Village vignettes - Modermity Wins (Toothbrushes 2)

All my village children use only toothpastes. They go foaming at the mouth from home to home. Earlier they used to walk around chewing a neem toothstick, or piece of coal ...

Who is answerable for the village people getting pulled into these expensive and damaging habits ... ?
We and our lifestyles which makes the poor aspire for consumerism ?

The companies (composed of all the little cogs that make it run - the clerk and the MD) and the need for profits ?

Anantha Sayanan writes -
Aparna, its not just the sweet sugary lump that these pastes carry, they also ridden with nicotin as an addictive ( for repeat customers) and SLS for foaming!

Its best for our health and environments health to quit these wastes er pastes and brushes..that also saves dumping of so many plastic sachets and brushes by each of us..the alternative is any of the dantachoornam or tooth powders in ayur/sidddha marunth kadais..

That was from a study by the Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research (DIPSAR) which found that most of the toothpaste manufacturers were adulterating toothpastes and toothpowders with nicotine. that too high quantity..more nicotin than u get a few cigarettes. And it was all of them: dabur, herbal, vicco, neem tulsi and what not!! there are some other studies too!

That was in 2011-12 and was widely (i.e by us few crack pots in our small circles) publicised..people also heard, reacted, forgot and bought and dumped so many more sachets and brushes..but am proud some scores got converted bcos of us.. but??

Tendulkars and sharukhs told them (after taking crores)! - that is why we say, one golden rule for healthy life and safe food: avoid anything advertised!