Dental hygienist baffles people by saying toothpaste doesn’t clean teeth

A dental hygienist has revealed that we all pay too much for toothpaste and that’s not even necessary for clean teeth and healthy gums.

Jessica Anne Potter, 32, from Cambridgeshire, increased TikTok to clear up a common misconception about toothpaste.

Appearing on Married At First Sight UK in 2022, the brunette wore her work uniform and told her 49,700 followers that “toothpaste doesn’t clean teeth so stop spending so much money on it.”

She continued: ‘I literally have patients come in and have spent £7, £8, even £10 on the toothpaste and I wonder why?

“They are all the same, just buy a cheap one.”

Jessica, who split from husband Pjay just a few weeks after getting married on the show, went on to explain what people really need to keep their grind clean.

She said, “The way to clean our teeth is to use an electric toothbrush, and use some dental floss and interdental brushes between the teeth where the brush can’t reach.”

This, she explains, will remove plaque and bacteria.

For many people, the feeling of freshly brushed teeth and minty breath is the only way to start and end their day, but we don’t need expensive formulas for that.

Jessica shared that the reason we use toothpaste is because of the fluoride it contains, which protects our teeth.

She said, “It protects our teeth from tooth decay and acid erosion. The way to know if you have the right amount of toothpaste is to literally look on the back of the box.

“It should say 1450 parts per million or ppm. It can be a whole number or two numbers like 1100 and then 350, so add them together and it’s 1450.

Jessica was annoyed when she revealed that she is always shocked when people tell her how much money they spend on toothpaste

“This is the right amount of fluoride that everyone over the age of 12 needs.”

The former reality star then shared with viewers that she went shopping to compare different brands of toothpaste.

She held them to the camera and showed them a pack of Wilko’s own brand, Oral-B and Colgate, which she says all cost £1 each.

She added, “And they had the right amount of fluoride in them.”

The expert ended her talk by reminding viewers how best to take care of their teeth, saying, “So just remember, look on the back of the box, stop paying so much money and remember that once you have polished, you have to spit and don’t rinse.

“Don’t rinse with water, don’t rinse with mouthwash… We want this fluoride to work for 30 minutes.”

Naturally, people flocked to the comments section to share their thoughts on the topic and theories about fluoride.

Someone wrote: I’m 28, never had a cavity and I eat so much sugar! I never washed the fluoride off once it spat out and honestly I think that’s why!’ [sic]

Another said: ‘I never pay more than a pound for my toothpaste.’

Viewers of Jessica’s video quickly flooded the comment section with their thoughts on what she shared with many, asking if fluoride was safe to use

Another TikTok fan shared, “I never knew this x.”

‘Thank you! I am an orthotherapist and all the time have patients who use silly toothpastes to whiten their teeth. I use Colgate 99p per tube’. [sic]

“How about no toxic fluoride – it’s a poison,” one person wrote.

One person who asked Jessica directly wrote, “Isn’t fluoride bad for us though?” Honestly, it might protect our teeth, but I’ve heard it’s bad for us in general.’

The dental expert replied with common sense, “Same as everything. If you drink a bottle of shampoo, you will become unwell. But it’s perfectly safe to use it on your toothbrush in a pea-sized amount.” [sic]