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Original poster

...to be so confused by toothpaste

114 replies

5Foot5 · 29/04/2014 12:49

Or at least why there has to be so many, many varieties.

I just nipped in to the supermarket to but some more toothpaste, usual brand (comes in a red box). It suddenly struck me as I was dithering over which one to get, how many choices there are and how impossible it is to know what distinguishes them all from each and which to get.

Just taking my usual brand as an example (also begins with a 'C') I counted no fewer than 17 different options with names that all seemed to be some permutation of "Total", "Advanced", "Whitening", "Sensitive" or "Fresh" together with the odd maverick variation like "Gel" or "Stripe". I mean can someone tell me what the actual difference is between "Total Whitening", "Advanced Whitening", "Total Advanced Whitening" and "Deep Clean Whitening"?

I can feel a letter to the manufacturers coming on!

And that is just one brans; the others all seemed to have many varieties to but to a lesser degree.

Does anyone know why?

OP posts:
Jolleigh · 29/04/2014 12:51

It's to make money. Same as with all other consumer products.

SarcyMare · 29/04/2014 12:52

yep money, to fufill the current mantra of "pointless choice makes you forget anything actually important"

WowOoo · 29/04/2014 12:52

In school my son was given a 'value' one and a toothbrush.
It has all the same ingredients as a normal one that I compared it with. I saw it in the supermarket at 25p! A bit smaller, but still..

I'd buy it if the rest of the family weren't such fusspots and label lovers.
It's all a big con, isn't it?

HolidayCriminal · 29/04/2014 14:10

Toothpaste, mobile phone contracts, spectacles, swimsuits, cars: honestly, way too much choice in all of these. Baffled into paralysis by "choice".

SpringBreaker · 29/04/2014 14:25

"I can feel a letter to the manufacturers coming on!"

Really? To moan about the fact you have choices?? How odd.

steff13 · 29/04/2014 14:40

I think it's technically just as effective to brush your teeth with a paste of baking soda and water.

I'm not typically beholden to brands, but toothpaste is one of the exceptions. I like a certain brand, gel only, and that's what I stick with. It's lovely to have so many choices, though.

PrincessBabyCat · 29/04/2014 14:43

Don't trust the "#1 Brand recommended by Dentists". They make money off drilling cavities.

That should narrow down your choices. :)

I just get the one that tastes best.

RoseberryTopping · 29/04/2014 14:53

I just get whichever one is cheapest/on offer.

AKeyFox · 29/04/2014 16:06

It's lovely to have so many choices, though

Really ?

steff13 · 29/04/2014 16:08

Really ?

Yes, I enjoy having choices.

Original poster
5Foot5 · 29/04/2014 16:49

Yes, I enjoy having choices

But how can you feel you are making an informed choice when there are three shelves full of basically the same item but each with a slightly different name?

"I can feel a letter to the manufacturers coming on!"
Really? To moan about the fact you have choices?? How odd.

Not to moan. To express my confusion and see if they can possibly come up with some credible explanation of how the variants differ and how I should make a choice? Might be interesting to see if they (or whoever is detailed to answer customer queries) can handle that.

OP posts:
StillStayingClassySanDiego · 29/04/2014 16:51

I love Proderm but only buy it on special offer, I'm not paying £3.00 odd but will pay £1.50.

TalkieToaster · 29/04/2014 16:51

It confuses me too. I get that paralysis where I'm baffled by the choices and don't know which one to grab. It helps that I don't like baking soda ones, or ones that are over £2, so that narrows it down a bit.

CoffeeTea103 · 29/04/2014 16:51

That's a bit silly of you to be bogged down by a choice of toothpaste. This exists for almost every product, or did you just not realize that?

Original poster
5Foot5 · 29/04/2014 17:00

This exists for almost every product, or did you just not realize that?

To the same extent and with so little information to actually distinguish one from the other?

When I buy sanitary towels there are many brands and I know I like them to be slim and I dislike wings - helps narrow the choice.

When I buy tea there are many brands but that is easy as I know I prefer Yorkshire Gold.

For other products the ingredients list or other description helps me decide.

But 17 varieties of toothpaste from one manufacturer alone? Are you even supposed to be able to look at them all and say with any confidence "Yup, that is the one for me"

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 29/04/2014 17:04

Just buy whichever one is on special offer, that's what I do. If you find one that you don't like the taste of, don't buy it again!

MyrtleDove · 29/04/2014 17:05

Steff the fluoride content in toothpaste is important, which you don't get with bicarb. The toothbrush does the cleaning, the toothpaste is for getting fluoride to your teeth.

Supermarket value toothpaste is fine.

Mintyy · 29/04/2014 17:08

God yes this does my head in too. I now just buy the bog standard Colgate - usually only costs £1 and has the freshest mintiest taste of the lot of them.

MyrtleDove · 29/04/2014 17:16

Mintyy it's 60p in Home Bargains/Bodycare and 2 for £1 in pound shops.

iwantsun · 29/04/2014 17:57

I don't use any, can get by without toothpaste if you brush properly

steff13 · 29/04/2014 18:04

MyrtleDove that is a good point, I'd forgotten about the fluoride. Do they add fluoride to your water there?

iwantsun, I've heard that, too, but I like the minty taste. :) Plus, if our water didn't have fluoride, I guess I'd worry about that.

HolidayCriminal · 29/04/2014 18:05

cooking baking soda is bad for teeth, wrong grade, too coarse, wears them down.

Baking soda Toothpastes formulated for teeth are safe to use. They change the mouth ph to something bacteria don't like. So that's what I use now, or the cheapest cheap stuff from Sainsbury's because it's not too hot. Most toothpastes burn my mouth.

BIWI · 29/04/2014 18:33

Brushing is important for your teeth. But using a toothpaste adds immeasurably. Fluoride is really important - so just using baking soda isn't going to help your oral hygiene.

And there are superior toothpaste products -the Colgate Total range contain Triclosan Copolymer, as well as 1450ppm fluoride (a high level), which is an anti-bacterial as well as a system via the Copolymer which helps the anti-bacterial remain on the teeth for longer, thus dealing better with plaque and inflammation.

But don't take my word for it! Here is a piece of proper scientific evidence to support that claim

Incidentally, Colgate Total is the only toothpaste on sale here with Triclosan Copolymer.

Within the Colgate Total range are products formulated for specific benefits - i.e. you might want to buy one which is for whitening, or one which is for more freshness. That's why they have a range.

And then there are different price points - if you don't want to pay a premium, there are other products in Colgate's range which are cheaper.

Disclaimer: I am not a dentist, nor do I work for Colgate! But I've done a lot of research on the toothpaste market for various toothpaste manufacturers.

MyrtleDove · 29/04/2014 18:35

iwantsun you really need fluoride from toothpaste.

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