Guest guest Posted August 2, 2003 Report Share Posted August 2, 2003 The messages on our listserv about obstacles to buying toothpaste (distance from businesses, etc.) , and the ideas about alternatives (homemade baking soda and water paste), all seem helpful. (Although -- I have heard from some dentists that baking soda may actually be too abrasive. Comments on that?) Having said that, for migrant clinicians and advocates and outreach workers, etc. who do live or work anywhere near a " dollar store, " I would suggest advising farmworkers to get their toothpaste at such a store. There are large tubes of fluoridated toothpaste (Colgate, AquaFresh, etc -- common brands) for sale for $1 at every such store I've ever seen. Migrant clinics doing an outreach campaign might even consider negotiating an even lower price from such a store to buy a bunch of tubes and give them away in the field, if they have a budget that can stretch to afford such a thing. Or a dollar store might donate $100 worth of toothpaste every summer, etc. I'm not crazy about dollar stores and the sweatshop labor they represent, just like I'm not crazy about the whole pharmaceuticals " samples " system, etc. but in both cases there may be an argument for practicality when it comes to serving low-income patients. Respects, Tina Tina Castañares, MD Castañares Consulting 637 Highway 141 White Salmon, WA 98672 509 / 493-1600 voice 347 / 412-0087 fax tina.castanares@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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