International Toothpaste Museum

Bamboo Charcoal Mouthguard toothpaste from China is a different breed. Apparently, it's popular in Japan, at least the Japanese brands . This one is special - after purchsed in China by my friend Meg, she brought it back to Colorado for me. The only English on the entire tube is the product name, "Bamboo Charcoal Mouthguard toothpaste." The taste is subtle - so subtle that I could not figure out the flavor mix. So I called in for outside help. My wife said it tasted a bit like baking soda toothpaste. My daughter (13) provided more in-depth commentary: "It starts with a medicinal taste and ends with a minty flavor. There's a bit of a dusty feel. My teeth do not feel smooth after brushing." The paste itself is very dark brown. Interestingly, the foam after brushing (when spit in a white sink) is mostly white, unlike a very similar looking paste from Thailand  that I reviewed (which leaves a slightly brown-tinged foam). Since I can't read th

Accoutrements is a company in California that loves to avoid boring products: "...we pride ourselves on being less disappointing than other companies." For Christmas, my kind brother gave me three of their toothpastes. I was most amused by Nihilist toothpaste: "No Flavor • No Color • Nothing." It turns out, the paste does possess flavor - a slightly sweet flavor, provided by sorbitol. There is no color, if you follow the idea that white is the absence of color. Some say white is all colors combined. In any case, clear would have worked better for me to fulfill that characteristic. In keeping with the philosophy of many boutique toothpastes, there is no flouride. So "no tooth decay" might not be part of the deal. I love that  Friedrich Nietzsche  mildly endorses the paste with the quote, "I would approve of this ... if I actually cared." (And yes, I do know that he died in 1900.) Stay tuned for more toothpastes by Accoutrements.