Cost analysis of toothpaste versus tablets

Abstract

Methods: For an adult, 0.17 grams of toothpaste per brush is required. The mathematical equations to determine the price of daily tooth brushing 3x day are completed in the following steps for the toothpaste: Step1: Toothpaste Tube in ml / 0.17 gram of toothpaste = Total number of toothbrushes from one tube of toothpaste. Step 2: If the person brushes 3 times per day: then take the total number of brushes from Step 1 and divide this by 3x day = number of days of the patient brushes 3x a day. For the tablet formats is the number of tablets/ 3 to get a daily rate. Step 3: The price of the Toothpaste in Rand / number of 3x brushes per day from one tube (step 2) = cents per day to brush 3xday. For the tablet formats Rand price / step 2 = cents per day to brush 3xday. Commonly advised toothpaste: Elmex R96 for 75ml, Meridol R98 for 75ml, Colgate Sensitive pro relief, Curaprox perio plus. The chewable tablet formats for general use and sensitive teeth are Earthy Tablets All Round Protection, Earthy Tablets Sensitivity and Kind Brush Bite & Brush Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste Tablets. Results: The calculations completed resulted in the daily cost for 3x brushing. Curaprox perio plus R173 for 75ml; 441 is the Total number of brushes. R1.18 per day for 3x a day brushes. Elmex R96 for 75ml; 441 is the Total number of brushes available from a tube of 75ml. The calculation resulted in a cost of R0.65 per day for 3x-a-day brushes. Meridol R98 for 75ml; 441 is the Total number of brushes.R0.66 per day for 3x a day brushes. Colgate Sensitive pro relief R72 for 75ml. R0.49 per day for 3x a day brushes. Earthy Tablets All Round Protection R30 for 90 Tablets. 90 brushes in total. For 3x a day brushing the cost isR1.00 per day. Earthy Tablets Sensitivity R50 for 90 Tablets. 90 brushes in total. For 3x a day brushing the cost is R1.66 per day. Kind Brush Bite & Brush Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste Tablets R89 for 60 Tablets. 60 brushes in total. For 3x a day brushing the cost is R4.45 per day. Conclusions: For a patient to brush 3x a day the price range between 0.49 cents and R1.18 for toothpaste. With regard to the natural products on the market in tablet form; Earthy tablets were the most cost-effective between R1 and 1.66 a day for 3x a day brushing.