Toothpaste is one of the most basic elements your oral care routine must have. However, it is not uncommon to forget to buy a new tube and reach out for an old one in your medicine cabinet. If this happens to you, ensure to check the package since your old toothpaste could be expired.
Toothpaste is made out of numerous active ingredients, such as fluoride. These ingredients keep your teeth healthy and strong. However, they all expire after some time and affect toothpaste efficiency.
Most toothpaste tubes are labeled with their expiration date. Once they reach this point, we highly advise you to replace them with a new one.
We'll explain in this article what happens after your toothpaste expires and what could happen if you use it.
What happens if I use expired toothpaste?
Contrary to most drugs, there is no harm in using expired toothpaste. However, it won't do you any good either and won't help you maintain your teeth healthy.
Every toothpaste is made out of different ingredients, such as:
- Fluoride to help prevent cavities
- Antimicrobials to prevent plaque build-ups
- Abrasive agents to help remove plaque
- Detergents
- Flavor
These ingredients are mixed in the toothpaste formula and work together to provide a therapeutic effect. However, they begin to break down once the toothpaste reaches its expiration date. When this happens, the ingredients can get separated, and their efficiency decreases.
Since their efficiency is affected, brushing your teeth with expired toothpaste won't provide any positive effects on your oral health.
The FDA requires that any toothpaste containing fluoride has the expiration date labeled on the package or tube. This happens because fluoride is considered a drug. Furthermore, its effective lifespan is around 2 years. This is why most toothpaste's expiration date is 2 years.
How long is toothpaste good after the expiration date?
There is no specific universal consensus about how long a toothpaste remains good after its expiration date. Each toothpaste is different, and its lifespan past the expiration date is determined by several aspects, such as the way it was stored and the room temperature.
Nonetheless, some brands have stated that their toothpaste can remain great for 12-18 months after its expiration. On the contrary, other patients have mentioned that their toothpaste is guaranteed to work as supposed only until the expiration date.
If there aren't any changes in the toothpaste's color, flavor, and texture, it is probably still usable. However, you should always replace it to be sure.
Can you use toothpaste that expired 2 years ago?
In theory, you could. However, by that time, your toothpaste most likely dried out and became home to bacteria. Furthermore, it won't offer any benefits to your oral health.
Therefore, it is highly recommended not to use it and, instead, get a new one. You could also just brush without toothpaste.
If you want to ensure that your teeth remain healthy, the best way is to use fresh toothpaste with a high-quality Smart Toothbrush, such as any Oclean product.
The Oclean Air 2 Sonic Electric Toothbrush employs ultra-quiet technology while still being capable of performing up to 80,000 movements per minute. Combining it with brand-new toothpaste, you are guaranteed to achieve your oral health goals and a perfect smile.
*Cover image from Freepik@Drazen Zigic and @brgfx, we will delete it if constitutes infringement *
