# Are "tooth strengthening" and "enamel protecting" mouthwashes and gels just flouridated?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tooth-strengthening-and-enamel-protecting-mouthwashes-and-gels-just-flouridated/509760>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 12, 2009, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tooth-strengthening-and-enamel-protecting-mouthwashes-and-gels-just-flouridated/509760 "2009-09-12T00:11:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Never\_Say\_Dice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee59a6/32.png) [@Never\_Say\_Dice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Never_Say_Dice)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tooth-strengthening-and-enamel-protecting-mouthwashes-and-gels-just-flouridated/509760/1 "2009-09-12T00:11:07Z")

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They compare themselves to “regular toothpaste”, but are they basically redundant if you use a fluoride toothpaste?

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**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tooth-strengthening-and-enamel-protecting-mouthwashes-and-gels-just-flouridated/509760/2 "2009-09-12T00:28:16Z")

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I have a prescription strength toothpaste that has a 100% more flouride that standard toothpaste. Apparently, cavities can “remineralize” given a sufficiently mineral environment in the mouth. But I’m not sure if OTC preparations can contain that much flouride (my prescription toothpaste is clearly labeled as being toxic to children).

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**Author:** ![TheMadHun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@TheMadHun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMadHun)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-tooth-strengthening-and-enamel-protecting-mouthwashes-and-gels-just-flouridated/509760/3 "2009-09-13T16:12:26Z")

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I’ve looked at a few labels and they had just normal, non-prescription fluorides as the only active ingredients.

So I think they are scams. The only people who would buy them are people who already take good care of their teeth, the people who buy anti-cavity, anti-tartar toothpaste. Yes, they are legal, because they do include fluoride, but excess fluoride is not of therapeutic value, so they should have a notice they are useless compared to fluoridated toothpaste.