The ingredients in Kinder Karex – brushing without fluoride
Every toothpaste contains certain ingredients to keep our teeth clean and healthy. Many toothpastes use fluoride, but Kinder Karex works without fluoride. As an active ingredient, we rely on BioHAP: “biomimetic hydroxyapatite”, this is what our teeth are made of.
One advantage: If children have a problem spitting out, they swallow the toothpaste – our active ingredient is harmless and simply dissolves in the stomach. If too much fluoride is absorbed, children may develop fluorosis, i.e. white spots on the teeth. This risk does not exist with Kinder Karex, as the children’s toothpaste works without fluoride. Would you like to learn more about BioHAP? Then click here: Healthy teeth with BioHAP
The important substances of a toothpaste are active ingredients for teeth and enamel, cleaning agents, foaming agents and flavourings. Which ingredients are necessary and what are they good for? The following sections provide information about the ingredients of Kinder Karex Toothpaste and their functions.
Too high a daily intake of fluoride in childhood increases the risk of Fluorosis. These are discolourations on the (permanent) teeth. Usually, these cannot be corrected even by the dentist, without a major intervention.
In order to avoid fluorosis and still protect teeth from caries, alternative agents for caries prophylaxis are urgently needed – about every second child in first grade, still has or has had, a caries. In the development of fluoride-free Kinder Karex Toothpaste, the focus was on a tooth-related active ingredient: Hydroxyapatite
Hydroxyapatite
The main active ingredient in Kinder Karex Toothpaste is adapted from nature. It forms a protective layer on the tooth making it harder for bacteria to adhere. As a result, plaque is reduced and initial caries lesions can be remineralised. The effectiveness of the active ingredient in Karex has been proven in scientific studies.
Xylitol
Xylitol is a natural sugar substitute and helps to protect against caries when used in oral care. Xylitol inhibits bacterial growth and also stimulates the saliva flow. The natural tooth repair process via saliva is therefore encouraged.
Gentle abrasive particles to leave the teeth really clean
Used in toothpaste, abrasive particles aid the mechanical cleaning of the teeth. In children, the enamel layer is only half as thick as in adults and therefore particularly sensitive. That's why we only use gentle abrasive particles in Kinder Karex.
Foaming agents
All toothpastes contain surfactants (foaming agents) to ensure they foam up sufficiently. Kinder Karex was developed using mild surfactants that do not irritate the oral cavity. In addition, they moisten the teeth and gums, distribute the active ingredients in the oral cavity and are also gentle on the mucosa.
pH value of toothpaste
When we eat, acids are produced in the mouth that attack the sensitive enamel. The saliva performs a natural protective function and can neutralise these harmful acids. Kinder Karex Toothpaste is saliva-neutral and ideally supports natural remineralisation via the saliva.
Aroma tailored for children
Kinder Karex Toothpaste was developed specifically for children. It has an extra-mild aroma as younger children have very sensitive taste buds. The aroma was chosen by children for children.
No fluoride and no sodium lauryl sulphate
When developing Kinder Karex Toothpaste, special care was taken to only use the ingredients that are absolutely necessary. Kinder Karex Toothpaste contains hydroxyapatite as its main ingredient and it is free from fluoride and sodium lauryl sulphate.
Take a look behind the scenes and discover how our Kinder Karex Toothpaste is made
The natural structure of our teeth
Around 97% of our enamel and about 70% of the dentine below are made of hydroxyapatite. Enamel forms a protective outer layer for our teeth.
Hydroxyapatite – the substance from which our teeth are made.
The active ingredient hydroxyapatite is based on natural enamel and offers numerous advantages in terms of dental care:
- It forms a protective layer on the surface of the tooth when cleaning the teeth. Consequently, it is harder for bacteria to adhere to the tooth and the biofilm (plaque) is reduced considerably. Plaque, which can produce aggressive acids, triggers caries.
- Brushing the teeth every day with hydroxyapatite can repair even small defects in the enamel and support remineralisation. The hydroxyapatite builds up on the teeth and tooth necks, thus helping to prevent sensitive teeth.
- Small children are often not yet able to spit out toothpaste properly so they end up swallowing most of it. When swallowed, hydroxyapatite simply dissolves in the stomach and is thus not hazardous to health.
At a glance: all the facts on Kinder Karex Toothpaste
- Caries protection with hydroxyapatite
- Xylitol additionally combats bacteria and plaque
- Saliva-neutral pH value supports the natural repair process
- Gentle abrasive particles are particularly gentle on the enamel
- Mild aroma, specially chosen for children
- Contains no fluoride and no sodium lauryl sulphate
- Also suitable for children who are not yet able to spit out toothpaste properly
If children consume too much fluoride on a daily basis, the risk of fluorosis is increased. This can be seen as discolorations on the (permanent) dentition. In most cases, fluorosis cannot be easily removed by the dentist.
To prevent fluorosis and yet still ensure that teeth are protected against caries, alternative active ingredients for caries prophylaxis are urgently needed as half of all children in their first year at school still suffer from caries. When developing the fluoride-free Kinder Karex Toothpaste, the focus was on a toothlike active ingredient: hydroxyapatite.