Ahh not quite. All toothpastes have to be approved by the FDA which means they all bascially do what they say they do. We learned the exact specifications but I forgot what they are. Getting an ADA seal is an additional step that is voluntary and some companies dont want to spend their money onb getting that seal since most people dont check anyway. The ADA rules are slightly more stringent, but either way all toothpastes work. On to colgate total; yes it prevents gingivities but only if used continously for 6months, so if you switch toohpastes, bam you gotta use total for another 6 months to get the benefits. The binding of flouride is for 12 hours, but only if you dont eat or drink anything for 12 hours, so overall Colgate total is a better toothpaste, but if it is more expensive I would recomend any other toothpaste that is cheaper and rinsing with Listerine. You are gonna get better gingivitis protection and for most people that dont floss, listerine has been shown to be 60% or something like that as effective as flossing.