IN BID FOR BUSINESS, TOOTHPASTE MAKERS TURN TO VITAMINS.Byline: Phil Davis Staff Writer Designer jeans. Designer eyeglasses eyeglasses or spectacles, instrument or device for aiding and correcting defective sight. Eyeglasses usually consist of a pair of lenses mounted in a frame to hold them in position before the eyes. . And now designer toothpaste. In an effort to crack the die-hard brand loyalty of toothpaste consumers and cash in on the natural products craze, Natural White Inc. recently introduced Dentavite, one of the first toothpastes to contain vitamin E vitamin E or tocopherol Fat-soluble organic compound found principally in certain plant oils and leaves of green vegetables. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant in body tissues and may prolong life by slowing oxidative destruction of membranes. and pycnogenol, natural supplements with antioxidants Antioxidants Substances that reduce the damage of the highly reactive free radicals that are the byproducts of the cells. Mentioned in: Aging, Nutritional Supplements antioxidants, n. and immune-system boosters that the company says may help stave off gum disease. Put emphasis on the word may. UCLA's Dr. Lawrence Wolinsky said the most important disease-fighting agent in Dentavite isn't mentioned in the packaging hype - good old fluoride. Fluoride is the only ingredient the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recognizes as a proven cavity-fighter. ``That's not to say these natural materials may not prove to be good at some point, but we can't say right now whether they are or they aren't,'' said Wolinsky, a professor of oral biology and medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles UCLA comprises the College of Letters and Science (the primary undergraduate college), seven professional schools, and five professional Health Science schools. Since 2001, UCLA has enrolled over 33,000 total students, and that number is steadily rising. School of Dentistry Noun 1. school of dentistry - a graduate school offering study leading to degrees in dentistry dental school grad school, graduate school - a school in a university offering study leading to degrees beyond the bachelor's degree . ``The scientific evidence is not clear.'' Natural White Inc. spokeswoman Jill Johnson said Dentavite is being studied in human clinical trials at St. Bartholomew's Royal School of Medicine and Dentistry in London. Results are expected within a few months. Meanwhile, the best defense against cavities and gum disease remains thorough brushing and regular flossing flossing, n the mechanical cleansing of interproximal tooth surfaces with stringlike, waxed or unwaxed dental floss or tape. flossing aids, n. . Toothpaste is just soap for the teeth, helping harmful bacteria and plaque slide away. Other natural ingredients in so-called designer toothpastes may make consumers feel as though they're steering clear of chemicals, but fluoride is often thrown into the mix to bolster the manufacturer's anti-bacterial claims. Read the label, not just what's on the advertising. So what should you look for in a toothpaste? ``I think in terms of what we know now, you definitely want to look for a fluoridated toothpaste, because that's going to give you the most direct benefit for the teeth,'' Wolinsky said. ``I would also say some kind of mild abrasive in the toothpaste helps clean the teeth and may help them appear a little whiter.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO New ``designer toothpaste'' Dentavite contains vitamin E, an antioxidant antioxidant, substance that prevents or slows the breakdown of another substance by oxygen. Synthetic and natural antioxidants are used to slow the deterioration of gasoline and rubber, and such antioxidants as vitamin C (ascorbic acid), butylated hydroxytoluene the company says could help stave off gum disease. Evan Yee/Staff Photographer |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion