FRECKLES' PICK - WINNER
Should We Be Using Charcoal Toothpaste?
Charcoal toothpaste, like Active Wowâs Activated Coconut Charcoal Powder, claims to be a natural way to whiten teeth. Itâs an alternative to those whiteners that normally contain hydrogen peroxide. And users really seem to like it - this product has over 10,000 reviews on Amazon! But just because itâs popular doesnât mean itâs good for our dental hygiene.
So how does a professional feel about charcoal toothpaste? Dentist-to-the-stars Kevin B. Sands, DDS, is skeptical of the treatment.
âCharcoal in powder or in toothpaste seems to be the latest trend for an at-home whitening. However, there are risks,â he warns. âCharcoal can be abrasive and erosive, which can lead to enamel being lost and sensitivity or even yellowing of the teeth in the long run.â
Since those are definitely not the results we want from a whitening product, talk to your dentist before trying charcoal toothpaste. Sands points out that âa professional whitening done by your dentist is the safest way to go and is guaranteed to get you pearly whites.â And you donât really want to take a chance with your teeth, so maybe sit this trend out.
Source: Byrdie
KRISTEN'S PICK
Blowing Out Birthday Candles Adds So Much More Bacteria
When you blow out the candles on your next birthday cake, you might want to wish for not getting sick. Because according to a new study, all the huffing and puffing we do to get the candles out can increase the bacteria on a cake by 1,400%!
For the study, researchers at Clemson University had people chow down on pizza and then blow out candles on an iced hunk of Styrofoam. When they measured bacterial contamination, it varied a lot from person to person. âSome people blow on the cake and they donât transfer any bacteria,â explains Professor Paul Dawson. âWhereas you have one or two people who for whatever reason ⊠transfer a lot of bacteria.â
It turns out the blowing raises the amount of bacteria on the frosting an average of 15 times - but Dawson says one personâs saliva increased it by 120 times! And as nasty as that sounds, he doesnât think most birthday cake eaters will actually get sick from all those germs.
âItâs not a big health concern in my perspective,â Dawson says. âIn reality, if you did this 100,000 times, then the chance of getting sick would probably be very minimal.â
So all that candle blowing bacteria isnât really something to worry about. But just try not to think about this the next time you watch some kid blowing out their birthday candles.
Source: New York Post
JASON'S PICK
Adoption Fees Waived This Week
All pets aged six months and up have $0 adoptions from Monday, July 31 â Sunday, August 6 at the Atlanta Humane Society. (atlantahuman)
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