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 Ingredients Affect Toothpaste's Shelf Life?
Every type of toothpaste has its own specific formulation, and these unique ingredients deeply affect its shelf life. Flouride is the key element in your toothpaste that protects your tooth against cavity formation. Once it expires, your toothpaste doesn't remain as protective as it used to be.
Natural ingredients, such as essential oils, expire even sooner due to the lack of preservatives, and the same is the case with herbal extracts. Additionally, whitening agents, such as hydrogen peroxide, also play a role in determining the shelf life of your toothpaste.
Toothpaste loses its effectiveness and non-granular and cohesive texture due to the loss of potency of stabilizers over time, which leads to the separation of ingredients. Subsequently, the paste grows stiffer, grainier, or drier.
Does Storage Affect Toothpaste's Expiration?
As with any product, the proper storage of the toothpaste also matters. Heat and humidity exposure tends to accelerate the breakdown of the active ingredients, especially antimicrobial agents and fluoride.
When you leave your toothpaste without a cap or in a hot bathroom, it rapidly dries out and becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. Although you have no control over the temperature in your bathroom, you should at least avoid leaving your toothpaste uncapped.
The best way to store your toothpaste is in a cool, dry place with a tightly closed cap. The better you store your toothpaste, the longer you can use it without affecting its texture and consistency.
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.
Is Using Expired Toothpaste Harmful?
Although expired toothpaste is not considered dangerous, it may present some challenges if used on a frequent basis. Within a period of time, inactive components such as flavour and stabilizers might disintegrate, leading to an unpleasant taste along with a gritty and strange texture.
In some instances, expired toothpaste may contain bacteria, particularly when the cap is left off, or it has been kept in a warm, wet area. Gum irritation alongside a strange aftertaste might be experienced by some people as a result of using toothpaste with expired ingredients. It may not be harmful to your health but won't help protect you from cavities as well.
Is Toothpaste Still Safe to Use Past Its 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.
Alternatives If You Don't Have Fresh Toothpaste
In case your fresh toothpaste is out of stock, using water alongside a quality sonic toothbrush like Oclean X Pro will help you retain your oral hygiene. Oclean X Pro is equipped with advanced cleaning technology that tackles plaque.
Other than that, you can always rely on baking soda and saltwater rinses. Baking soda is great because its abrasiveness helps clean teeth and suppresses acids in the mouth while salt water rinses kill bacteria and freshen breath. While these alternatives help, remember they are not long term solutions like fluoride toothpaste.
Signs That Toothpaste Should Be Replaced
Apart from the printed expiry date, there are other reasons a toothpaste may be rendered ineffective. Changes in colour, smell, and/or separation of ingredients suggest it may have expired. If the toothpaste seems lumpy or gritty and does not foam like it used to, it is best to throw it away.
Certain people report some odd aftertaste and burning sensation when using expired toothpaste, which means the ingredients are indeed out of place. For the best results and greater oral health, make sure your toothpaste is replaced regularly and kept in a proper storage place.
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 electric 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.