Is this harmful for teeth?

MariaGarciaMariaGarcia Member
in Formulating
Hello everyone.

I'm interested in solid dentifrices formulation, so I bought these tablets mistakenly to study them believing they were a solid toothpaste, and used them as such (they are actually a solid mouthwash, must be dissolved in water to use).

Overcome the shock of taste and sensation, I found that they leave teeth wonderfully clean. Can they be harmful to enamel? The pH of the solution in water is 7 (they must be dissolved in water to use). In my mistake I bit a pill and dissolved it in saliva before brushing.

https://uk.georganics.com/products/mouthwash-tablets-spearmint

I appreciate your comments.
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Comments

  • HerbnerdHerbnerd Member
    Probably not harmful to teeth as a solid dentifrice - the bicarbonate would neutralise the tartaric and citric acids. It will effervesce nicely (basic formula for effervescent tablets and bathbombs). As long as the baking soda is in excess (not just enough to neutralise the acid) it should leave enough abrasive to clean the teeth too.

    From experience, baking soda has a fairly low RDA (Relative Dentin Abrasivity, also known as Radioactive Dentin Abrasivity) and a good PCR (Pellicle cleaning Ratio) giving a fairly respectable CEI (Cleaning efficiency Index).

    Speaking with other colleagues in the dental health area, the RDA is considered the least valuable of the tests, whereas many put greater weight on the PCR. 

    CEI is just a calculation between RDA & PCR to give an overall value.

    As a mouthwash, this is just an effervescent tablet used as a carrier for the flavours. There seems to be no surfactant, so on sitting, the oils would come out of solution.
  • MariaGarciaMariaGarcia Member
    Thank your again, Herbnerd. I suppose they work like the mixture of baking soda and lemon juice to remove the stubborn dirt from the bottom of the skillet or the oven  😅, I feel these tablets very efective as dentifrice! My teeth are brilliant and smooth 🤗
  • Bill_TogeBill_Toge Member, Professional Chemist
    it depends on the particle size of the solids; the coarser they are, the more likelihood they have of damaging enamel
    UK based formulation chemist. Strongest subjects: hair styling, hair bleaches, hair dyes (oxidative and non-oxidative) I know some stuff about: EU regulations, emulsions (O/W and W/O), toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoos, other toiletries
  • HerbnerdHerbnerd Member
    We use 90-150 micron (described by supplier as 'coarse granular') baking soda and have an RDA of about 100 (medium abrasive according to Indiana/ISO). Our calcium carbonate toothpastes using a 7 micron powder is around RDA of 120 - which is considered highly abrasive

    Baking soda is far less abrasive to teeth. Silicon dioxide is far better as an abrasive being able to target specific RDA.
  • HerbnerdHerbnerd Member
    MariaGarcia said:
    Thank your again, Herbnerd. I suppose they work like the mixture of baking soda and lemon juice to remove the stubborn dirt from the bottom of the skillet or the oven  😅, I feel these tablets very efective as dentifrice! My teeth are brilliant and smooth 🤗
    Certainly you could. But then again, knowing your interest in formulation a toothpaste/tooth powder, you could just formulate your own.
  • MariaGarciaMariaGarcia Member
    Bill_Toge said:
    it depends on the particle size of the solids; the coarser they are, the more likelihood they have of damaging enamel
    The tablet fizzs as son i bit It and It seems it totally dissolves un saliva before brushing.
  • MariaGarciaMariaGarcia Member
    Herbnerd said:
    Certainly you could. But then again, knowing your interest in formulation a toothpaste/tooth powder, you could just formulate your own.
    Yeeeess, that's my goal, but then I realized I hadn't any reference to compare 😅, so If bought these tablets just to test them!
    Thanks for clarifying my doubts, it is not easy for me to find someone who knows so much about toothpaste.
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