Whitening Teeth & Healing Gums: In Search of the Perfect Toothpaste

Finding the right toothpaste can be a daunting task. (Photo by Clean Wal-Mart)

I mentioned in an earlier post that there is some evidence that coenzyme Q10 may be useful in treating periodontitis. I quickly gave up the idea of opening the CoQ10 gel capsules (which I'm taking for another experiment) and rubbing the contens on my teeth, so things have been pretty quiet on that front lately. Luckily, I found a toothpaste that has, among other things, coenzyme Q10 in it. Testing this product is a logical sequel to the not-so-successful experiments with tea tree oil toothpaste.

The toothpaste is made by Purity Labs and is called Beverly Hills Formula Natural White, which doesn't really sound all that convincing - in fact, the name sounds like any other toothpaste, only a little tackier. The only thing that matters to me, though, are the ingredients, among which are aloe vera, echinachea, xylitol, CoQ10 and green tea extract. Not your average ingredient list. Here's a quote from their website:

Aloe Vera is proven to strengthen the body’s defensive system and contains various ingredients which can help to protect against peritonitis and other diseases that can start in the mouth. Echinacea on the other hand acts as an effective ingredient against bacteria and viruses. Green Tea extracts have adverse effects on the bacteria that cause dental caries and other infections. Q10 protects against periodontal decline, decreases decay as well as healing gums whilst naturally combating the causes of plaque, tartar, bad breath, cavities and gum problems. Beverly Hills Formula Natural does not contain SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate), or any artificial colours or flavours.

I bought the toothpaste because I wanted to whiten my teeth, which have been getting a little discolored lately - probably due to the copious amounts of coffee, black tea and green tea I've been drinking during my hunger-controlling experiments. Whiteness will thus be the first criteria against which the success of this experiment will be measured. The second criteria is the slight gingival recession I have next to one of my teeth. If the ingredients truly are effective, I expect my gums to be in top shape when the tube is empty.

I will analyse the ingredients and the possible science behind them in future posts. Until then, let the brushing begin!