New Toothpaste Tablet

Toothpaste tablets: The end of the tube?

By Rob Goszkowski, Assistant Editor
The tablets offer a "laundry list" of advantages over a tube delivery system, according to Scott Jacobs, president of Archtek and creator of the Toothpaste Tablet.

“I'm dumbfounded that after 140 years we're still dealing with the same delivery system.”
— Scott Jacobs, Artchtek president

"The first is sanitation because you're not swiping the tube against a used brush, which transfers all the microbes from the brush onto the end of the tube," he said. "There's an environmental advantage because the product comes in a recyclable container. None of the toothpaste tubes on the market can be recycled, and there's about 560 million per year in the U.S. alone that end up in landfills."
The tablets, which come in 60-tablet bottles or boxes of 100 individually wrapped doses, are also tidy. "I have two boys, so I've lived with the mess toothpaste makes," Jacobs laughed. "You've got goo on the sinks, the counter, the floor, inside the drawers. ..."
Traversing Transportation Security Administration checkpoints at airports with the toothpaste tablets is easier than with traditional tubes since the dry tablets are not subject to the 3 oz. liquid limit guidelines for carry-on items.
"I'm dumbfounded that after 140 years we're still dealing with the same delivery system," Jacobs said. "So many advances have been made in other areas toward mobility, sanitation, and lessening environmental impact."
The tablets contain cranberry extract (Exocyan), which reduces plaque, and xylitol to help mitigate the formation of caries. Two clinical studies, which are scheduled to be finished in June, are being performed at two different universities that Jacobs hopes will provide enough data for approval. He declined to name them until the studies are completed.
A clinical study conducted by Archtek provided enough evidence for the Dental Advisor to award it the Top Innovative Consumer Product of 2011 in January, according to Jacobs. The tablets received an 86% clinical rating from the Dental Advisor reviewers, with 57% saying they would recommend the product and 29% saying they would switch from a paste to the tablet.
8 years in the making
Jacobs first had the idea for a tablet-delivered dentifrice about eight years ago.
"I tried to introduce an effervescent tablet that created an amazing foaming action as soon as you put it in your mouth without ever needing a brush, but there were stability issues and expense-related ones," he said.
The idea for a tablet stuck, however. "The more I thought about a tablet-based delivery system, the more the advantages became apparent," he added.
Creating a cost-comparable product with similar dosing were two primary obstacles. The first aspect was overcome during research and development. Sorting out the matter of dosing and public perception will take more time.
"People often ask me, 'How many uses do I get out of a tube of paste?' " Jacobs said. "The recommended dose is somewhere around 12 brushings per ounce. But because there's never been anything different in the marketplace, the thought process of the public is, 'How do I compare a 60-tablet bottle to a tube of paste. Is it equal to one? Two?' They flat out don't know."
Jacobs referenced a recent Wall Street Journal article that reported the existence of more than 350 varieties of toothpaste. "It's tough for the consumer to perceive the nuances between them," he said.
Archtek, which was started in the 1960s by Jacobs's father after he invented the boiling water mouthguard, is hoping to gain the ADA seal of approval for the tablets. Jacobs is also working to add the tablets to consumer store shelves; the Wal-Mart travel section will begin carrying the product in June. Archtek has also had a presence at dental and travel goods conventions while courting organizations such as Cardinal Health and smaller, independent pharmacies.
"We're hitting everything from big boxes to brushing stations at dental offices," Jacobs said. "It's all about whether or not I can gain enough market acceptance early on before the really monster companies get into it."
Other companies are marketing similar products, although so far not on the same scale that Jacobs is working to achieve. Akina's Ceto-Q toothpaste tablets are being sold to travelers as a toothpaste alternative, and Lush, a U.K.-based cosmetics company, has launched a similar product in Europe that reportedly will be available in the U.S. beginning in June.

Dr. James Miller is a Scottsdale Family dentist.  His websites are www.drjamesmiller.com and www.scottsdalelanap.com
March 16, 2011 -- The dentrifice delivery system has changed little since the first tube of toothpaste was filled more than 100 years ago. But that could change with the introduction of chewable toothpaste tablets, which are less messy and more environmentally friendly.

Fruits and Veggies Prevent Oral Cancer

Fruits and vegetables can help prevent oral cancer

By Donna Domino, Associate Editor
"Current evidence supports a recommendation of a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables as part of a whole-foods, plant-based diet with limited consumption of meat, particularly processed meat," wrote Nita Chainani-Wu, DMD, PhD; Joel Epstein, DMD; and Riva Touger-Decker, PhD, in the JADA article.
In addition to discussing tobacco and alcohol use with patients (and, if relevant, betel nut and gutka consumption), as well as the risk of sexual transmission of human papillomavirus (HPV), clinicians should provide dietary advice for preventing oral cancer as part of routine patient education practices, they recommended.
Why fruits and vegetables?
Over the past 50 years, researchers have conducted more than 40 epidemiologic studies of the relationship between fruits and vegetable consumption and oral cancer risk, the JADA authors noted. A 2006 meta-analysis identified strong evidence of the protective role of vegetables and fruits, particularly citrus fruits, in the prevention of oral cancer (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, May 2006, Vol. 83:5, pp. 1126-1134).
Similarly, a cohort study of risk factors for second primary cancers in patients with a history of oral and pharyngeal cancer (OPC), researchers at the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health found that eating fruits and vegetables has a protective effect (Nutrition and Cancer, 1994, Vol. 21:3, pp. 223-232). In another study, researchers at the School of Dentistry in San Juan, Puerto Rico, found fruit consumption to be protective against oral premalignant lesions (American Journal of Epidemiology, September 15, 2006, Vol. 164:6, pp. 556-566).

Oral cancer statistics More than 400,000 cases of oral and pharyngeal cancer (OPC) occur annually worldwide, and OPC is among the most common cancers, according to the World Health Organization. In the U.S., approximately 36,500 new cases and 7,800 deaths resulting from OPC occurredin 2010, according to the National Cancer Institute. More than 90% of oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas. Prevention of these cancers in dental practice settings has focused mainly on early detection of oral premalignant mucosal changes. According to the American Cancer Society's Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention, one-third of the more than 500,000 cancer deaths that occur in the U.S. each year can be attributed to diet and physical activity habits, including overweight and obesity.

While the mechanisms by which diet influences cancer risk are not fully understood, the JADA authors wrote, certain compounds in food may be protective against cancer. Vitamins C and E have antioxidant properties and may prevent DNA damage by reducing exposure to free radicals of oxygen. Terpenes, a group of compounds present in certain plants such as citrus fruits, can influence cell cycle progression and induce apoptosis. In addition, fruits and vegetablescontain micronutrients -- also known as phytonutrients -- that may act synergistically to prevent cancers, including OPC, the researchers noted.
Fruits, particularly berries that are high in ellagic acid, help prevent oral cancer, as do the isothiocyanates in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, according to Tieraona Low Dog, MD, a clinical associate professor of medicine at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center.
"We should all be helping our patients learn how to incorporate a minimum of five servings per day of fruits and vegetables into their diet," Dr. Low Dog told DrBicuspid.com.
In addition to cancer prevention, a growing body of data demonstrates the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics, and vitamin D for preventing periodontal disease, she added.
Other food components, such as nitrites in processed meats, which may form carcinogenic nitrosamines, may increase the risk of developing cancer, the JADA authors noted. In addition, eating salted meat, processed meat, and animal fat increases the risk of developing oral cancer. A 2008 study conducted at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences School of Public Health showed that high consumption of dairy products is a risk factor for head and neck squamous cell cancers and also has been associated with an increased risk of developing prostate cancer and ovarian cancer (Head & Neck, September 2008, Vol. 30:9, pp. 1193-1205).
Education is key
In addition to performing thorough head and neck and oral mucosal examinations to identify precancerous changes, oral healthcare professionals should educate patients about oral cancer prevention, including nutrition, the JADA authors concluded. This is particularly important for patients at an increased risk of developing OPC, including:

• Those who use tobacco or have a history of tobacco use
• Those who consume alcohol, betel nut, or gutka
• Patients with oral premalignant conditions such as leukoplakia, erythroplakia, submucous fibrosis, or lichen planus
• Those with a history of head and neck or upper aerodigestive tract cancers

"I applaud the dental community for increasing the education and awareness of their professionals with regard to the importance of nutrition and oral health," Dr. Low Dog said.

Dr. James Miller is a Family and Cosmetic Dentist located in Scottsdale, Arizona.  His websites are www.drjamesmiller.com or www.scottsdalelanap.com
March 3, 2011 -- Oral healthcare professionals can play an important role in preventing oral cancer by educating patients about oral cancer prevention strategies, including eating lots of fruits and vegetables, according to a study in the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA, February 2011, Vol. 142:2, pp. 166-169).