Gary wrote:
>jmcquown wrote:
>>
>> Having said that, I could probably live without toothpaste and just use
>> baking soda. The appeal of toothpaste is it is "minty fresh".
>
>Baking soda actually works better (except for the taste). Toothpaste is
>better to use long term though...it's mildly abrasive for cleaning. The
>baking soda is highly abrasive and if you use it daily, you'll eventually
>wear off the tooth enamel over time much quicker. This is from my dentist,
>not just me guessing.
>
>Gary

Modern tooth pastes (ADA approved) contain an agent that dissolves
plaque and a bacteriostat. The old fashioned methods are fine in a
pinch but it's not wise to rely on them. And toothpaste is very
inexpensive... the store brands are exactly the same as the national
brands (WTF do you think makes them), only the packaging is different.
I haven't bought toothpaste in many years, I get free toothapaste from
my dental hygienist everytime she cleans my teeth.... she tosses a
handful of those small tubes in a bag along with brushes, floss, and
pick thingies, etc. and I can't use them up as fast as she supplies
them.