GRRRR THE F WORD Testing toothpaste - Today Tonight Friday 23.4.2010

[Guest guest]

Well what can we say ! my

words could not be repeated in public ! Best, Di

http://au.todaytonight.yahoo.com/article/7103444/health/testing-toothpaste

Reporter: Helen Wellings

Broadcast Date: April 23, 2010

If

you have been to the supermarket to buy toothpaste lately you were no doubt

bamboozled by the huge variety of products.

With

all the advertising hype that promises you sparkling white teeth it is clear

that the modern toothpaste does a lot more than just brighten your smile.

Related

stories

Brace

for straighter teeth

Acid

wear

Sugar,

fructose and weight gain

We

have come a long way in one century when people brushed with cheap baking soda

and salt, a bitter, abrasive mixture.

Now we spend $270 million a year on toothpastes

that claim to whiten teeth, freshen breath, prevent decay and gum disease as

well as protect against sensitivity, strengthen enamel and even keep dry mouths

moist.

The

toothpaste market is dominated by two players, Colgate-Palmolive with around 60

per cent and GlaxoKline, makers of Macleans and Sensodyne with about 23

per cent.

Dental

surgeon, Dr Burges, said forget the hype, there is one ingredient

toothpaste must have.

" The

essential ingredient is fluoride, anything else is a bonus, " he said.

" People

expect their teeth to last a lifetime so they want their products to allow them

to do that.

" Modern

toothpastes probably have a lot of gimmicks like toothbrushes that look good in

theory but they don't actually provide and awful lot of extra benefit. "

Most

toothpastes do include decay fighting fluoride at the required 1000 to 1500

parts per million, but be warned,

herbal and " natural " brands do not have that essential fluoride.

Toothpastes

are being marketed as simple affordable cosmetic procedures with cutting edge

stain removers, gentle abrasives, cleaning enzymes and anti-tartar agents.

Jane

Eakins from GlaxoKline said one of the first things you notice about

someone is their smile.

" The

Macleans Ultimate White has an ingredient in it called sodium tripolyphosphate.

What that actually does is break down the stain attachment to the tooth's

surface so just with the brushing action the stains loosen, " she said.

But

Dr Burges disputes the claim that toothpastes actually whiten.

" They

don't really whiten teeth, they will clean superficial stains off your teeth,

but the basic colour of the teeth won't be affected by toothpastes, " he

said.

He

said some products contain peroxide but the amount of time we brush does not

have much impact on whitening.

A

recent survey done by Macleans found most people brush, on average, only 45

seconds. But if you brush for the dentist's recommended 2 minutes, twice a day,

you have 26 per cent better plaque removal than cleaning for 45 seconds.

The

general recommendation is to actually brush your teeth before meals when your

teeth are at their most hard.

What

you do not want is to brush after you have eaten because your mouth is acidic

your enamel is a bit softer.

Dentists

tend to recommend waiting an hour after eating before you brush.

Contact information

Dr Burges

Dental Surgeon,

176 Road, Drummoyne

02 9819 7277

CHOICE

toothpaste tests

www.choice.com.au