Topic: dental care

Seaweed Toothpaste Could Be The Answer To America’s Disgusting, Rotting Teeth

Seaweed Toothpaste Could Be The Answer To America's Disgusting, Rotting Teeth

In America, just about half of us brush our teeth twice a day–and yet 20% still have untreated cavities. Part of that is because millions of Americans don’t have access to affordable dental care, but there’s also another culprit: crappy toothpaste that doesn’t really get the job done. But researchers at Newcastle University in the UK think they may have found the magic, missing ingredient that we need to cut down on tooth decay: seaweed! More »

Paper Clip Fillings Are The Dental Equivalent Of Fix-A-Flat Booty Surgery, And They’re Real.

Paper Clip Fillings Are The Dental Equivalent Of Fix-A-Flat Booty Surgery, And They're Real.

Today’s health horror story is about a dentist who used paper clip fillings in root canals, which is crazytown. The dentist, 54-year-old Michael Clair, was sentenced to one year in jail, but that doesn’t make the story any less disturbing. This story is so insane it shouldn’t remind me of anything, but it does: O’Neal Ron Morris, the fix-a-flat booty doctor in Florida who was arrested for injecting tire sealant into patients’ bodies. More »

Scientists Banish Plaque and 1/3 of Us Are Vaccinated: Morning News Roundup

Scientists Banish Plaque and 1/3 of Us Are Vaccinated: Morning News Roundup

Most People Aren’t Vaccinated — One out of three people got their flu shot this year; a rate that’s ahead of last year’s. (USA Today)

Dental Problems, Solved — Scientists have identified the enzyme that creates plaque, and hope to find inhibitors that will make tooth decay a thing of the past. (Science Daily)

Starbucks Pissed Off Kraft — The coffee giant broke distribution contracts with the packaged food giant, and now they’re going to court. (The Seattle Times) More »

Fight Against Fluoride: Did You Brush With Poison Today?

Fight Against Fluoride: Did You Brush With Poison Today?

My first brush with dental care involved a stand-up Crest Kids bottle with a star-shaped dispenser. And I’ve been a Crest loyalist ever since then — up until a few weeks ago. Which means that more than 20,000 times over the course of my life, I’ve willingly put a chemical inside my mouth that many people consider toxic. That’s right, I’m talking about fluoride.

Claims supporting fluoride have always been strong. By 1952, enough studies had shown a link between fluoride and reduced tooth decay, that the U.S. Public Health Service started adding it to community water supplies. And it wasn’t long before commercial toothpastes like my beloved Crest followed suit. Today, the American Dental Association (ADA) says: “Community water fluoridation is the single most effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay.” Pretty bold statement.

Like any scientific innovation, fluoride comes with a few good conspiracy theories. More »

Tom’s of Maine Toothpaste: Should Sodium Laurel Sulfate Be an Ingredient In “Natural Care”?

Tom's of Maine Toothpaste: Should Sodium Laurel Sulfate Be an Ingredient In "Natural Care"?

We spend a lot of time thinking about the products we put on our face, hair, and skin, but when it comes to oral care, we tend not to experiment much: A toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss are the only requisite elements of personal hygiene of the toothy variety. No question. In recent years, however, consumers have begun opting for natural toothpastes in lieu of brands that contain Christmasy colors, artificial flavorings, and suspicious chemicals that we don’t feel quite right about. In fact, Tom’s of Maine, a brand whose tagline is “natural care,” has become so popular that it’s widely available in chain grocery and drug stores — not just niche health food stores and expensive pharmacies. But when we flipped over our tube of Tom’s to check out the ingredients, we found one that didn’t sit well with us — sodium laurel sulfate (or SLS) — making us wonder of Tom’s is really all that it’s cracked up to be. More »