Abrasivity of toothpastes. An in vitro study of toothpastes marketed in Norway.

The purpose of this study was to measure the abrasivity of 23 toothpastes available on the Norwegian market. Additionally, the pH was registered. The testing was based on The British Standards Institution's specification for toothpastes, using a profilometer technique to evaluate the abrasion. The results showed that the abrasivity ranged from 0.049 to 1.367 relative to a standard reference paste. The products were classified as having 'none/slight', 'medium', or 'high' abrasivity. The pH varied between 3.7 and 10.1. Products with low pH showed evidence of a combined erosive/abrasive effect. For some brands there were statistically significant differences between the fluoride and the nonfluoride version.