Ok, so when I was 12 I completely gave up toothpaste and brushing my teeth. Why? I have no idea, I was 12. However ive kept up not cleaning my teeth for the past 3 years (im now 15) and today went to the dentist.

 

 

 

Now, I hate needles and was fearing a filling in every one of my 3-years-without-being-cleaned teeth. But much to my surprise, my teeth are near perfect. Requiring no fillings, braces etc etc.

 

 

 

Now, because of this I got to wondering:

 

 

 

Is toothpaste a minty waste of money?

 

 

 

(Oh, and if you're wondering about my breath.. I always have a pack of gum handy incase people start dropping in the streets while im talking)

In africa people there of course dont have toothpaste and thier teeth are genrally not that bad. The reason why western people need toothpaste so much is because of what we eat. We eat lots of sugary and acidy foods, if you cut all the bad stuff out then toothpaste probably isnt 100% neccesary. Good luck getting a girlfriend tho eh ;)

cheese... cheese is always good...

To be perfectly honest, I went about 5 years without cleaning them really.

 

Fairly disgusting to most people, but after 5 years, I ended up going to the dentist after an accident just to check out a possible cracked tooth or such. And the guy was impressed with their condition.

 

 

 

Given my diet isn't exactly great (a lot of junk) I'm a bit so-so about the benifits of toothpaste (I brush like once every few days now just because of work). And it's not because of my result, but because my mum and sister brush twice a day, for their entire life and have a diet that's meant to be better for their teeth, and they've got more fillings than I do.

 

 

 

When you have things like that happening, you really have to wonder don't you. :-s

I think that young people can get away with it more easily. Toothpaste's main job is just making the toothbrush more abrasive, it contains a powder which is effective at cleaning off the harder bits of plaque. This abrasive powder makes toothpaste usable as a metal polish...

I think I'll keep brushing though.

ummm. thats a pretty long time..... ill keep brushing them too

cheese... cheese is always good...

 

 

 

In the sun the other day, there was a report saying that darelea (or whatever) had more salt content that the sea.

I think that young people can get away with it more easily.

 

Exactly what I was thinking. Just wait until you hit your 20's . If you continue not to brush your teeth, things will start to go downhill :P

I agree with Merciful.

 

 

 

Most of the diet for some kids is just soda, candy and other sugary treats. The bacteria in the mouth converts all that glucose left on your teeth into acid which slow erodes the top part. One of toothpaste's main functions is to act as a base and neutralize the acid. So as long as you keep away from sugar your probably pretty well off. Just pop in a breath mint now and then.

I brush my teeth every day. I used to be able to get away with not cleaning my teeth for a long time, but it caught up to me.

 

 

 

Number of fillings I have now: 3

 

 

 

Probably gonna get 2 more filled before the end of the year.

 

 

 

Yes. I have a healthy diet. I don't eat alot of sugary stuff. I think that some people have stronger teeth than others.

Lately I've only been remembering to brush my teeth maybe once a day, but usually once every day or two days.... the only thing I've noticed is my teeth have a bit of a yellowish tinge to them now ;\

 

 

 

Other than that, my dentist didn't even comment that she thought I hadn't been brushing my teeth last time I went to visit.

I brush once a day and don't eat too many sugary foods. Sure I don't have a dazzling white smile but it still looks pretty sexy. Thats if you like vampire teeth mwuahah.

I brush my teeth every day. I used to be able to get away with not cleaning my teeth for a long time, but it caught up to me.

 

 

 

Number of fillings I have now: 3

 

 

 

Probably gonna get 2 more filled before the end of the year.

 

 

 

Yes. I have a healthy diet. I don't eat alot of sugary stuff. I think that some people have stronger teeth than others.

 

 

 

Strong teeth...maybe it has something to do with calcium intake? Dnno, but I drink a lot of milk (I like it...and orange juice) and my teeth are fine. I brush and floss everyday, though. :oops:

 

Strong teeth...maybe it has something to do with calcium intake? Dnno, but I drink a lot of milk (I like it...and orange juice) and my teeth are fine. I brush and floss everyday, though. :oops:

 

no need to be embarased for that. be proud =D>

Strong teeth...maybe it has something to do with calcium intake? Dnno, but I drink a lot of milk (I like it...and orange juice) and my teeth are fine. I brush and floss everyday, though. :oops:

 

I actually heard that too much calcium is bad for your bones and does the opposite of what people usually think.

 

 

 

Can't remember where I heard it but I'll have a look around.

The most important thing is to get flouride in your teeth while you're growing up as a kid. If you do that, then your teeth are stronger for the rest of your life. You can get flouride as a kid by living in a place where they have it in the water supply, or by taking vitamins as a kid, etc.

 

 

 

Brushing your teeth doesn't help THAT much with avoiding cavities. What it does help with is avoiding a terrible gumline.

 

 

 

That said, I'm not the greatest about brushing my teeth. Every few days is enough, eh, right? :x And I work in a dentist's office... :P

My uncle started using chewing tobacco at age 12 (OMG ILLEGAL), he hasn't had a cavity since. Of course, this could lead to mouth cancer...but whatever.

 

 

 

I brush my teeth every morning, and never floss, and I have near perfect teeth. Some people are just like that, you could brush all you want and get a ton of bad cavities.

My uncle started using chewing tobacco at age 12 (OMG ILLEGAL), he hasn't had a cavity since.

 

 

 

I'll bet his teeth are a lovely shade of brown though.

I brush my teeth every day. I could probably get away with not doing it but my parents made me do it growing up and it's stuck with me.

Strong teeth...maybe it has something to do with calcium intake? Dnno, but I drink a lot of milk (I like it...and orange juice) and my teeth are fine. I brush and floss everyday, though. :oops:

 

I actually heard that too much calcium is bad for your bones and does the opposite of what people usually think.

 

 

 

Can't remember where I heard it but I'll have a look around.

 

 

 

Isnt that one of the arguments that Vegans continually use to stop people drinking milk? I think thats how I heard it.

 

 

 

Anyway, I brush my teeth regularly especially since my front teeth are slightly crowded. Aside from braces(since i think Im too old for them anyway) is there anyway to correct crowded teeth?

I try to brush often but sometimes I just dont have the energy (at 2 am) to walk to the bathroom and do all that junk. I always brush my teeth in the mornings.

I brush my teeth less than what my sisters, brothers and parents do (I brush once a day sometimes once every 2 days) and I have the best teeth in my family (according too my dentist).

 

 

 

So it must all depend on your teeth when you are born. :-k

Isnt that one of the arguments that Vegans continually use to stop people drinking milk? I think thats how I heard it.

 

Not sure, never heard it before. I'm pretty sure this wasn't a vegan argument though.

 

 

 

Personally I try to brush my teeth at least once a day, usually at night before I go to bed because the evening is when I eat most 'junk food' and sugary stuff and also I just hate the taste of food left in my food when I go to bed.

 

My teeth used to be alright when I was younger, but when I got to about 16/17 they started getting worse. Now at 22 I have 3 fillings and I need 2 more.

Isnt that one of the arguments that Vegans continually use to stop people drinking milk? I think thats how I heard it.

 

 

 

Too much vitamin C causes diarrhoea, we'd better stop eating oranges. Now there's a good reason to stop ingesting it. Oh wait, then you'll get scurvy - just as not taking enough calcium will cause osteoporosis.

 

 

 

If a vegan used that as an argument against milk then they're an idiot. I hope whoever it was condemned breastfeeding - or perhaps that somehow escapes their scrutiny.