I’ve been using “Neem Active Toothpaste” over a period of time now and since it’s a product I’ve come to appreciate, I thought why not quantify its actual usefulness categorically. I actually just picked it up at a store out of sheer curiosity once upon a time but what has become evident is that it is clearly a much better alternative to several other toothpastes I’ve used in the past.
SOME GENERALITIES ABOUT TEETH AND TOOTHPASTE ACTION:
Our outer tooth enamel typically consists of hydroxypatite which consists of a suspension of positive Calcium ions and negative phosphate ions. The inner layer dentin, also mostly consists of the same, although it is regarded as softer and easier to identify, in terms of effect. The premise of a toothpaste is for fluoride to react with calcium ions to form a strong layer around enamel more resistant to acids in our mouth from saliva or food. Neem herbal extract also assists in protecting the enamel in its own way.
NEEM ACTIVE TOOTHPASTE FEATURES:
GUMS STRENGTHENING: This is one category where it scores very high. I’ve used other toothpastes in the past which did not contain the neem leaf extract. Whereas those toothpastes did the basic job of cleaning teeth, the gums were often left vulnerable to bleeding or weak. I was often left at a loss to understand this, especially because the state of your gums also partly depends on the type of toothbrush and how one uses a toothbrush. Regardless of the toothbrush used, “Neem Active Toothpaste” seems to do a great job in this regard.
The fact that our ancestors often used neem twigs as a tooth brush-cum-paste and had very healthy gums is testimony to Neem’s usefulness. Also, the utility of neem leaf extract in this regard is a proven fact by means of research conducted in several countries worldwide.
BREATH FRESHENER: This is another department where it scores very high. Whereas it does not care too much about how sweet the toothpaste tastes (It must be noted though that the taste is in fact quite pleasant!), it clearly does a very effective job as an anti-bacterial agent to kill factors that make the problem of bad breath linger. The effect lasts for quite a while too.
AVOIDS TOOTH DECAY: This is touted as another quality that this toothpaste possesses in terms of protecting the enamel. In terms of avoiding tooth decay, I rate it high but not the highest. I know 1 other toothpaste which does an even better job although what “Neem Active Toothpaste” does is pretty good too. Any good toothpaste is supposed to achieve this by avoiding plaque formation in the first place. I can’t say this toothpaste is 100% foolproof in this regard.
The fluoride content of the toothpaste reacts with Calcium ions in our teeth enamel to strengthen the teeth decaying from acids in our saliva and day to day food and abrasion by means of Calcium Fluoride formation. Various herbal extracts of neem leaf also supposedly aid in this by preventing bacteria sticking to the teeth leading to plaque formation. Again, our ancestors using neem twigs could be used as an example for its effectiveness. One thing it achieves very well, is that the oversensitivity of teeth by wearing away of enamel on contact with certain food items is significantly averted. But I do find traces of plaque every now and then. The toothpaste is very good, but probably not the best in this regard.
CLEANSING ACTION: It contains precipitated calcium carbonate which accounts for abrasive action of the toothpaste. It has glycerin, also found in soaps for the pasty formation of the gel while sodium lauryl sulfate accounts for the foaming action of the paste for the cleansing action. So, these components mostly account for the cleaning of the teeth when acted on by the toothbrush. From experience, I can testify that the cleansing action is pretty good. I have no complaints.
OTHER ADDITIVES: There are other hydrated silica gels and some other minerals which are used as abrasives and for the teeth protection (as supporting parties to precipitated Calcium Carbonate) in general.
POSSIBLE DISADVANTAGES: Although it does away with the possible negative effect of several fluoride toothpastes in terms of being possibly carcinogenic with safe levels of fluoride @ 1000 ppm (< 1100 ppm), it does have sodium lauryl sulfate which also can be potentially carcinogenic (known to be carcinogenic when cleaning skin). But then, most toothpastes have this for the reasons stated above in higher amounts. Although glycerin does its job for the paste formation, it also forms a coating around the teeth which can slow remineralization of teeth by a bit.
USAGE: It is, all said and done, a toothpaste. So, the recommended usage is not extra special in any way. It is a known fact that once the protective mechanism of the toothpaste is in effect, the effect of cleansing action and the hardening of enamel would wear away when subject to acids in our day to day life. So, it is recommended to brush at least twice a day allowing minimum time for the bacteria to renew their destructive plans for our teeth in between. :D
PRICING & IDENTIFICATION: It is priced at an affordable rate and should be available in a normal provisions, medical or supermarket store. There are many neem toothpastes available but the one I’m talking about is “Neem Active Toothpaste” from Jyothy Laboratories. Care should be taken in identifying when purchasing the same because each variant would vary in content.
In conclusion, I’d say, “Neem Active Toothpaste” definitely seems to be a good combination of safety and effectiveness overall. I would recommend this product to any human being who aspires to maintain good oral hygiene as a good alternative to most other toothpastes out there and especially to those using some heavy fluoridated toothpastes with no natural aspects.
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