I found another product to add to my health maintenance arsenal. This product is called Eco-Dent. It replaces my old toothpaste.

Eco-Dent is a tooth cleaning powder. It is used much the same way as you would use toothpaste but it’s in powder form. Before purchasing and trying this product I did a little research on toothpaste. The result of my research was a little interesting.

Toothpaste Ingredients

One of the common ingredients in most brands of toothpaste is glycerin. Glycerin is a coating agent. According to a study done by Dr. Gerard F. Judd, PhD, it takes at least 20 rinsings to remove the glycerin from your teeth.

According to his study, the glycerin coating contributes to tooth decay. The glycerin coating prevents the teeth from regenerating and re-mineralizing themselves. By having both calcium and phosphates in your diet and keeping glycerin off of your teeth, your teeth will be able to regenerate.

Giving Dr. Judd’s Theory a Try

Dr. Judd used bar soap as a solution to the glycerin coating problem. The difficulty in using bar soap is locating non-glycerin soap. Additionally, the thought of using bar soap in my mouth was too reminiscent of the old days of punishing potty mouth kids by “washing your mouth out with soap.” Instead of soap, I searched for something more to my liking.

This is where my tooth powder came into play. I was wandering around the health store and saw Eco-Dent. The basic ingredient is baking soda. This reminded me of my father’s old fashion toothpaste. He used baking soda with a hint of salt to brush his teeth. In hindsight, the salt wasn’t necessary but baking soda was a good element to use for teeth brushing.

The Eco-Dent Experiment

Let me start this by saying I don’t like going to the dentist. I started using Eco-Dent about six months after my last dental visit. Then, I proceeded to use Eco-Dent for a period of two years. I had not revisited the dentist because my dentist had performed unnecessary work (like replacing a filling because it was slightly discolored) and leaving the critical items such as filling 2 cavities undone (what a great way to pad a dental bill).

Putting my annoyance aside, it finally got to the point where I knew it was time to go to the dentist. All in all, it was about a three-year gap between dental visits.

Teeth Cleaning and Consultation

With trepidation, I went to a different dentist for cleaning and consultation. After the dentist got through cleaning my teeth she looked at me and said, “You do a good job of keeping your teeth clean.” To which I looked at her quizzically and said, “I try.” After all, doesn’t everyone brush their teeth every day?

She marveled at how she hadn’t found much if any tarter or plaque at the base or in between my teeth. She did take the time to correct the abominable filling job the other dentist did, but that was it. I still have the two cavities which she’s going to fill, but all in all, it was a good visit.

I mentioned that I stopped using traditional toothpaste in favor of Eco-Dent. She said, “Keep doing whatever you’re doing because it’s doing a good job.”

First Time for Everything

That was the first time that I have ever gone for a dental cleaning where they didn’t have to scrape, pull and dab blood from my mouth. That was proof enough for me that Eco-Dent was a worthwhile experiment. When I walked out of the dentist office I drove straight to the health store and purchased three more containers of Eco-Dent.

A Bit about Eco-Dent

Eco-Dent is sold in 2-ounce containers which last for several months. The label advertises that 2 ounces will yield up to 200 brushings. Three containers will keep your teeth clean for about a year. At a cost of between $5 and $7 per container, you can spend less than $25 and have clean teeth for a year. Additionally, your bi-annual dental cleanings will be a breeze (now that I have a decent dentist and Eco-Dent, I’ll go more frequently).

The bottom line is I am sold on Eco-Dent. If your health food store does not carry it, you can order it online. Out of curiosity, check out Dr. Judd’s book or read through the pertinent sections of his book that are freely available online. If you’re not yet convinced, try the experiment yourself.

If you’re too scared to do the total experiment, brush one half of your mouth with tooth powder and the other half with toothpaste. Your dentist will let you know which side of your mouth was brushed with Eco-Dent. My only regret is that I didn’t start using Eco-Dent earlier.