It’s not the most exciting thing in the world to browse the Internet looking for a new toothpaste, but that’s exactly what I found myself doing some weeks ago. I was bored, and figured there might be some product out there that was accomplishing what my simple tube of Crest could not.
One of the most popular tooth and gum treatments out there is OraMD, which is not a toothpaste but a toothpaste replacement. It comes in a bottle, and users of the product are encouraged to use a few drops a day to brush teeth, to gargle, and to freshen the breath. It also claims on its website that it may help to cure gum disease, something that dentists claim that only they can do. I decided to test this product, not really scientifically, but by trying it myself–and getting a bottle for a friend of mine, name withheld, who has a decent amount of gum disease. Nothing to make him smell or look like a hillbilly, but the guy’s gums aren’t healthy. I figured we’d do a double-test of OraMD to evaluate its claims.
Here’s a look at the OraMD gum disease and toothpaste replacement product. I want to note that OraMD does not explicitly claim to cure gum disease, but their website does indicate that the product is effective in this regard.
My Experience
OraMD, as I’ve said, comes in a bottle. When you open it up, you’ll immediately smell spearmint, which hits you quite strongly. When using OraMD, you might be somewhat overcome by the strong taste of the product. That’s not to say that it’s bad, just strong. After a day or two, I actually enjoyed the OraMD taste. It’s a great breath freshener, and seems to be a great mouthwash. My teeth did not get any worse while using OraMD, though we only used the product for about a month. They did not seem to get noticeably better, but it was very convenient having the bottle around. Road trips were easier, and I wouldn’t have to worry about a tube of toothpaste exploding in my luggage. OraMD can also be swallowed, which regular toothpaste of course can’t, and it’s a very pleasant product to use.
My Gum Disease-Riddled Friend’s Experience
Throughout the month, my friend’s gum disease did not improve. He did tell me that he loved the taste and convenience of the OraMD bottle, as I did, but as far as the dental applications, he didn’t see a notable difference. He visited a dentist at the end of the period; the dentist confirmed that his gum disease was about the same as before, perhaps a little bit better, but probably no better than it would have been if my friend had brushed with traditional toothpaste. About what we’d expected. According to some, such as DentalFearCentral.org, it’s about the same to brush with water as it is to brush with toothpaste, as far as your teeth’s health is concerned–though your breath may suffer, of course.
So, there you have it. OraMD seems to be (again, this is unscientific) a fine toothpaste replacement. However, we did not find it to be superior to toothpastes on the market, other than in taste and convenience. The bottles of OraMD are a bit too expensive for us to continue buying them, but for the time being, we’re enjoying the product–it’s just not anything magical.
Sources:”Toothpaste Phobia,” DentalFearCentral.org.
