International Toothpaste Museum

Aqua Xylitol from Japan

2009-11-26T19:17:00.005-07:00

Things are small in Japan. This packet contains four handy tubes for maybe four weekends of travel (or "trabel").

Xylitol is a natural sweetener with fewer calories than sugar. (But then, who would want a toothpaste with sugar?!) Wikipedia says, "As with most sugar alcohols, initial consumption can result in bloating, diarrhea, and flatulence" ... a bit scary. As you know, most toothpastes aren't meant to be consumed - just spit out after use. So those problems might not affect you.

Aqua Xylitol is a basic blue gel paste. Very mild (forgettable) flavor.

A special thanks to Jason and Seana, who kindly brought me the packet from their recent trip to Japan. Friends are great!

Email Toothpaste

2009-09-06T13:55:00.005-06:00

I love this one. (It's also courtesy of my sister Amy.)

"Email Diamant" is roughly translated "diamond enamel". It's proudly French and made since 1893.

Normally this Museum does not feature boxes that pastes come in, but this time I had to show you a closeup of the bullfighter guy, since he's in full color on the box. He's a happy user of the paste!

The taste is different - with a nose of anise, to use wine terms. The paste is indeed very red - it almost stains my toothbrush.

I love the description. The translator from the original French did not have a good command of English: it "respects" the tooth enamel. And it has "natural light reflectors". (I'd recommend regular users riding their bicycles at night with their mouths wide open.)

If you're in the USA and desperately want to try some, it's a bit expensive: $19 from here. (I'd recommend instead that your sister who lives in Belgium bring you some when she visits.)

Finally, you were hoping for a joke about toothpaste relating to e-mail. Sorry to disappoint you.

Darlie - racial overtones

2009-10-17T13:23:00.003-06:00

Darlie is a toothpaste that originates in Taiwan. Originally, it was called "Darkie". For obvious reasons, they changed the name. "They" is Hawley & Hazel, a company that is not part of Colgate.

The Museum is privileged to host Darlie - sourced from Malaysia. (Special thanks to my friends from there who brought it over for me.)

The paste itself is very unremarkable. It's basic smooth white mint flouride. If you live in the Pacific Rim, you should pick up a tube for the novelty value alone.

Finally, you must view this 1990 commercial that details the name transition.

Lovely Neem

2009-09-26T12:13:00.006-06:00

Another neem toothpaste came to me (literally). Autumn, the CEO of Organix South, sent me a tube of their TheraNeem herbal mint flavor. It is excellent!

The country of origin is India. Natural ingredients include grapeseed, licorice, fennel, clove, peppermint, spearmint - and of course neem. I love the exceptionally interesting mix of flavors - very hard to describe. This has quickly become my current favorite paste. It's the color of coffee with milk and has more texture than most pastes.

Users are supposed to make the toothpaste part of a three-step oral health regimem - the other steps being TheraNeem mouthwash and "Supercritical Extract" - an elixir the user consumes. My neem package included the mouthwash but not the extract. The mouthwash has an amazingly complex flavor - nearly impossible to describe.

I can't vouch for all the health benefits of neem - "purifying and antioxidant", but I do like the taste of Theraneem and how it makes my mouth feel clean.

Beyond the scope of The Museum are the neem soaps Autumn sent - six "flavors". They are all natural, as you might guess. All are various shades of beige (no dye!) and have intriguing aromas.

Give TheraNeem a try! It definitely has The International Toothpaste Museum Seal of Approval.

Neem, 2

2009-09-06T13:38:00.003-06:00

I've written about Neem before. But they've gone more mainstream since the first time I tried it. The tube of their new paste looks similar to the old, but the paste does live up to the "New" on the label (though funny enough, the old tube also had "New" on the label).

This time, the paste is also green, but it's a little bluer in tint than the last yellow-khaki-green. And it tastes much more like a traditional mint paste.

"Active"? I'm not sure how it makes me more active. Maybe the fresh minty flavor leaves me wanting to be more active. I doubt it.

Special thanks to my sister Amy, the lady who started my journey into toothpastes (she bought it for me) - and also to my brother Bill, who mailed it to me.

The Mongolian

2009-08-29T13:56:00.004-06:00

Shenhua toothpaste is part of a hospitality pack given to guests at the Sun Hotel of Ulaan Baator, Mongolia. All guests are welcome!

The pack includes a lovely skinny basic toothbrush, with inside bristles in a lurid shade of green.

The paste is basic white mint with very mild flavor and unknown chemical composition or effects on human health. The paste is manufactured by the Shenhua Daily Chemical Products.Co,.Ltd < That punctuation is theirs, not mine. (I wondered why they are a "daily" chemical products company.) And I was highly amused at the lack of an expiration date - however, they had enough integrity to print "Two years" on the end of the tube. (That was the same printing as the product name.) I guess the user should discard whatever remains of the original 3 grams, if they haven't used it by the end of two years since opening the tube.

Special thanks to my buddy Shane, who made the trip to Mongolia on behalf of the International Toothpaste Museum. (Other scouts are welcome!)

Malay kids'

2009-05-09T13:57:00.002-06:00

Mu'min is certainly one of the more unique members of the International Toothpaste Museum. Why? It's halal - the Muslim equivalent of Kosher.

You see, the majority population of Malaysia is Muslims.

A friend who normally lives in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, brought over this tube as a wonderful addition to the museum. (I won't say that was his only reason for visiting Colorado!)

Review? white paste. Flavor? complex. My 13-year old son called it similar to Stride gum's sweet mint flavor. My 8-year old daughter said it was a mix between mint and bubblegum. I couldn't figure out what I thought it tastes like.

To me, the toothpaste is a winner because of the picture of the happy kids on the box.

Colgate Wisp toothbrush

2009-05-09T13:45:00.004-06:00

This is a departure from the norm - a toothbrush review!

Colgate came out with a totally new concept, as far as I could discover... a tiny brush that has built-in paste. It's a great idea. You just pack it in your purse (ladies) or pocket (men) - and when you need more of a clean mouth than breath mints can provide, voila!

It's only about 3.5" (90 mm) long. The "paste" is contained in that little red blob you see in the middle of the brush area. It gets released when you use it. Red is cinnamon and blue is peppermint. Flavor? fine. Clean mouth? yes.

Idea: A+ Execution: C+. It fails in that it's just too short. I realized after using one that my mouth makes a seal around a brush's stem when I brush. The Wisp is too short to allow this. So I get saliva all over, unless I'm really careful.

Finally, the packaging is excessive and wasteful. I'd vote for a longer stem that has interchangeable refill heads.

Thumb-sized from Italy

2009-04-10T16:50:00.002-06:00

This baby is "Dental Cream With Green Tea" from Italy. (Thanks Tom.)

It's light-green paste in a very tiny tube: 5 ml. The taste is mild mint. (I couldn't taste any tea.) It came from a hotel courtesy pack, along with a lovely clear travel toothbrush.

Upscale hotels in the States would do well to take note - offer something besides standard toothpaste. It's those little perks that keep people coming back.

Tiny tiny

2009-04-10T16:40:00.004-06:00

This is the tiniest tube I have seen yet. Two brushes' worth - probably enough for a trans-atlantic flight. (It came from a British Air courtesy pack - part of a self-contained toothbrush kit.)

Basic white mint paste, as you would imagine.

Thanks again, Ed.

Euthymol

2009-04-04T17:38:00.005-06:00

Euthymol is unique.

Pink, tasting a bit like Pepto-Bismol. From England. Still in a metal tube.

I'll quote from Wikipedia: "The taste of Euthymol has something of surgical spirits about it. Users unfamiliar with the brand, trying it for the first time are often overwhelmed by the power of the flavour and the sensations of the antiseptic ingredients on the mouth. It takes a few uses to adapt to the difference from regular toothpaste."

My son Ben (13 years old) likes it. I enjoy the difference of it. It is very strong. Your mouth will feel alive after that morning brush!

Yours for $9.95 a tube (in the States) or from your local chemist (in the UK). My tube? Courtesy of my friend Ed. (Thanks!)

Odol-med3

2009-03-29T14:24:00.004-06:00

Translation: "extra-fresh pure". This has a very clean, almost astringent taste... think mouthwash. I like the aftertaste - it leaves my mouth feeling, as they say, extra fresh.

Of course it falls into the minty category. The paste appears very similar to Aquafresh - but its taste is nothing like that! Odol-med3 is made in Germany and may not be available elsewhere.

The glowing ice on the package might not be something you'd see in America; for some reason, ice and toothpaste are not a natural combination here. But I think that pairing is a good one.

My friends John & Amy, who live in Germany, sent this one over. (Thank you!)

Tesco Value

2009-03-29T14:01:00.003-06:00

The English have generics down to a science. When we lived in the south of England for three years, every major grocery chain had at least one line of generic products, offering lower-priced products at often the same quality. Often there were more than one line of generics - an ultra-basic cheap line and a more deluxe line.

Tesco Value toothpaste is generically generic - at least in terms of the package. Tesco is the largest grocery chain in the UK. They have expanded to many other parts of the world, including some stores in Nevada and California ("Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets" - which sound like an interesting concept - mixing a grocery store, convenience store and a health food market's ready-made meals section). My guess is that the US stores do not carry this toothpaste.

Appearance: white paste. Taste? Surprisingly good! It's slightly sweet without being overly so. It contains flouride, of course. It would make a great daily-use paste.

Thank you to Ed, who lives in England. He very kindly brought it over to these shores for me.

The bad Italian

2009-03-14T13:02:00.003-06:00

Fructodent Gel is not my favorite toothpaste. Rose and violet flavored?! That's something you are meant to smell - not taste. And it tastes like it smells. It's also a funny pink-lilac colored gel.

The packaging is completely in Italian. It was made in Italy too. "Healthy gums and strong teeth." I'm sure that is true.

According to Cool Hunting, it was supposed to be available at CVS, Walgreens and Albertson's - but none of those stores near me carry any. You can get some on eBay - lemon sage flavor. So if you're longing for rose violet, you'll need to board the next plane bound for Italia.

Finally, I must comment on the shape - it looks like a feminine product of some kind. (Since I'm not a woman, I don't know about those sorts of things.)

This entry to the museum is again courtesy of my film producer friend Tom, who very kindly delivered it after his visit to Milano. And it is a very worthy entry - particularly due to the uniqueness of its flavor, smell, taste and packaging.

Crest Pro-Health

2009-02-04T17:17:00.002-07:00

I like it.

This one's an unusual entry into the museum - it's a mainstream American brand. However, it's not Crest's average toothpaste. This one is "professional". (People with professional teeth are supposed to use it? Nah - I know - it's supposed to be used by dentists on your teeth, if they come to your home to brush your teeth.)

Flavor: minty with a hint of wintergreen. Color: blue gel, though less transparent than some. Texture? that's where it shines. There is just a little fine grit that leaves my mouth feeling very clean.

One negative is the lid - very hard to close. (Stick with the basic screw-on, please.)

If you can find it on special, go for it.

Sage from Italy

2009-02-02T17:47:00.004-07:00

My buddy Tom, a film producer and director, recently visited Milano, Italy, the world capitol of design.

He was kind enough to bring me back a tube of Antica Erboristeria herbal toothpaste. This variety is "Salvia & Bicarbinato". I'm sure you can guess the Bicarbinato part - baking soda. The Salvia part, I had to look up - sage. You could probably also guess the translation of the company name: old herb emporium. Apparently the company dates back to 1783. But now it's part of the Schwarzkopf & Henkel family of fine products.

The tube is completely in Italian. (Love that!) Color? white. The flavor is a pleasant very clean mint. (I couldn't taste any sage, but then, my palate is not the most refined.)

More Italians to come...

Natural

2008-05-26T15:55:00.003-06:00

(This has to be the most creative name yet.)

This paste is from New Zealand. My buddy Steve, who works for Microsoft, kindly delivered it to me in Kenya. (It stopped in Dubai, on the way to Kenya.)

Clean simple flavor, but a bit medicinal. Mint, of course. White paste. And yes, it's "for healthy teeth and gums". Can't beat that!

Plus+White

2009-01-07T17:11:00.002-07:00

(Why say "Plus" and "+" in the title, for starters??)

This is unique - a toothpaste for coffee drinkers. I'm that, for sure, so I had to try it.

Color? Like the original Crest. Taste? Standard mild-minty.

Rating? A pass. I didn't notice any change in my teeth color. But then, I'm not a "White Strips" user.

If you go to their site, they have branched out in their marketing a bit. (I bought this tube probably 6 years ago, and they have changed their packaging - if not everything.)

Starting at the top

2008-04-29T16:13:00.000-06:00

Trybol.

It's from Switzerland. I have never seen it for sale in the USA.

This particular flavor, "Natur-Zahncreme mit Gruntee" or "Natural toothpaste made with green tea" is my favorite of all toothpastes. It has hints of anise.

Like most natural toothpastes, they avoided flouride. (I like flouride!)

On the back, the ingredients are in German, French and Italian - in that order. That's in the order of percentages of Swiss speakers. No Romanisch, which is the fourth (and smallest) official language of Switzerland. I'd wager that more people speak Turkish in Switzerland than Romanisch.

Unfortunately, the tube broke at the weld a little, so I can't keep it forever. (I'm slowly using it up now.)

Maxam

2008-05-05T19:02:00.000-06:00

This lovely paste comes from China. "Everything's from China," you say. I mean this tube was bought in China and given to me by a friend.

It's peppermint-flavored and has a pretty basic taste. It's white paste. The other side of the tube is completely in English. But that's not as interesting as this side!

Dabur

2008-05-06T17:52:00.001-06:00

This one hails from Dubai. For those of you who need a refresher in geography, that's a small country in the Arabian Peninsula. It's very wealthy and boasts the largest man-made spiral island I know of.

Anyhow, Dabur is a brand from India. I bought it in Nairobi, Kenya, so this tube was made for Africa and the Middle East.

The other side of the tube is English.

This one's Basil flavor. Surprisingly, it does not taste like Italian food. In fact, the taste is quite refreshing. It is a chalky green, though - so I don't think it would sell very well in these old United States.

Salz

2008-05-06T18:03:00.000-06:00

'Contains "purified salt" to make your gums come alive.'

Reminds me of when baking soda was touted as a decent toothpaste. I have tried that, and it does work - though your mouth is left wanting to drink a lot of water to avoid feeling thirsty.

This toothpaste does not leave me feeling thirsty. It is fairly refreshing.

Salz is from Thailand. Only a small amount of the text on the front is in Thai script. (The ingredients on the back side are about 95% in Thai.)

Check out their website page. It has an image that would not be used in American advertising. (Extra points to those who can tell why.)

Hema Blue Gel

2008-05-14T07:40:00.003-06:00

This one's the latest addition to my collection. My sister Amy sent it from Belgium (where she lives) last week.

Hema is a chain of stores in Holland and Belgium. It's kind of Ikea, Target and Walgreen's - all rolled into one - only on a smaller scale. They have simple clean designs, as you can tell from this package. Cool stuff abounds in their aisles.

This paste has a mild clean minty taste. It is a store brand (generic) with ingredient translations in Dutch, French and German (in that order). Something I have never seen before is the click-on top. It only requires about half of a turn to put the lid on.

The product name wouldn't fly in America - too close to "Everclear".

If you live near a Hema...

Locor Del Polo

2008-05-26T15:38:00.002-06:00

This one's from Spain.

"Sabores Autenticos" is "natural flavors". The natural flavor? Cholorophyll.

Because I'm not one of those people with a super-sophisticated palate, I can't describe the taste in terms of fruits and noses. However, it is green in taste and color.

It's made by one of those multi-national corporations: Schwarzkopf & Henkel of Dusseldorf, Germany (and Barcelona). Their site seems to be oriented toward hair care products. (No mention of toothpaste!)

Thanks to Jason & Seana for bringing it back after their vacation.

Dawn Mist

2008-06-19T19:45:00.000-06:00

This is a very generic toothpaste made for Donovan Industries of Tampa, Florida - but it's made in China. I don't know where we got it. The size is kind of small, like what might be given to you in an amenities pack at a fancy hotel: 1.5 oz.

It's basic mint - white and chalky. It's not smooth enough to really flow onto your toothbrush properly.

The package designers were not ultra-professional; notice how the bar code is so prominent on the front.

This tube is not part of the permanent collection. (Once it's finished, to the landfill it goes.)