mental_floss magazine
SUBSCRIBE >
GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS >
DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS >
subscriber services >
As a pro-toothpaste American (it’s so much better than tooth powder, let me tell you), I was thrilled to see this post on Boingboing about a guy who used all of his toothpaste samples and leftovers to create a giant, toothpaste suicide! Basically, he squeezed out all of his sample packs and nearly empty tubes into a bowl, and then mixed it up to create what should have been the most disgusting paste ever. Instead, it apparently ended up being pretty minty, with some spicy overtones. In any case, I just love the gooey, colorful photos.
I’m curious what’s the weirdest/most delicious toothpaste anyone in our audience has used. I’m nearing the end of my tube, so if you’ve got suggestions, list ‘em below. Link via the always fascinating Boingboing.
Comments (39)
Comment
- Follow mental_floss
I use Tom’s of Main natural whole care anticavity & tartar control plus whitening gel fluoride toothpaste in orange-mango. I like the taste and it gets the job done.
If you’re looking for whitening, Crest Vivid White really works, but it’s not great for people with sensitive teeth.
posted by Sarafina on 10-29-2008 at 2:19 pm
The weirdest toothpaste I’ve ever used is Crest Whitening Expressions Lemon Ice. I generally love all things lemon and I wanted to try it because I was sick of mint and cinnamon, but ended up making me a little queasy. I think it was just too weird.
posted by dying alive on 10-29-2008 at 2:23 pm
Crest (I think) also makes this funky vanilla mint flavor that I had for a while.
A true adventure in oral hygiene.
posted by Ash on 10-29-2008 at 2:26 pm
my favorite toothpast EVER is Lavoris Vanilla Mint. The only place I’ve been able to find it was when I was employed as a furniture salesman at Big Lots in Dunkirk, NY.
It was superb.
posted by Michael on 10-29-2008 at 2:28 pm
I’m guessing once that’s all mixed up it would taste, well, minty. Might not be great, but I’m guessing it would be good enough. All the standard stuff would overpower the ‘freak’ flavors.
Speaking of which, I’ve tried that vanilla mint — bought a travel size tube by accident. After I brushed with it my mouth tasted all sweet and vanilla-y, and it made me feel like I needed to brush my teeth.
posted by EV on 10-29-2008 at 2:39 pm
I LOVE the vanilla mint.. I guess it’s not for everyone…
Anyone use baking soda toothpaste?
posted by taylor on 10-29-2008 at 2:49 pm
My Japanese roommate uses a green-tea flavored toothpaste. I haven’t tried it, but my boyfriend used it by accident and came pretty close to throwing up.
posted by julie on 10-29-2008 at 3:02 pm
I used some crest kind in a green (neon) container by accident, I bought it because it was the closest one and the “type” was “exhilaration” or something equally vague. It was like green apple or something. Ick!
posted by Kelly J on 10-29-2008 at 3:09 pm
One day I decided to splurge on a $3 tube of toothpaste (Crest Diamond something-or-other) thinking it was mint flavoured. So 7:30am rolls around and I’m half-asleep but excited to use my new expensive paste – maybe it will be the toothpaste I always dreamed of! A whitening, refreshing blast of wonderful in my mouth! I put on a gob and…
…grape. Grape toothpaste. Grape toothpaste at 7:30am. Who the heck makes grape toothpaste?! This is an adult toothpaste! Grape flavoured anything makes me instantly sick to my stomach with a pounding headache and here it was foaming in my mouth.
Needless to say it was a waste of $3. Yuck.
posted by Jenny on 10-29-2008 at 3:15 pm
Anyone remember Pearl Drops tooth polish? I would always ape the commercial by licking my teeth, and saying, “Nnnnnnnn, it’s a great feeling!”
posted by Johnny Cat on 10-29-2008 at 3:16 pm
I once had raw organic toothpaste. It was grainy. It was beige. Tasted like caulk. It was disgusting.
posted by vlemon on 10-29-2008 at 3:23 pm
When a friend of mine got married, I put together a “kiss kit” for her and her husband that contained a bunch of fun breath mints, mouthwashes, and toothpastes that came from C.O. Bigelow. The Breath Palette company makes a bunch of toothpastes in crazy flavors ranging from fruits to spices (curry!?) to beverages (coffee, tea, cola…)
I think my friend enjoyed the novelty but stuck with regular ol’ minty fresh goodness after that.
posted by Andrea on 10-29-2008 at 3:41 pm
Over here in Egypt we have Colgate in weird flavours. The craziest is Chocolate. It was all limited edition at first but now is sold everywhere. The weird part is you expect chocolate, which you get…with a minty aftertaste. They shoulda done away with the whole minty concept, it just makes it freaky.
I think they also did a lechee fruit one too but haven’t seen that one in awhile.
posted by Mandy on 10-29-2008 at 3:55 pm
Taylor–I swear by Arm & Hammer Advanced White Brilliant Sparkle. I have tried tons of toothpastes, and this is the only one I have found that whitens my teeth without leaving them oversensitive. It also tastes great–which is no small feat for a baking soda toothpaste!
posted by Orange on 10-29-2008 at 3:59 pm
My boyfriend got on this bend about not paying for water in things. Consequently we’ve tried dry, powdered or solid varieties of nearly every personal hygiene product. Most of them weren’t worth the trouble to keep using, but we stuck with the tooth powder. It’s made by a company called Eco-Dent, and comes in a wide variety of flavors. I find that a small bottle lasts a lot longer than a tube of toothpaste, and my teeth feel incredibly cleaner than they do when I brush with paste. It also has far fewer ‘chemistry set’ ingredients. On a whole, the Eco-Dent tooth powder has served me well.
posted by Keri on 10-29-2008 at 4:25 pm
I use Tooth Powder. I use Lehman’s and it cleans better than paste.
posted by Kevin on 10-29-2008 at 4:33 pm
I think I would have to try lychee toothpaste- that would be really interesting. I tried Tom Natural or whatever toothpaste a few years back (I don’t remember what flavor) and it tasted like licorice.
posted by Megan on 10-29-2008 at 5:16 pm
I have always liked regular Close-up (cinnamon) and regular Colgate (peppermint) best. I find that most oddball toothpastes are pretty gross.
posted by Dave on 10-29-2008 at 5:20 pm
That Vanilla Mint stuff tasted like frosting to me. It wasn’t an offensive flavor, but when you brush your teeth with frosting, it doesn’t feel like you’re getting them clean, y’know?
posted by M on 10-29-2008 at 5:21 pm
The best I ever had was a lemon/lime flavour, but I’ve only ever seen it in Vietnam. All the fruit flavours in the UK are kids’ toothpastes so only in dinky tubes and a little “mild”. Sorry – I can’t recall the manufacturer!
posted by Mosh on 10-29-2008 at 6:01 pm
I love Tom’s of Maine Silly Strawberry. It’s intended for kids, but it is so good, not to mention approved by the ADA! Especially since minty toothpastes burn my mouth so badly my eyes water! :-O
posted by Rose on 10-29-2008 at 7:05 pm
I remember using a bubblegum toothpaste as kid. There was always a weird aftertaste that was reminiscent of carrots.
Also, I never knew toothpaste could look so pretty! :P
posted by Kiki on 10-29-2008 at 7:20 pm
Favourite: Arm & Hammer Sensitive Plus Whitening (it’s minty-fresh, low abrasion and – old school! – WHITE!). Great stuff.
Not a fan of the hint o’ licorice taste in AquaFresh Extreme Clean but if you want to play “Look everyone! I have rabies!” you can really get a SERIOUS foam going with a vigorous brushing.
Toothpaste is one thing that’s quite a bit cheaper in Canada than the U.S.. Stock up on your next trip. :)
posted by AMR on 10-29-2008 at 7:42 pm
So how does tooth powder work? Is there a special mixing thing you have to do? I’m conjuring up pictures of what the nail lady used to do to when she mixed up the acrylic (or whatever that goo is)for fake nails.
posted by Tricia on 10-29-2008 at 7:57 pm
I buy whatever is cheaper with whitening and tartar control. But it ALWAYS has to be mint. My mouth does not feel clean unless I can feel the coolness of the mint when I breathe out. If I use any other flavor I feel like the “Yuck Mouth” guy off the Saturday morning cartoon spots that used to air when I was a kid. “They call me Yuck Mouth, cause I don’t brush. How’s about a little kiss? I got some beef in my teeth, got some chicken too. Ouch! That’s a cavity! Hey, that’s new! So if you don’t brush your teeth, then kids, you too can be a Yuck Mouth!” Good times!
posted by bzzyb on 10-29-2008 at 8:23 pm
I have a few weird toothpaste stories…
Once a few Icelandic students were staying at our house for a week. We were eating somewhere and my sister ordered root beer. They had never tried it before. They sipped it, and said “It tastes like toothpaste!”
I use regular Crest Gel stuff… but I’ve seen peanut butter flavor in a drugstore… needless to say, I didn’t buy it.
posted by Mark on 10-29-2008 at 10:05 pm
I once accidentally bought Tom’s of Maine Fennel toothpaste. My mouth always tasted like bad candy. Yuck :(
posted by Inuk on 10-29-2008 at 11:51 pm
When I was undergoing homeopathic therapy I had to avoid anything mint whatsoever because it would neutralize the medication.
Health stores have a few different non-mint toothpastes and mouthwashes and yes floss that are compltely devoid of mint for exactly the purpose of homeopathic therapy. I couldn’t stomach the anise-flavored stuff, but the lemon creme was nice.
I was glad when I could go back to minty mouthwash though! :O)
posted by LALALA on 10-30-2008 at 12:36 am
Crest’s Lemon Ice isn’t bad… If you like really, really sweet things and the feeling that you are brushing your teeth with liquid candy. My fiance and I use Cinnamon Rush. Just enough sweet but leaves your mouth feeling clean!
posted by Taryn on 10-30-2008 at 5:55 am
I love Crest Lemon Ice, but I can’t find it anywhere anymore. (I think they quit making it.)
I also like the Crest Vanilla Expressions. because it reminds me of vanilla frosting.
posted by Codius on 10-30-2008 at 8:03 am
I always use Tom’s of Maine in varying flavors. One favorite: Fennel.
Yes, fennel. Try it!
posted by Gretchen on 10-30-2008 at 8:26 am
I have used Dr. Bronner’s magic soap in emergencies (ran out two days before a planned shopping trip)and when I shower.
peppermint, of course.
Most people use waste alot of toothpaste when they brush. I’m quite miserly with my toothpaste. A large tube lasts me six months.
posted by stonewar on 10-30-2008 at 10:55 am
Nature’s Gate Anise flavored toothpaste is the best. I also love Tom’s toothpaste in any flavor.
posted by plumcookies on 10-30-2008 at 11:41 am
My dentist says Colgate Total – all the time – nothing else…along with using a Sonicare toothbrush (with 2 minute timer), flossing EVERY SINGLE day, and rinsing with Listerine twice a day.
Colgate Total contains anti-bacterial triclosan (yes, I know it is also used as a pesticide) but it really helped get my gums in shape. I’m just one of those people with hereditary bad teeth…but I love Vanilla Mint Listerine so I’m sure I would love Vanilla Mint toothpaste.
Oral B Satin Tape rules for those dedicated tooth “flossers”. People say they floss every day, but I haven’t met too many that actually do.
Also, I’m surprised no one has mentioned Pepsodent – BEST FLAVOR EVER!
posted by Jamie on 10-30-2008 at 11:43 am
The orange flavored one featured in the pictures is absolutely disgusting. It’s all chemically and foamy. It was the worst tooth brushing experience I’ve ever had. Ick!
posted by gibson8or on 10-30-2008 at 12:36 pm
I can’t believe no one’s mentioned the toothpastes with the Listerine strips in them (Colgate brand, I think). I know they’re kind of gimmicky, but they taste really good. One of the best flavors I’ve tried so far is neon green; another is a violent purple (I think that one’s called Kiss-Me Mint).
posted by bas on 10-30-2008 at 1:07 pm
I used to use the Tom’s sensitive toothpaste in fennel — I love licorice, so it was a fun change from mint & cinnamon. But they seem to have discontinued it and the only flavor left for sensitive is “wintermint” which doesn’t taste like any mint found in nature and is just horrible.
posted by Liza Jane on 10-30-2008 at 2:32 pm
Rose I agree with you. Silly Strawberry is the best, but in really life I hate strawberries…weird….
posted by Aliz on 6-11-2009 at 11:45 pm
I remember when I was a kid I loooooved this toothpaste that I think was called Sparklefresh or something along those lines. It was blue and sparkly and the hole it came out of in the tube was shaped like a star. It tasted like bubblegum. I know Crest has a bubblegum flavor now that I might try..
posted by Rosey on 8-26-2009 at 12:08 pm