Not many people are aware that the American Dental Association keeps an updated list on their website of all of the dental products that have received the ADA Seal of Acceptance.
You can view and print the entire list of ADA Accepted dental products here in PDF format.
When people think of the ADA Seal, the first product category to come to mind is usually toothpastes. However, the toothpaste category came in second place. There are more than twice as many mouth rinses than toothpastes that carry the ADA Seal.
Below you can find a list of all the categories and how many products in each category have received the ADA Seal of Acceptance.
The 15 Categories of Dental Products that carry the ADA Seal
1 – Mouth Rinses. 143 different brands of mouthwash qualified for the ADA Seal.
2 – Toothpastes. 65 toothpastes currently carry the ADA Seal.
3 – Fluoride Mouth Rinses. 44 brands of fluoride mouthwashes qualified for the ADA Seal.
4 – Toothbrushes. 34 different toothbrushes received the ADA Seal.
5 – Floss. 30 different brands of floss qualified for the ADA Seal.
Even if you’re using ADA approved floss, you can still make these 10 mistakes when you floss.
6 – Chewing Gum. 5 different brands of chewing gums qualified for the ADA Seal.
7 – Fluoride Gels. 4 brands of fluoride gel qualified for the ADA Seal.
8 – Denture Adhesives. 3 denture adhesives qualified for the ADA Seal.
9 – Water Filters. 2 water filters carry the ADA Seal of Acceptance. I wondered why a water filter would get the ADA Seal. It turns out that the PUR water filters reduce levels of contaminants in water while not reducing the level of tooth-protecting fluoride.
10 – Canker Sore Pain Relief Ointments. 2 canker sore pain relief ointments qualified for the ADA Seal.
11 – Plaque Disclosing Mouth Rinses. Only 1 plaque disclosing mouth rinse, Listerine Agent Cool Blue Tinting Rinse, qualified for the ADA Seal. Unfortunately, I don’t think it was deserved as Listerine Agent Cool Blue does not disclose plaque; it simply tints all of the teeth blue.
To see what my teeth looked like after rinsing with Listerine Agent Cool Blue, read the article Listerine Agent Cool Blue Doesn’t Disclose Plaque. If you want to find plaque disclosing solutions that actually show you where the plaque is on your teeth, read the article How Plaque Disclosing Tablets Can Help You Brush Better.
12 – Denture Pain Relief Ointment. Only 1 denture pain relief ointment, Benzodent Analgesic Denture Ointment, qualified for the ADA Seal.
13 – Emergency Tooth Preservation Products. Only one product got the ADA Seal in this category, Save-A-Tooth.
To learn more about how to use the Save-A-Tooth System, read the article What to Do When Your Permanent Tooth Gets Knocked Out.
14 – Interdental Cleaners. Only one brand of interdental cleaners, Stim-U-Dent Plaque Removers, qualified for the ADA Seal.
15 – Dentist-Dispensed Teeth Whitening Gels. Only 1 brand of teeth whitening gel, Opalescence Whitening Gel 10%, qualified for the ADA Seal of Acceptance.
Does the ADA Seal Mean Everything?
As I stated above, there are many great plaque disclosing tablets/solutions that don’t have the ADA Seal while the one that does only tints your teeth without showing you where the plaque is!
Usually the ADA Seal indicates that a product actually does what it is supposed to do (is effective) and is safe. You can read more about the ADA Seal in this previous article: The ADA Seal of Acceptance: Everything You Need to Know.
Do you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the ADA Seal or products that have received it? I’d love to hear what you think in the comments section below. Thanks for reading!
I never knew that there were so many products that the ADA has approved. I just assumed it was only toothpastes.
I have to wonder if people really look for an ADA approved water filter when they shop for replacements. I know I don’t!
Hi Melody – There are many different types of products that relate to oral health for which the ADA provides their seal. They don’t provide the seal for all dental-related products. For example, they stopped offering their seal on teeth whitening systems that are only used in dental offices and not given to the patient to take home.
We bought a new water filter for our fridge a while ago and even I didn’t check for the ADA Seal 🙂 Thanks for your comment!
I’d like to know whether any toothpaste tablets have sought or received ADA approval. If not, are they just too new, is there some inherent problem with them, or is it just an expensive process they are reluctant to pursue? I’m very attracted to the idea of a no-waste, recyclable toothpaste container to reduce pollution.
Thank you!
Linda