - 2 years;
- Aquafresh - 3 years;
- ROCS - 3 years;
- New pearls - 3 years;
- Blend – a – Med – 3 years.
As you can see, most cleaning compositions from leading companies can be stored for up to 3 years.
4) COMPOSITION PRO-EXPERT ALL IN ONE BLENDAMED
CARIES- TOOTH CALCULUS
- GUM
- BACTERIA
- SENSITIVITY
- DARK RAID
- BREATH
With regular cleaning it helps:
- Strengthen tooth enamel
- Protect your gums
- Protect against tooth sensitivity
COMPOSITION ALL IN ONE PRO-EXPERT BLENDAMED: Aqua, Sorbitol, Hydrated Silica, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Cellulose Gum, Aroma, Sodium Gluconate, Stannous Chloride, Carrageenan, CI 77891, Zinc Citrate, Hydroxythylcellulose, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Saccharin, Sodium Fluoride, Phytic Acid/Inositol Phosphate, Phosphoric Acid, Silica, Eugenol, Limonene.
Contains sodium fluorite (0.321%). Total fluoride content: 1450 ppm. Made in Germany
10) COLGATE TOOTHPASTE COMPOSITION
ORAL CAVITY PRODUCTS “COLGATE” TRIPLE ACTION /packaging/ COLGATE ANTI-CAVITY TOOTHPASTE TREATMENT AND PREVENTIVE TOOTHPASTE 3rd ACTION (100 ml):
Colgate therapeutic and prophylactic toothpaste is intended for:
- Strong Teeth - strengthens teeth;
- White Teeth - teeth whitening;
- Fresh Breath - fresh breath.
COLGATE PASTE COMPOSITION /INGREDIENTS/colgate toothpaste composition: Aqua, Sorbitol, Hydrated Silica, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Monofluorophosphate, Aroma, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Carbonate, Sodium Saccharin, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Limonene, CI 74160, CI 74260.
Contains sodium monofluorophosphate. Mass fraction of fluoride 1.1% (1450 ppmF-).
Importer: Moscow.
How to store toothpaste
Always close the tube after use and make sure there is no dried toothpaste around the spout where dust and dirt can settle. It is better to store toothpaste, like toothbrushes, in a closed cabinet, otherwise bacteria present in the bathroom air may become contaminated with hygiene items. In addition, storing it in a cabinet helps protect the paste from extreme heat, which can cause its components to begin to separate from each other and become thinner, losing effectiveness.
12) PARODONTAX TOOTHPASTE COMPOSITION
PARODONTAX TREATMENT AND PREVENTIVE TOOTHPASTE WITHOUT FLUORIDE (75 ml):
Parodontax Classic toothpaste. WITHOUT FLUORIDE. Contains 70% active ingredients. Effectively fights inflammation and bleeding gums. The high concentration of active ingredients determines the specific taste of parodontax toothpaste. Children under 6 years of age should use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and brush under adult supervision to prevent swallowing. Use before (day, month, year) - see (EXP) on the package. PERODONTAX TOOTH PASTE COMPOSITION: Sodium Bicarbonate, Aqua, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Alcohol, Krameria Triandra Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Juice, Xanthan Gum, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Commiphora Myrrha Extract, Sodium Saccharin, Sodium Benzoate, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Mentha Arvensis Oil, Limonene, CI 77491.
Made by: Slovak Republic
