• Product: Crest Pro-Health Enamel Shield toothpaste, $4.49 for six-ounce tube at CVS, Walgreens, Target and Wal-Mart.

• Key ingredient: Stannous fluoride

• The pitch: Protects against enamel loss, binds to and strengthens enamel and forms a micro-thin layer to shield against food and drink acid attack.

• Pros: Stannous fluoride is one of three decay-preventing compounds approved for toothpastes by the Food and Drug Administration. A review in the spring 2009 issue of the Journal of Dental Hygiene found that formulas containing stannous fluoride are effective in fighting plaque, gingivitis and gingival bleeding. A 2008 study in the Journal of Clinical Dentistry found that a stannous fluoride combination was more effective than another fluoride formula in preventing overnight plaque growth.

• Cons: Some users of products containing stannous fluoride have complained that it stains teeth. This toothpaste carries a warning that stannous fluoride may cause surface staining of teeth, although the stains can be removed by a dentist and this product claims its formula won't stain. The 2008 study on stannous fluoride's effectiveness at fighting plaque was conducted by Proctor & Gamble, the makers of Crest. Some groups have raised health concerns about fluoride in toothpaste and drinking water.

• Bottom line: This may help protect enamel and prevent cavities, but it's not worth risking stains on your teeth!

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