Family Dentistry |4 min read

Relative Dentin Abrasivity (RDA)

I found the following study which I found very interesting. The Relative Dentin Abrasivity is a measure on how much tooth structure can be worn using a specific paste. Please take a look at the list of highly abrasive tooth paste and try some of those in the low category. All done to help safe your teeth.

Relative Dentin Abrasivity (RDA)

Relative dentin abrasivity (RDA) is a method of measuring of the erosive effect of abrasives in toothpaste on tooth  dentin.  It involves using standardized abrasives compared against the test sample. The determination of this value is done by determining the activity while cleaning worn dentin which is radioactively marked by mild neutron irradiation. The values obtained depend on the size, quantity and surface structure of abrasive used in toothpastes.

Since 1998, the RDA value is set by the standards DIN EN ISO 11609. Currently, in US, the claim on products such as toothpaste are not regulated by law. The procedure was later adopted by American Dental Association for measuring of Relative Dentin Abrasion Index.

RDA-Table
0 – 70 low abrasive
70 – 100 medium abrasive
100 – 150 highly abrasive
150 – 250 regarded as a harmful limit

Toothpaste makers regularly measure their product’s abrasivity. It’s necessary for FDA approval and usually is not required to be disclosed on the label. Abrasivity measurements are given by what’s known as an RDA value which stands for radioactive dentin abrasion or relative dentin abrasivity. The maximum value for FDA approval is 200. Kinds of toothpaste that claim whitening properties appear to have a higher abrasiveness index.

Here is how to interpret the RDA values:

  • From 0 to 80 = low abrasion
  • 70 to 100 = midrange abrasion
  • 100 to 150 = highly abrasive
  • 150 to 250 = considered harmful to teeth

The lower the number, the less enamel/dentin it is likely to be worn away. The higher the number – the more wear on your dentition. The ideal toothpaste would not have a RDA index higher than 7; therefore dentifrices with a low abrasivity index are desirable.

The Relative Dentin Abrasivity Toothpaste Table

RDA TOOTHPASTE BRAND SOURCE
07 Straight baking soda Church & Dwight
08 Arm & Hammer Tooth Powder Church & Dwight
30 Elmex Sensitive Plus Elmex
35 Arm & Hammer Dental Care Church & Dwight
42 Arm & Hammer Advance White Baking Soda Peroxide Church & Dwight
44 Squigle Enamel Saver Squigle
48 Arm & Hammer Dental Care Sensitive Church & Dwight
49 Arm & Hammer Peroxicare Tartar Control Church & Dwight
49 Tom’s of Maine Sensitive (given as 40’s) Tom’s
52 Arm & Hammer Peroxicare Regular Church & Dwight
53 Rembrandt Original (RDA) Rembrandt
54 Arm & Hammer Dental Care PM Bold Mint Church & Dwight
57 Tom’s of Maine Children’s, Wintermint (given as mid-50’s) Tom’s
62 Supersmile Supersmile
63 Rembrandt Mint (‘Heffernan RDA’) Rembrandt
68 Colgate Regular Colgate-Palmolive
70 Colgate Total Colgate-Palmolive
70 Arm & Hammer Advance White Sensitive Church & Dwight
70 Colgate 2-in-1 Fresh Mint (given as 50-70) Colgate-Palmolive
79 Sensodyne Colgate-Palmolive
80 AIM Unilever
80 Close-Up Unilever
83 Colgate Sensitive Maximum Strength Colgate-Palmolive
91 Aquafresh Sensitive Colgate-Palmolive
93 Tom’s of Maine Regular (given as high 80’s low 90’s) Squigle (Tom’s)
94 Rembrandt Plus Rembrandt
94 Plus White Indiana study
95 Crest Regular (possibly 99) P&G (P&G)
101 Natural White Indiana study
103 Mentadent Squigle
103 Arm & Hammer Sensation Church & Dwight
104 Sensodyne Extra Whitening Colgate-Palmolive
106 Colgate Platinum Indiana study
106 Arm & Hammer Advance White Paste Church & Dwight
107 Crest Sensitivity Protection Colgate-Palmolive
110 Colgate Herbal Colgate-Palmolive
110 Amway Glister (given as upper bound) Patent US06174515
113 Aquafresh Whitening Indiana study
117 Arm & Hammer Advance White Gel Church & Dwight
117 Arm & Hammer Sensation Tartar Control Church & Dwight
120 Close-Up with Baking Soda (Canadian) Unilever
124 Colgate Whitening Indiana study
130 Crest Extra Whitening Indiana study
133 Ultra Brite (or 120-140) Indiana study (or Colgate-Palmolive)
144 Crest MultiCare Whitening P&G
145 Ultra Brite Advanced Whitening Formula P&G
145 Colgate Baking Sode & Peroxide Whitening (given as 135-145) Colgate-Palmolive
150 Pepsodent (given as upper bound) Unilever
165 Colgate Tartar Control (given as 155-165) Colgate-Palmolive
168 Arm & Hammer Dental Care PM Fresh Mint Church & Dwight
200 Colgate 2-in-1 Tartar Control/Whitening or Icy Blast/Whitening (given as 190-200) Colgate-Palmolive
200 recommended limit FDA
250 recommended limit ADA

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