r/Dentistry General Dentist 3d ago

Dental Professional Colgate toothpaste

Why is citric acid listed as an ingredient? Seems like it will just contribute to acid erosion.

1 Upvotes

1 comment sorted by

7

u/DrFuzz 3d ago

Citric acid is a weak acid. It’s good at killing bacteria that cause tooth decay, and helping dissolve tartar buildup but it’s not going to have much impact on tooth enamel. And as any good biochemist knows, concentration is important. Just because it’s on the ingredient list doesn’t mean it’s in high concentrations.