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.

This lovely basic toothpaste is from ICA of Sweden. Think IKEA. (No, they don't sell toothpaste, at least in any store I've visited in the USA.) Think clean and simple design. Functional yet pleasing to the eye - or in this case, the mouth. As white toothpastes go, this is one that will offend no one. The taste is a little less sweet than your average white minty paste from the States. And it has no hint of wanting to jump down your throat with ultra-bold flavor, like some toothpastes. I like the fact that it has flouride. I can brush with no guilt - or at least with no feeling that my teeth will be less healthy in the long run. ICA is the largest supermarket chain in Sweden. Since I have never been to that fair country, I am thankful to the brother of my friend Ted, who visited his relatives there this summer and brought back two toothpastes for the International Toothpaste Museum. He visited ICA on my behalf (though I suspect he got some groceries during that visit a...

This is the first guest post on The International Toothpaste Museum. Due to the hassles of international mail, my friend Josh  did not send this one to me but rather shared it with me digitally. Colgate of India produces a salt toothpaste for African consumption. (Josh lives in Nairobi, Kenya, where I met him and shared some fun experiences together.) Interestingly, the packaging is primarily in French, which is the trade language of many countries in West Africa. Touted benefits include that it is "AntiGerm" - it "reduces germs and cleanses teeth and gums." And, "with regular brushing, [it] gives you healthy teeth and gums." In America, these benefits are assumed and will rarely be seen on toothpaste packaging. Josh provided this description: "It isn't bad. Tastes like slightly salty toothpaste. I guess slightly minty and salty. I might even prefer it slightly more salty." I was reminded of another salt toothpaste I reviewed, by p...

Regular visitors to this website know that international toothpastes provide a glimpse into how global cultures relate. Although I am American, I think it's fair to say that many cultures follow trends started by the USA and England. One small evidence is Splat toothpaste . Although Russian is the primary language and Russia is the primary market for this toothpaste, English is the second language featured in the packaging and website for this toothpaste. And the slogan is in English, even on their entirely Russian website : "Professional oral care" - as well as their marketing phrase: "Idea. Quality. Result." Not all ideas translate directly. If the Splat marketing team spoke English as their mother tongue, they may have said, "Idea. Execution. Result." (I invite you to browse their English website to see how some ideas don't translate directly.) Does "professional oral care" mean a toothpaste that is suitable for dentists to use wh...

Miswak is maybe the most ancient method of brushing teeth. It's a twig that makes a passable toothbrush, when prepared properly. Wikipedia has a great entry on miswak , detailing the history and use of the plant. Muhammad used miswak regularly, and it's even mentioned in the Hadith , Muslim holy writings. Sadly, I did not feel holy when brushing with this toothpaste. Dabur is a giant corporation based in India with products distributed all over the world. I've enjoyed several of their pastes before, and none have been a disappointment. This Miswak toothpaste is a natural white color with a lovely anise flavor. As is the norm for most "healthy" toothpastes, there is no flouride added. The most fun aspect of the package is the 1950s Americana wood typeface logo. I'm not sure what the designer was thinking, but I like it. I searched in vain for other logos with that kind of type treatment. However, I did find a free log typeface for your publishing ple...

There's a paste specifically for tea and coffee lovers! Zact is by Lion of Tokyo . My friends Keith and Sarah brought it back from Indonesia. It is packaged and made in Jakarta , and apparently it is not even sold in Japan. If you are a smoker, there's a Zact for you too! And as of this review, it's available via eBay worldwide. For the rest of us, Zact is not my favorite. This white paste has a very chemically-medicinal taste. However, the pop-off lid is very convenient. If you're in Indonesia you say, "tutup," to describe the sound (or feeling) of the lid popping off. Though I am a heavy coffee drinker, I did not use enough Zact to report on its stain-relieving qualities. I must say that I was a little scared that the same chemicals that might remove my coffee stains might remove something else that I want to keep. Every single ingredient on the package has a chemical name, except for xanthan gum, a harmless thickener.