What happens to toothpaste when is expires

Washington Sheffield began putting toothpaste in a tube rather than a jar, leading to the tubes and packaging we all know today. Can you use expired toothpaste? The simple answer is yes. Bundles Explore. Freshen up your inbox with exclusive offers, pro tips, and other smile-worthy treats from Colgate.

Ever run out of toothpaste and grabbed a small tube from your travel kit or your dentist-visit samples supply? Next time you do, take a look at the tube.

Although the Food and Drug Administration FDA doesn't regulate over-the-counter toothpaste expiration dates, toothpaste packaging lists them. These expiration dates help ensure your toothpaste's ingredients remain effective in its packaging. Though expired toothpaste can work in a pinch and is usually safe, its ingredients might not produce the desired result. So, it's best to check the expiration date and buy the freshest toothpaste you can.

And the effectiveness of the ingredients in toothpaste determines its shelf-life. All toothpaste receiving the ADA Seal of Acceptance must contain one ingredient, in particular, fluoride. This mineral — which the ADA calls "nature's cavity fighter " — can start to break down over time, decreasing your protection from bacteria-causing decay. Though fluoride is the leading toothpaste ingredient you don't want expiring in the tube, toothpaste contains other active ingredients : an abrasive, a flavor or sweetening agent, a moisturizing agent, and a detergent.

Depending on your toothpaste, these ingredients might not decrease in potency over time, but they factor in other ways to expired toothpaste's eventual ineffectiveness.

Oral health professionals recommend two years maximum. This ensures essential fluoride is at an optimal level of stability to renew tooth enamel. Also, after two years, the consistency in the paste's color and taste can change. Or it might dry out. Even with similar two-year timelines, some kinds of toothpaste might have even shorter shelf-lives. If you reach for a forgotten tube in your medicine cabinet, always check the expiration date before using it.

To better ensure you enjoy a cavity-free life, all toothpaste ingredients need to be fresh and effective, especially fluoride. Why Oral-B Toothpaste? Does Toothpaste Expire? Does toothpaste expire? Toothpaste Shelf Life Toothpaste does expire, even if its unopened, but the expiration date is required primarily for the effectiveness of the ingredients found in each individual tube.

Using Expired Toothpaste Can you use expired toothpaste?