It wasn’t until the 1950s that a vigorous tooth brushing
campaign was launched to encourage young children to brush twice
daily to reduce tooth decay. Although salt or baking soda may be
used to clean teeth, commercial toothpastes are carefully
formulated to prevent cavities and remove bacteria that cause
bad breath. They also taste better! The need to brush your teeth
regularly starts with the clear sticky substance in the mouth
called plaque, which contains bacteria that feed on sugary food
residues. The acid produced by these bacteria eats into the
tooth enamel eventually causing cavities, thus one of the most
important roles of brushing teeth is to remove plaque. The
action of the toothbrush itself does a reasonably good job of
eliminating the plaque, but toothpaste also contains mild
abrasives such as aluminum hydroxide, calcium carbonate, silica
or zeolites to assist in the process. One of the most
significant advances in preventing cavities came from Dr.
William Engler, whose research demonstrated that