Can commercial toothpaste actually cause cavities?

I’m yet to meet a person who doesn’t want a beautiful smile and healthy pink gums. The media knows it too! Everywhere you look there are adverts and billboards trying to sell products. Despite the pretty packaging, how do we know if they are effective? Do the products do what they claim and are they actually harmful for us? It wasn’t until I did a little research that I found out some alarming information. If you are interested, read on.

Like any other person, I once used to purchase toothpaste in a supermarket or drugstore – sometimes spending stupid amounts of money on products that I wanted so desperately to work. There was no real proof that they worked better than cheaper alternatives although it baffled me as to why so many people get cavities, gum disease and other problems when they lead relatively healthy lifestyles and with good standards of hygiene.

I know that diet and lifestyle is a huge factor – anyone can tell you that. But what if these products contain a substance that actually prevent teeth from repairing themselves? What would be the honest purpose of this ingredient other than to cost you hundreds of pounds in dental care? This ingredient is no other than Glycerine.

Glycerine is used in a majority of toothpaste preparations, and is also present in mouthwashes and even chewing gum. It coats your teeth and gums with an invisible film which is extremely hard to wash off. I tried testing this out by pouring a little glycerine onto my sink then washing it off several times. As a result, it created a grimy residue that was very stubborn to remove. Kind of gross really. Just imagine what this could be doing to the inside of your mouth!

There is a theory (Dr. Gerard F. Judd, Ph.D., Chemistry and Fluoride Researcher) that this slimy Glycerine film will prevent the enzymes in your saliva from remineralising tooth enamel– I had no idea that your teeth could actually do that. Naturally, I wanted to test if these claims were bogus so I made it my mission to find a Glycerine free toothpaste and use it for a couple of months to validate the results. Finding such a product was a lot harder than I thought it would be!

I came across only one variety in my local health food shop called Vicco. The packaging was rather boring really but I kid you not; I was astounded with the results. After a couple of weeks, my fragile teeth (with transparent edges) started to turn opaque and whiter than ever before. Lumps of tartar actually started to break away from my gum line with little to no effort, which I thought was incredible.

Although I was amazed with the results, I also felt rather cheated and angry – in fear that toothpaste manufacturers are cashing in on people’s poor health. Conspiracy theories aside, Glycerine is supposed to improve the consistency and taste of the toothpaste and to stop it from drying out in the tube. It seems like one hell of a price to pay though, don’t you think?

If you are unable to find this product, I definitely urge you to purchase a natural tooth soap instead of commercial brand toothpaste. At least share with me your findings and research! I would love to know if these products have helped you too.