Toothpaste is something that doesn’t need to be purchased very often. A large tube lasts a long time, at least it does for me. Somewhere along the way, I think largely listening to my dentist (and we have a very wonderful dentist), I have formed this opinion that keeping it simple is the key to good oral health:
Floss regularly: (I have a friend who hates flossing and she says when asked if she flosses regularly she say yes-as she does floss regularly but her definition of ‘regularly’ and her dentist’s are not the same)
Brush regularly. Use specialized toothpaste with due care and attention e.g. the toothpaste for sensitive teeth shouldn’t be used willy nilly. It should be used only on the sensitive part and not routinely. The same goes for toothpaste that includes various abrasives and who know if the home bleaching stuff works.
Buying toothpaste: Popping into a pharmacy last week, I planned to make a quick purchase-a tube of regular toothpaste that contained fluoride. That’s it. No whiteners, no sensitive gum protection, no stronger, higher, faster than a speeding bullet. Well, I have clearly been living under a rock for this is what the shelves look like when it comes to buying toothpaste:
I worked in pharmacies for the better part of 20 years and we used to sell toothpaste with fluoride, period. That’s what I wanted to buy. Instead there was sensitive pro-relief, optic white, pro-enamel (don’t try to tell me toothpaste will help me grow more enamel), cavity protection, total defence, gum protection, advanced fresh and whitening gel, brilliant whitening and cleans your closets on Tuesdays. For a few moments I thought there was no such thing as regular toothpaste any more. And then I saw two little rows of regular toothpaste on the very bottom shelf. Good thing I am able to bend over and select items from a bottom shelf or I’d be brushing with some striped, optically brilliant, pro-enamel, tartar and plaque fighting sparkly gel with gentle abrasives and a bonus foot massage.
Barb's True Stories 
You make me laugh!! Cheryl Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2014 01:29:08 +0000 To: c.arratoon@sympatico.ca
At least I wasn’t writing my a myriad of other personal hygiene products. Observations about some of those things would be in poor taste, for sure they wouldn’t be minty fresh.
Take your toothpaste display and convert all information to Ukrainian or Russian and see how you make out. And I have not flossed in 35 years. It hurts my gums.
Well you certainly have it over me…buying toothpaste when the labels are in English is my limit.
This put such a smile on my face – a white smile, thanks to my Sensodyne Whitening (plus tartar fighting)toothpaste! (But I need to beware because it cautions that “if more than for brushing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help”…Who Knew swallowing toothpast was deadly????).
I will come by Thursday to your place and take you up on your offer for lunch…..though I am going to sheepishly put in an order for no green salad, please. I am not supposed to eat raw vegetables. Bad for the tummy….which seems to be slowly getting better.
See you Thursday.
Me
And another reason to watch the use of toothpaste. No extra snacking on it.
There used to be only Baking Soda to clean teeth in our house ..once in a while we used just plain salt.. Then we got toothpowder…something with baking soda that tasted better. I think I can remember the first actual tube of toothpaste that was brought into the house…it came out with red stripes on the side.
Keep Smiling!
You have an excellent memory and now that you have recounted them, well I recall them too. Now, the next challenge. What was the brand name of that toothpaste? My husband thinks it was “Stripe”.
Stripe would be the name I recall.
I lie to my hygienist about flossing all the time! And I can sooo relate to the shelves and shelves of toothpaste. I, too, just want something sensible (and not sensitive, because that stuff makes my teeth hurt more).
Sheila
I think there may be a whole segment of people who lie when in the dental chair. Maybe we can start a “Bring back regular toothpaste” movement. Demonstrations outside Proctor and Gamble, marches on the Canadian Dental Association offices…I can see it all now.