Toothpaste/powder/tablets

[Drop_Bear]

Dental cleaning products have been brought up in several contexts:

Toothpaste - Is it the new wonder product?

When I was a youngster, toothpaste was a mundane product which principally claimed to strengthen enamel (‘tooth toughener’) and prevent tooth decay (a ‘proven decay fighter’). The sweet Mrs Marsh also once said that only your dentist can give your teeth a better fluoride treatment. Over the years since, toothpaste has morphed into a product which has near miracle properties, including (courtesy of the Colgate website) 4x greater remineralisation Blocks the exposed channels from damaged enamel…

Plastic everywhere

There are multiple questions here, among them: is the use necessary (can we do without what the plastic is doing)? is plastic the best material for the job? is the value worth the cost? Much packaging, for example, is “necessary” only for the convenience of business. For the consumer, it’s often an inconvenience (those armour-plated clamshell things spring to mind). To packaging again. Does it need to be transparent? Does it need to be impenetrable to anything less than a power saw (or a ba…

And I’ve just run across “Toothpaste tablets”:

The 11 Best Toothpaste Tablets

So, we have the above-mentioned tablets, tooth powder and, of course toothpaste. There’s also something called tooth soap. All of these are used with a toothbrush. There’s also a sort of stick, which is chewed to provide something akin to a toothbrush with a cleaning agent.

Which have people tried?
Which is best for the environment?
Which is best for the user?
Which is best for the wallet?

[mark_m]

@Drop_Bear

Dental cleaning products

Which is best?
Should we also ask, do we need to do any of this, and which diet is best if you choose not to clean at all?

A hint of jest but a serious question.
I’ve known one couple who had reached mid life with all their adult teeth in tact, zero dental work and zero cleaning.

Our not so distant ancestors survived without brush or paste. What dental care did the many first inhabitants of the South Pacific regions practice?

Nine out of ten Dentists agree, there’s not that much money in healthy teeth, but if it’s a perfect smile you are after!

[syncretic]

@mark_m

Our not so distant ancestors survived without brush or paste

And had terrible teeth. Before modern tooth care, cleaning is part of that, it was common for people in their thirties to be almost toothless. The young were praised for their sweet breath because they didnt have a mouthful of rotten teeth. It is quite likely bad teeth contributed to high mortality in that era.

[mark_m]

@mark_m

Our not so distant ancestors

I was thinking more Stone Age, pre sugary stuff, and an abundance of certain foods.

Agree, in modern times,

@syncretic

Before modern tooth care, cleaning is part of that, it was common for people in their thirties to be almost toothless.

A mixed history, which is why I asked the question. Of the more reliable resources:

BBC - Homepage

I do clean my teeth, by the way.

[phb]

@Drop_Bear

“Toothpaste tablets”

The Guardian covered this a few days ago, and it appears that their efficacy compared to toothpaste has not scientifically been proven…and there is potential they may not be good at for long term ORAL health (as many don’t contain fluoride).

It also appears that the powder is an uncompressed tablet…or tablet compressed powder.

Before thinking about buying online, it is worth reading the Guardian article:

Down the tubes: should you brush your teeth with toothpaste tablets?

At the end of the day one has to weigh up good oral health (and associated known disease prevention) which potentially is less sustainable than what may be an unproven fad type product. It is a shame that they don’t appear to be a direct replacements to toothpaste in a plastic tube potentially containing plastic particles (which are to they are banned in Australia).