geekhack
geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: tp4tissue on Thu, 17 March 2022, 21:46:31
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is it a scam ?
Do we need toothpaste ?
Fierce discussion going on online ?
From it destroys gums, to it causes plaque, to binding site for dental_calculus
(https://i.imgur.com/xhhF6Nz.gif)
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Wut
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[attachimg=1]
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I like it because it makes my mouth feel fresh.
Those advertisements that show a full bead covering the length of the brush always made me laugh. I use a dab about the size of a pencil eraser and that is plenty.
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I haven't heard of many downsides to toothpaste actually, and I like the freshness of it.
But I have wondered if alternative, more fun solutions would be possible. Like dogs get chewing bones. Human chewing bones? Maybe I should get that patented.
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There are chewing gums with xylitol (and maybe other things that I am less aware of).
There is fluoridated mouthwash.
Toothpaste contains mild abrasives, which help grind away plaque when brushing. Should also be used when flossing.
I prefer mildly flavoured toothpaste. Too much mint and it gets painful after a while, which reduces the time I spend brushing.
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What's the alternative? Brushing with just water? Brushing with baking soda like the olden days? Using fennel or a hazel twig plucked from a field like medieval times? I think to answer the question, you'd have to establish a control to compare it to.
Whatever potential downsides there are, I think the upsides outweigh them by a lot. An acquaintance never brushes and now has abscesses and will likely have to get dentures, and he's only in his mid-30s. My mom has had poor dental hygiene for a long time, and her teeth are destroyed. Unless there's very convincing evidence that there's a better alternative, I am not going to chance it.
Personally, I have fantasized about oral nano-bots that live in the mouth and automatically swirl around and clean all the nooks and crannies at certain intervals throughout the day. Why hasn't someone invented that yet? Better yet, why not total body cleaning nano-bots so that I never have to take a shower again? I guess they'd have to have some place to put the dirt that comes off so that they don't just smear poop and sweat everywhere.
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total body cleaning nano-bots
That is truly creepy to think about.
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total body cleaning nano-bots
That is truly creepy to think about.
If we have nano bots that advanced, would rather just upload my consciousness and ditch being a squishy all together.
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i feel toothpaste is part of the "brushing teeth experience", without it your just putting water and those annoying bits of the brush that fall off into your mouth