Thursday, December 1, 2011

Artificial Colors and Artificial Flavors at the Dentist's Office

I've been meaning to write this post for years; my visit to the dentist yesterday finally spurred me to action.

Among the top 10 things you probably never thought of is the fact that the pumice-based polish (prophylaxis paste) the dentist uses to clean and polish your teeth and those of your children contains artificial colors and flavors.

About three years ago, when I really got on my avoid-all-unnecessary-chemicals-at-all-costs kick, I was sitting in the dentist's chair waiting for the hygienist to finish the cleaning by using the prophy paste. As she started to dip the electric scrubber in the small packet it comes in, I noticed the "coarse cinnamon" paste's swirled, two-colored scheme.

Alarm bells went off.

I asked her the ingredients; despite 30 years in the business, she didn't know. I insisted, so she went to the storage closet and returned with the box. Sure enough, artificial colors and flavors! At the dentist's office!

The brand of prophy paste my dentist uses is Premier Enamel Pro; all six of their flavors (cinnamon, grape, strawberry, mint, bubblegum(!), vanilla mint) contain artificial flavors and colors. Nothing is different for the other makers.

The solution? The hygienist now uses plain pumice to clean and polish my teeth. I am her only patient who she has ever done this for and the only person who ever asked her the ingredients in the prophy paste.

Alas, I don't think I am crazy, but please don't even get me started on the ingredients in the toothpaste they give out!

7 comments:

Elizabeth Cull said...

Artificial colors and flavors are added in everyday products to improve their look and taste. Most commercial products contain these flavor enhancers. As regards flavored prophy paste, every dental patient should be given the choice between flavored and unflavored variants.

Richard C. Lambert said...

I asked her the ingredients; despite 30 years in the business, she didn't know. I insisted, so she went to the storage closet and returned with the box. Sure enough, artificial colors and flavors! At the dentist's office! dentist office

Julius L. Mogensen said...

It is common to add artificial colors and flavors to everyday products to improve their appearance and taste. Most products contain these chemical additives, even foods.

Naja C. Madsen said...

Thanks to the information shared by bloggers, I never knew that nuclear power plants would bring such serious pollution.

David Sameth said...

Great action has been accepted from the Washington State Dental Commission. I believe whoever doctors does job, should acquire punishment similar to this ballinger dental practitioner.

best dentists in markham ontario

Samreen Farrah said...

Really great news!!! this information is well worth looking everyone. Good tips. I will be sharing this with all of my friends! Thank you for sharing valuable information. If you've been thinking about Orthodontic Treatment in Bangalore India for yourself or someone. Dentistree Advanced Dental Center provides orthodontic treatment to improving the alignment of jaws and teeth in order. We use latest and advanced Orthodontic techniques to make you comfortable.

Blog Comment Backlinks said...

Interesting post. I Have Been wondering about this issue, so thanks for posting. Pretty cool post.It 's really very nice and Useful post.Thanks como grabar pantalla windows 10