Why isn’t there enzymatic toothpaste that can dissolve plaque and tartar for humans like the ones for dogs and cats?
In: Biology
[removed]
[removed]
Yes, I use it on my dog almost daily! And it definitely works. Shes 14-15 years old and has all her teeth yet
Because there is no market for it.
Worldwide most people brush their teeth less than 14 times per week and are subject to cavities due to high sugar diet or due to GERD mostly caused by abdominal obesity + large amounts of coffee drinks.
People won’t pay 5x their regular toothpaste just to remove tartar if they don’t even do a minimum amount of brushing per week.
[removed]
I keep waiting for the bacteriophage one that kills the specific strains that cause caries.
ETA: there was also a vaccine that made it to human testing
[removed]
One thing I’ve learned about medication for pets is that a lot of it is dangerous/deadly. If dog toothpaste has something that gives them terrible cancer in 20 years but they die of old age after 12, that’s totally fine. But if a 20 year old dies at 40 because of an additive that could easily be avoided that’s a big deal. Additives in products humans use should be safe for at least 80 years of regular exposure.
[removed]
Not directly an answer, but it’s important to note that enzymatic pet toothpaste dissolves plaque, not tartar. While it does work well to slow down the build up of tartar it won’t prevent it 100% and won’t remove already present tartar (or at least not significantly). Pet toothpaste is great but, for most animals, not a complete replacement for full anesthesitized dental cleanings.
Latest Answers