scientist have been look to see whether a fluoride - free form of toothpaste can keep teeth healthy and well-chosen . In a new clinical trial of almost 200 hoi polloi , the new - build up toothpaste proved to be just as effective as traditional toothpaste .

Fluoride isperfectly safein worthy doses and an splendid tool for oral hygiene . However , it can pose some risk to kids who are prostrate toswallowing toothpasteand deplete too much of the mineral .

In a pushing to find an alternative , an international team of scientists looked into toothpaste that use hydroxyapatite , a of course occurring mineral found in the underframe .

While some hydroxyapatite toothpaste is already available on pharmacy shelf , the researchers were keen to see how it liken to fluoride - based toothpaste for adults in a treble - blinded randomized clinical run , especially in compliments to protection from cavities . After all , some expertswarn againstusing fluoride - free toothpaste as certain firebrand are not clinically prove to prevent cavities .

They recruited 189 people aged 18 - 45 to take part in an 18 - month - long survey , 171 of whom fill out the trial run . Half were given hydroxyapatite toothpaste and the other half used fluoridated toothpaste .

At the end of the test , they found that most 90 pct of patients in both groups had no new cavities , leading them to conclude that hydroxyapatite toothpaste was “ not statistically inferior ” to fluoride toothpaste when it come to cavities .

“ Hydroxyapatite is a safe and good option to fluoride in caries prevention for day-to-day use , ” Professor Elzbieta Paszynska , co - principal tec and corresponding author of the study from the Poznan University of Medical Sciences in Poland , said in astatement .

The motion is : will we all be brush our teeth with fluoride - free toothpaste in the good future ? Not necessarily . Once again , normal State Department of fluoride have been widely proven to be safe in grownup , so there ’s not necessarily a huge incentive to change over .

However , as this field of study has proven , hydroxyapatite toothpaste could be a utile alternative for adults who are allergic to fluoride or need to avoid fluoride due to medical treatments or certain health condition .

“ antecedently publish clinical trials also show the caries - forbid result of hydroxyapatite in risk groups such as small fry and patients undergoing orthodontic therapy , ” explained Paszynska . “ With our new clinical trial , it has been render that hydroxyapatite preclude dental cavity in grownup . This is significant from a public health perspective . ”

The study is print inFrontiers in Public Health .