Today's Rant.

Some five years ago, all of our local supermarkets stopped selling this particular variety of toothpaste; it was annoying and inconvenient, but I could still buy it on-line. Then, after about a year, it appeared on the shelves again. Now, the manufacturers have ceased production and, although I can still buy on line but, I presume that that is only until stocks run out, and it is four times the normal price. Why am I so bothered? It is the only common brand that does not contain fluoride; there are some others available from whole food shops but they taste pretty disgusting.
 
When the chemical was first introduced into toothpaste some 50 years ago, the evidence supporting its efficacy was disputed, and I have never been able to find any reliable reports of studies that may have been made about the matter. Anecdotal evidence is there in vast quantities, but nothing that a scientific mind would find acceptable. Amongst the damage that the stuff does is to upset the metabolism of calcium, now that would delay caries in children as it will delay the development of teeth. It is claimed that the benefits depend on the dose, to the extent that fluoridation is decreasingly recommended as a dietary supplement in favour of topical application. Now who would you ask about such things? Your dentist? perhaps. Again, about five years ago I changed mine, partly because he advocated that I anoint my teeth with fluoride toothpaste before going to bed. At about the same time, my dog’s vet told me not to use human toothpaste on the dog as it is not designed to be swallowed! And again, about then, warnings started appearing on toothpaste stating that children should be supervised while cleaning their teeth to ensure that they don’t swallow it. I wondered what the dentist thought happened to the paste applied to my teeth overnight.
 
Do I think fluoride in toothpaste will do me any harm? I don’t think so, though I might take a different attitude if, like Mrs TD, I suffered from osteoporosis. It’s the principle that bothers me. It’s illegal to mass medicate in this country, but that’s what the manufacturers are effectively doing; they push the magic ingredient in their advertising with profits being the obvious motive. Perhaps I should get my toothpaste from the pet shop. After all, I don’t need that magic ingredient to avoid tooth decay, I know what causes it; I just need to avoid eating too much sugar and clean my teeth regularly (but not too soon after eating fruit).
 
Incidentally, this particular brand contains both saccharin, which has some health concerns, and strontium chloride hexahydrate which also sounds worrying.