Jackie says: “I just read that P&G, who makes Crest, is launching a new toothpaste with natural extracts. That sounds like a marketing gimmick to me, but you Brains are always saying that P&G has a lot of researchers and that they have good formulas. So what’s the truth about this natural toothpaste?” The Right Brain brushes up:

Jackie, while the Left Brain and I do believe that P&G generally has some of the best formulas on the market, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t above jumping on a hot marketing trend. And natural extracts are one of the hottest trends around.

The new product you`re referring to is Crest’s Nature`s Expressions toothpaste, which combines Crest`s basic anti-cavity formula with essential oils of peppermint, lemon, or green tea. These extracts are known to have beneficial properties: peppermint is calming to the digestive tract; lemon in a natural astringent, and green tea contains powerful antioxidants. Unfortunately, these properties really don’t have much application to toothpaste.

The Beauty Brains Bottom Line: Is Crest Nature’s Expressions a good toothpaste? Yes, based on P&G’s track record it most likely is. But not BECAUSE it contains natural extracts.