PSA: Skip the Toothpaste

Toothpaste actually inhibits plaque removal

AIM:

The present study is used to evaluate the plaque removal efficacy of dentifrice alone during the manual brushing of teeth. Materials and Methods: In a double blinded 2 Chi 2 crossover study design, 42 subjects had brushed randomly with or without dentifrice under supervision, with a standard dentifrice and toothbrush, after 48 hours of plaque accumulation, for two minutes.

RESULTS:

Plaque reduction with dentifrice was 57.35% and without dentifrice was 66.19%. This 9% difference was statistically significant ( P < or = 0.001).

CONCLUSION:

Dentifrice use does not enhance plaque removal when used in conjunction with a toothbrush, and instead, may marginally lessen the brushing effect. The role of a toothbrush appears to be more crucial in the maintenance of oral hygiene.

So many years of TV programming to overcome.  Maybe I should go back to the old Juniper twig.