Murray On Travel

Is it time to ditch your small travel tube of toothpaste for a tablet?  Could his be better than toothpaste?  I was given a sample  Archtek Toothpaste Tablet recently and gave it a try.

The tablet is about the size of a regular aspirin, and is chewed in order to work.    It felt odd at first, not using toothpaste from a tube. I thought the tablet wasn't doing much, but as soon as I put my dry toothbrush into my mouth, it began to foam up using just my saliva. 

It provided an experience very similar to using toothpaste, and appears to have similar health benefits. (Note: no fluoride) It is smaller and lighter than a similar amount of traditional toothpaste.  Reduces concerns that might happen at TSA carry-on inspections and with security checkpoints worldwide. Also, using a tablet instead of a tube would stop virus and bacteria from being spread when sharing that tube with others.

Another possible advantage is that the wrapper around the tablet results in less trash than a used toothpaste tube. But it's clear that the wrapper is more easily recycled than a tube, which is contaminated.

 The negatives that I see are that you still need a toothbrush, while some travel toothbrushes have paste containers built into the handle. The tablet foams up without water, but you still need to rinse both your mouth and brush.

These tablets would be especially useful for hikers who need to travel light. They also would be healthier when your travel partner is sick, or when sharing a tube of toothpaste might not be a good idea.

For the everyday traveler, I think it's a toss up. If you want to try them out yourself, you can get them on  Amazon.com (see ad below).