View Full Version : Will this work....
Listerene pocketmist instead of toothpaste? My thinking would be that it would be lighter and less messy. Still brushing but with spray listerene instead of toothpaste.
QHShowoman
03-14-2007, 13:02
Well, I guess it depends on what you want in terms of results? The main ingredients of this product are alcohol and menthol. This may be enough to kill some surface germs and freshen your breath, but probably isn't that much more effective that just brushing your teeth with water. Toothpaste usually contains some sort of anti-bacterial cleanser to clean you teeth and fluoride to help protect them. I guess really, it's a matter of preference. Both my parents lost their teeth to periodontal disease when they were in their early 40s, good oral hygiene isn't something I skimp on.
Brrrb Oregon
03-14-2007, 13:33
My nephew is a dentist and says that toothpaste doesn't do much except to make brushing your teeth more pleasant, particularly if you live where the water has flouride added or if you are an adult with healthy teeth. He'd probably be OK with your leaving the toothpaste at home, as long as you remembered to bring the floss. Your enamel won't suffer long-term effects from having not had its daily flouride dose for a few months.
Socially....well, try it and ask some people. I'd think that maybe breath mints after brushing and flossing would do that job better with less likelihood of spilling than a liquid mist.
Tha Wookie
03-14-2007, 16:50
My nephew is a dentist and says that toothpaste doesn't do much except to make brushing your teeth more pleasant, particularly if you live where the water has flouride added or if you are an adult with healthy teeth. He'd probably be OK with your leaving the toothpaste at home, as long as you remembered to bring the floss. Your enamel won't suffer long-term effects from having not had its daily flouride dose for a few months.
Socially....well, try it and ask some people. I'd think that maybe breath mints after brushing and flossing would do that job better with less likelihood of spilling than a liquid mist.
I have talked to several dentists who say the same thing: toothpaste just gets people to brush, and it does very little to actually clean your teeth (which is done in the brushing action). Also, we only need flouride every half year, which we can do when we go to the dentist.
Link to the product website.
http://www.pfizerch.com/product.aspx?id=529
Brrrb Oregon
03-14-2007, 17:44
Link to the product website.
http://www.pfizerch.com/product.aspx?id=529
You will note that Pfizer does not claim that this product promotes dental health, only that it "kills germs" and makes your mouth feel clean. Believe me....if they could, they would.
The American Dental Association advises that the best way to prevent periodontal disease is to avoid starchy between-meal snacks that promote plaque and acid production, to brush well twice a day, and to floss well once a day. Although they advise using a toothpaste that contains flouride, they lean most heavily on doing a good job with the actual brushing and flossing:
http://www.ada.org/public/topics/cleaning_faq.asp
If your family has a history of periodontal troubles, then, save the snickers and the cheetos until right before you brush and floss. Also, ask your dentist if you have any pockets between your teeth and gums that need a special instrument to clear of debris. Sometimes, when those pockets get too deep, the floss needs some help.
max patch
03-14-2007, 18:11
Bring a real toothbrush and toothpaste and floss and don't worry about saving a couple ounces. To do otherwise is just plain stoopid.
QHShowoman
03-14-2007, 18:27
Although they advise using a toothpaste that contains flouride, they lean most heavily on doing a good job with the actual brushing and flossing:
http://www.ada.org/public/topics/cleaning_faq.asp
Nice spin you put on that ... actually, I think they emphasize the brushing and flossing because it's implied that most everyone will use some sort of toothpaste in their statement "use a toothpaste that contains fluoride, which helps protect your teeth from decay."
I'm sure your nephew is a smart guy, but in my history of dental health (including an aunt who worked at the NYU College of Dentistry for decades), I've never once had a dentist tell me to skip the toothpaste.
HYOH, brush your own teeth, but I like my 'paste.
Brrrb Oregon
03-14-2007, 21:00
I've never once had a dentist tell me to skip the toothpaste.
They didn't say to skip it. They said that it isn't the magic that people think and that a good brushing without it does a passably good job. It supplies flouride--a good thing, especially for kids--and some abrasive, but it can supply too much abrasive, so it is wise to watch out for that.
My feeling is that their point was much more that doing thorough job of flossing and brushing is grossly under-valued, while toothpaste as a product is over-hyped for people who get flouride elsewhere.
Oh, and apparently if you get cold sores, it is worth trying the kind without sodium lauryl sulfate, because some people find that helps reduce their cold sores.
Don't get me wrong. I don't see myself going so light that I leave the toothpaste at home! If I did, though, I'd leave the paste at home before I left the floss.