this post was submitted on 29 Apr 2024
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Showerthoughts
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My dentist recommended me a stupid toothpaste called "Pearls & Dents" which also contained literal plastic balls. Such a stupid and corrupt person. I believe Dentists are paid by Elmex in germany too.
They are. I went through pre-med for my postmortem science degree and am still close with my doctor/dentist friends from the program. They get kickbacks from companies if they successfully sell a brand. Sometimes the results are great, like Wakix (my Narcolepsy medication that actually helped), but other times, it's a garbage product. If the medical professional has a fancy pamphlet or offers you coupons for the product, that means the company is paying them.
I was once offered a job peddling prescription drugs to GPs on behalf of several manufacturers. These marketing companies are mass-interviewing, you know. And so, there's never a shortage of these hawkers.
Ever wondered why you have to sit in the waiting room for a full hour when your appointment is scheduled at 8? Your doctor is talking to salespeople.
Do you have you pay for medication in Germany?
Yesn't.
In short: It depends on what meds and your current situation.
I'm in the USA, where you do pay, but the companies hawk drugs and other products anywhere that they can get approved by the government drug administration
I asked my doc if my toothpaste is good. He said the ingredients look sane for tooth care.
spoiler
If someone is in Germany and cares about the brand:
Dental Delight.
My choice of flavor: Polar Punch
That docs can be a bit skewed towards a sponsoring brand is not unlikely though.
I mean every lrofession is suscepticle to it...
Genuine question, what's the purpose of putting plastic balls in a tooth paste? Texture or something?
Abrasives. Same thing as charcoal. Tiny hard particles help remove gunk when you brush them against something.
Got it, thanks!
Most toothpaste contains abrasives. Look in the ingredients list on your toothpaste, it's likely silica.
The point of using plastic is because the petrochemical industry makes money if they use plastics.
Something with cleaning. Bullshit.