International Toothpaste Museum

Yes, Star Wars toothpaste. As you might guess, it's designed for kids. The label prominently displays the target demographic, "7+." I'd say 5+. Anyone five years or older could appreciate the action and excitement of any Star Wars film. (Undoubtedly, lawyers are concerned that anyone younger than seven might want to eat the tube's contents in one go.) This flouride toothpaste made in Spain but made in Italy. My friend Jim Kok brought it back from a trip to the land of Da Vinci and espresso. (Thanks, Jim!) The package has ingredients in five languages: Italian, Protuguese, French, Dutch and Spanish. Interestingly, the only English words on the tube or the box are: "Star Wars" and the manufacturer's slogan, "Healthy gums, healthy life." GUM is a brand of the international oral healthcare company, Sunstar GUM . Their aim is, "to improve overall systemic health by helping people of all ages have stronger, healthier teeth and gum

Not only is this toothpaste from China, it's from The People's Republic of China . (I kinda thought that ended when capitalism started marching in.) It's great. I love the taste mix of ginseng, mint and a slight hint of bubblegum. After brushing, my mouth felt fresh and my teeth smooth. As always, I cannot vouch for the claimed medicinal qualities ("strengthening of the gum and good for the health"). Panaxin, a ginseng extract, is mentioned on the box. A Google search yielded a wide variety of positive claims related to its effects. The tube is aluminum with a very retro turned-stepped area that enters the cap. The paste has a nice off-white color that must be natural. I could not find this toothpaste on Google (beyond the first page results). I'm sure that if I could read Mandarin, the company that made this paste would have popped out at me on the package. My very kind sister, Amy, sent it over from Belgium. (The European marketplace gets a lot o

This healthy toothpaste came to me from the foot of the Himalaya Mountains - Kathmandu. The official population of that city in 2011 was just over a million people. Americans who have never been tend to think of it as the launching pad for expeditions up Mount Everest. That's true, but it's a very small part of what happens in Nepal's capital city . My friend Jon Swanson journeyed to Nepal recently to serve people there by helping to set up an internet cafe - that will assist Nepalese people to do much more than just access the internet. (You'll have to read about his adventures on 300 Words a Day .) And Jon very kindly brought back a tube of a minty green toothpaste he purchased in the big city. Himalaya Herbals is the manufacturer of Active Fresh. Interestingly, they do not list this toothpaste on their website . A similar paste on their site is "Mint Fresh." Also of interest is that Himalaya Herbals is located in the heart of Bangalore, India, which i

This lovely paste comes to me courtesy of the Camino de Santiago - in English, "the Way of St. James" - a pilgrimage walk across the north of Spain . How did a walk provide me with toothpaste? Actually, a walker did - my friend Jim Kok. He made this lifetime journey last year and very kindly returned with a tube in hand. Corpore Sano is a lightly minty green paste that Jim picked up at a Spanish pharmacy. (I have found many interesting toothpastes of the healthy/natural variety in European pharmacies.) Corpore Sano is Latin for "a sound body." On the tube, three main ingredients are featured: myrrh, propolsis and fennel. I'll quote from the box: Myrrh's essential oil "is astringent and stimulating." Propolsis "purifies and strengthens, improving mouth hygiene." Fennel "also acts as a stimulant and tonic." Interestingly (see photo inset), the paste was also packaged for Japan! I have not seen Corpore Sano in any stores

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.