# Does toothpaste with out Flouride work any worse? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 14, 2011, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-toothpaste-with-out-flouride-work-any-worse/571288 "2011-02-14T07:18:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-toothpaste-with-out-flouride-work-any-worse/571288/1 "2011-02-14T07:18:23Z")
Are using toothpastes without fluoride and worse for you than fluoridated ones? ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-toothpaste-with-out-flouride-work-any-worse/571288/2 "2011-02-14T07:20:40Z")
Aside from the anti-cavity properties of fluoridated toothpastes, non-fluoridated ones would clean the teeth just as well, if they had the same ingredients. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-toothpaste-with-out-flouride-work-any-worse/571288/3 "2011-02-14T11:39:41Z")
I think there were some suprising results about the way fluoride works recently. Apparently the fluoride coating is too thin to work the way everyone had assumed it worked. I wonder if this has a consequence with to the various effects of different forms of fluoride. It could be that poisoning our precious bodily fluids with fluoridated water is the only effective way to fight cavities. I personally would never buy non-fluoridated toothpaste. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-toothpaste-with-out-flouride-work-any-worse/571288/4 "2011-02-14T11:47:34Z")
I’m pretty sure that fluoride decreases tooth sensitivity. At least, that’s why my dentist gave me some prescription fluoride toothpaste. ---
**Author:** ![heavyarms553](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/779978/32.png) [@heavyarms553](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heavyarms553)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-toothpaste-with-out-flouride-work-any-worse/571288/5 "2011-02-14T14:01:18Z")
Was it sensodyne? Its not the fluorine that decreases the sensitivity, its the lidocaine. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-toothpaste-with-out-flouride-work-any-worse/571288/6 "2011-02-14T17:01:50Z")
I’ve used toothpaste by Tom’s of Maine for many years, not because of the fluoride but just because I like the taste. It used to be only available in heath food stores and only non-fluoridated. Once it became available in grocery stores in the fluoridated formula I noticed that my teeth were much less sensitive during cleaning at the dentist office. I’ll also mention that I haven’t had a new cavity in years, just some old fillings replaced. My dentist keeps telling me to eat more candy. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-toothpaste-with-out-flouride-work-any-worse/571288/7 "2011-02-14T18:13:21Z")
> [@heavyarms553](#): > > Was it sensodyne? Its not the fluorine that decreases the sensitivity, its the lidocaine. No, this is a PRESCRIPTION toothpaste, and it’s not Sensodyne. I was told that the fluoride fills tiny channels in the teeth. ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-toothpaste-with-out-flouride-work-any-worse/571288/8 "2011-02-14T21:07:52Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > No, this is a PRESCRIPTION toothpaste, and it’s not Sensodyne. I was told that the fluoride fills tiny channels in the teeth. Um, Sensodyne used to be prescription, and they probably still have a prescription formula. It was a valid question. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-toothpaste-with-out-flouride-work-any-worse/571288/9 "2011-02-14T21:27:44Z")
> [@TravisFromOR](#): > > Um, Sensodyne used to be prescription, and they probably still have a prescription formula. It was a valid question. Not really a great question since Sensodyne and other sensitivity toothpastes use potassium nitrate or strontium chloride not lidocaine. Would you even be able to feel your tongue after brushing with lidocaine? Secondly, prescription flouride is fairly common for people with tooth sensitivity. It’s the flouride that provides the sensitivity relief, not any other ingredients.