Vortex Protects Cavities Better with Less Chemicals? Awesome!

Happy March, everyone!

I've just put the finished edits on our newest press release, which talks about the pretty astounding results that we had from the FDA testing that Vortex underwent last year. I'm sending it out on the wire service next week, but you can get an early peek at it below:

For Immediate Release:

AMAZING COLOR CHANGING TOOTHPASTE FIGHTS CAVITIES TWO AND A HALF TIMES BETTER THAN CONVENTIONAL TOOTHPASTE—AND WITH LESS CHEMICALS

                          

St. Louis –March 1, 2012 - If changing color isn’t astounding enough, the new Vortex Color Changing Toothpaste has just been proven to protect young teeth two and a half times better than conventional toothpaste, due to Vortex inventor Dr. Howard Wright’s dedication to minimal chemicals.

Fluoride, a naturally occurring chemical, has been proven to help seal teeth against cavities, and only fluoridated toothpaste may receive a seal of approval from the American Dental Association. But conventional toothpastes have a foaming agent, such as sodium lauryl sulfate, which creates foam bubbles that act like a barrier of balloons, preventing the fluoride from reaching the teeth. To compensate for this, toothpaste manufacturers must have a relatively high fluoride content in their toothpaste—around 1200 parts per million in conventional toothpaste.

However, Vortex Toothpaste inventor Dr. Howard Wright is dedicated to having a minimum amount of chemicals in his toothpaste, and has removed the sodium lauryl sulfate from Vortex. Dr. Wright also decided to lower the amount of fluoride in Vortex to 990 parts per million—the minimum amount by law that a toothpaste can contain and still call itself “fluoridated.”

“Fluoride is a natural chemical--it occurs naturally in seawater. Yet everyone here at Wright Toothpaste is dedicated to minimal chemicals in our products,” says Dr. Wright. “It was important to us to have a minimum amount of fluoride in the toothpaste.” 

But in a recent study by Indiana University, scientists found that Vortex Toothpaste imparted two and a half times more fluoride into the tooth than conventional toothpaste. This result surprised even Vortex Toothpaste inventor Dr. Wright—until he realized it was because Vortex had no foaming agent to block the fluoride.

“I knew that foaming agents from toothpastes cause 90% of canker sores in children—it’s too harsh a chemical for children's mouths,” said Dr. Wright. “But I never imagined that taking out some of the chemicals could make the toothpaste work so much better.”

Vortex Color Changing Toothpaste recently became available in forty-one Walgreens stores and four Dierbergs grocery stores in the St. Louis area. Vortex can also be bought online at Amazon.com, drugstore.com, and vortextoothpaste.com. Vortex retails for $6.95, and is proudly manufactured in Muskegon, Michigan.

“The key to invention is not being tied down to old ideas. You’ve got to open your mind to new possibilities,” says Vortex inventor Dr. Wright.  “People say that toothpaste has always had a foaming agent—it’s always been foamy. But the moment I stepped back and asked “why?”—the very moment I did things differently, I got some truly amazing results.”

ABOUT:

With a commitment to local manufacturing and continued innovation, Wright Toothpaste, Inc. is dedicated to solving poor tooth-brushing habits through their unique Vortex Color Changing Toothpaste.  For more information, visit www.vortextoothpaste.com.

CONTACT:

Jessica W. Buha,

Marketing Director, Wright Toothpaste

314-436-3332  vortex@vortextoothpaste.com

###

February Vortex Review Roundup!

With the snow (and Valentines!) of February came a few more blogger reviews of Vortex. Check em out below!

Blogger Mama2Multiples hails from Vermont, and is mom to a pair of three-year-old twins and a bouncing one-year-old. In her Vortex review, she writes:

When you first squeeze it onto the tooth brush, it comes out in streaks of blue and purple. Connor and Merasia LOVE to see these bright colors on their toothbrush, and imagine their delight that as they brush, the colors mix to form a pretty purple!... This definitely makes the kids want to brush, and want to keep brushing for the perfect amount of time to properly brush and do a great job!


...[I] was surprised by how gentle the flavor really is! It's not too strong of a delicious flavor to make kids want to eat it or consume unsafe amounts, but it's not harsh or minty and doesn't sting your mouth like other toothpaste's on the market these days...

All in all, I was very very happy with this product, and most of all, Connor and Merasia love it, and there are no more fights to brush their teeth!

Thanks, Mama2Multiples!

 
SimplyStacie blogger Gina, a mother of two from New York, reviewed Vortex Toothpaste. She loved it, saying:

Before using the toothpaste with Matthew, I decided to give it a try. Like Matthew, I was intrigued by the pink and blue streams of paste that came out of the tube. It was something I have never seen before, and even at 34, I thought it was pretty neat! I thought the grape flavoring might be too candy-like or too sweet, but it was mild and pleasant. There was no foaming, and the two colors blended together as I brushed. I knew that since I liked it so much, Matthew would too – and I was right!

Vortex Color Changing Toothpaste can add a nice, fun change to your child’s daily routine. It’s definitely going to be in Matthew’s rotation!

Thanks, Gina from SimplyStacie!

SIMPLE: Real Moms {Reviewing} Fabulous Products was founded in 2007, and is a collective of mom bloggers. Vortex was reviewed by Jaime, mother of two, who wrote:

I was recently asked to review Vortex Color Changing Toothpaste.  My son was very excited to try this toothpaste when I told him it changed colors.  He couldn’t wait to try it.  There are 2 little holes that has a blue gel and the other has red gel.  When squeezed onto your tooth brush and when you brush the colors mix and make purple.  So when you spit it out you see purple, E thinks this is the coolest part.  My son always says that regular toothpaste burns and it is spicy…he loves that this does not do that.

Thanks, Jaime from SIMPLE! Yep, we're proud that Vortex is SLS-free--no more burning or spicy feelings here!

Vortex and Kids with CP

Vortex inventor Dr. Wright recently received an email from the mother of a child with cerebral palsy, wanting to know if Vortex would be especially useful for her and her child. I thought his response was pretty interesting--check it out below!

Why Is Vortex a Good Match for Kids with Cerebral Palsy?

By Dr. Howard Wright, DMD

While I do not have any children with CP of my own, I’m very pleased to write out my thoughts on why my Vortex Color Changing Toothpaste is, in my opinion, a good choice for children with CP—specifically with those children who have impaired upper limb functions.

Though the term cerebral palsy encompasses many motor conditions that can cause physical disability, nearly 50% of children with CP have impaired upper limb function.  This causes actions requiring fine motor skills to be very tricky, such as buttoning a coat or tying ones shoes. When a parent or caregiver is performing these actions for the children, it is sometimes difficult for the caregiver to ascertain whether or not the task has been adequately completed.  This is especially true regarding the task of tooth brushing.

With typical toothpaste, the sign of adequate brushing is often equated with a certain level of foam generated by the foaming agent. However, due to the occasional heightened sensitivity of the mouth region of some children with CP,  using toothpaste with a foaming agent may not be the best choice, since too much foam can impede breathing and create a choking sensation for the child. With its lack of foaming agent (called SLS), Vortex Toothpaste fulfils this requirement nicely.

But without a foaming agent to mark where a sufficient amount of vigorous brushing has been applied, how can a parent or caregiver know that the teeth have been adequately brushed? The answer is Vortex Toothpaste’s brilliant color change, which acts as a guide in marking the places on the teeth where vigorous brushing has occurred. With no foaming agent to clog the child’s mouth, the child will likely be more relaxed in the uniquely uncomfortable situation of having one’s teeth brushed by someone else. Likewise, the color change may help to ease restlessness during the tooth brushing process, as the young child will be able to more easily track the progress of the task through the color change.

Therefore, Vortex Color Changing Toothpaste is uniquely designed to fulfill the special and specific needs of children who have impaired upper-limb functions, a group that includes many children with CP. I believe that parents and caregivers will appreciate the brilliant color change as a guide in determining adequate vigor in brushing, and that children will enjoy seeing the toothpaste gradually turn purple.

I will caution you, however, that Vortex Color Changing toothpaste does contain fluoride, and so the child must be sure to spit out any Vortex Toothpaste remaining in the mouth after brushing. If your child with CP has trouble spitting out toothpaste, then non-fluoridated toothpaste would be advisable.

Hooray! A New Episode of "Dr. Wright Breaks It Down for You!"

Well, January is certainly winding down quickly, but I can't let the month go by without sharing our newest episode of "Dr. Wright Breaks It Down for You! For those who are new to the blog, every week (or so) I have a chat with Vortex inventor Dr. Howard Wright about some sort of scientific mystery that needs unraveling.  I then edit together a short little film to go along with our recording (and occasionally add a few animations made in Microsoft Paint--they're kinda charming in an "I-clearly-made-this-in-MSPaint" way).

So enjoy our latest video podcast: "Help! I Have a Canker Sore!"




 

What's So Healthy about Vortex?

Recently, we've been getting emails from moms all across the country asking why Vortex claims to be so good for kids. "What's so healthy about Vortex?" has been pretty much THE most popular question recently.

Earlier this week, Vortex Toothpaste inventor Dr. Wright sat down and wrote out each reason why he believes that Vortex is the healthiest children's toothpaste on the market. Check out his list below!

When talking about the healthy nature of Vortex toothpaste, or anything for that matter, there are basically two sides to the discussion.  First, you must consider the benefits of each ingredient. Second, you must consider any possibly harmful side effects of each ingredient. 

Let me address both issues in reference to my Vortex Color Changing Toothpaste.

• Vortex Color Changing Toothpaste has a silicate abrasive which is one of the mildest and gentlest of cleaning abrasives for teeth.    I specifically wanted my toothpaste to have a silicate micro abrasive. 

•  Vortex has no Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).  SLS has shown to be damaging to gums, causing up to 90% of all canker sores.  In addition, SLS creates a burning and choking sensation, making the average child brush only seven seconds before stopping.  Lastly it has been shown in multiple research studies that SLS does nothing to clean the teeth.   We have no SLS in Vortex toothpaste.

• We use a natural bubble gum grape flavoring for Vortex Toothpaste.  Now even though it is natural, when I first tried Vortex during trials the flavor seemed too strong. Despite my manufacturer in Muskegon, Michigan saying that the amount they were using was standard for the other children’s toothpastes they produced, I had them reduce the flavoring by half. I received a modified batch three weeks later with half the flavoring, but the flavoring still tasted too strong to me. I had the manufacturer cut the flavoring in half again, and so Vortex presently has only 25% of the flavoring found in standard toothpaste.

• In order to make the color change most apparent, I use standard FDA colorants in Vortex. Just like the flavoring, I cut the amount of colorants by half, and then half again so the colorants in Vortex are 25% of what is in standard kids toothpaste.  The intense color change created by these FDA colorants encourages the child not only to brush in circles, but also teaches the child to spit out the toothpaste, as the vivid purple created by the colorants looks very striking when spit into a sink. 

• Vortex Color Changing Toothpaste does contain fluoride, but it has the absolute minimum amount required by the FDA for fluoridated toothpastes: 990 ppm, or parts per million. Yet despite having a minimum amount of fluoride, Vortex protects teeth from cavities 2.5 times better than conventional toothpastes. This is due to Vortex’s elimination of the foaming agent, SLS (mentioned above). The foam present in conventional toothpaste acts as a barrier, preventing the fluoride from “wetting” the teeth. Without the foaming agent, Vortex is able to impart more fluoride into each tooth, despite having a minimal amount of fluoride in the toothpaste.

• Vortex Color Changing Toothpaste also contains Xylitol, which is an all-natural sweetener. Research has shown that only 10% Xylitol is recommended in toothpastes, and that is the exact amount found in Vortex.  I know of one toothpaste on the market for kids that has 60% Xylitol--this high level is because they’re trying to block the taste of the foaming agent in their toothpaste.  We don’t have a foaming agent, so we can put the proper amount of Xylitol in our Vortex toothpaste. Keeping the chemical content at a minimum is one of our goals with Vortex.

In sum, because Vortex has less fluoride but provides two and a half times the anti-cavity effect, because we took out the foaming agent and decreased the colorants and flavor (but retained the fun!), and because we make the only color changing toothpaste in the world, I am confident in endorsing Vortex as a healthy toothpaste. In my opinion, Vortex is truly Brushing Made Fun.

Dr. Howard Wright

President, Wright Toothpaste

New Episode of "Dr. Wright Breaks It Down for You!" And a new Vortex review!

I hope everyone's New Year is going just swimmingly!

Dr. Wright and I recently found the time to record a new episode of our podcast, "Dr. Wright Breaks It Down for You." The topic for this week's edition was fluoride, a chemical that can be found in Vortex Color Changing Toothpaste. I edited together a short video to go along with the podcast--check it out below!






We've also just received another, very positive review of our Vortex Color Changing Toothpaste!

Leslie from Leslie Loves Veggies writes:

Unlike traditional toothpastes which are flavored with a strong mint flavor which can be very overpowering for young taste buds, Vortex has a bubble gum grape flavor that My Little Guy loves!  In addition, Fluoridated Vortex doesn’t contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, an unnecessary foaming agent that may burn gums and lead to painful canker sores.  My Little Guy actually likes to brush his teeth now as you can see from the picture below.  Brushing isn’t a struggle anymore, which means he brushes longer and that means cleaner teeth and that means a healthier smile!

Thanks so much, Leslie! We're so glad that your little man loved Vortex!

Three more Vortex Mom Blog reviews!

Happy New Year everyone!

I've come across not one, not two, but THREE more reviews from the blogosphere! Check them out below!

Beautifully BellaFaith is written by Amber, a twenty-something blogger who is mom to a bouncing, beautiful little toddler.

Amber writes:

I've been using Vortex Color Changing Toothpaste for the past week on Isabella, and she always giggles whenever we brush her teeth. She's so interested in the colors changing inside her mouth. Her eyes light up, and she gets so mad whenever I stop brushing her teeth! I'm so glad that I'm able to instill good hygiene without sacrificing comfort. She enjoys having her teeth brushed!

Thanks, Amber! We're glad Isabella likes watching the color change happen--and most importantly, likes having her teeth brushed!

 5 Minutes for Mom was founded by sisters Janice and Susan, who are also moms to four adorable little ones.

5 Minutes for Mom contributer Michelle wrote the Vortex review, and she says:

The fact that the flavor is natural is a huge boost. At this point, the wee ones still don’t like mint flavored toothpastes, but the grape in Vortex has been well-received by them. In fact, the wee ones have asked that I continue to buy this toothpaste instead of the toothpaste I had been purchasing. Unfortunately, it isn’t currently available in stores, but you can purchase it either directly from Vortex or via Amazon for $6.95 per tube.  Did I mention that we are actually starting to see a difference in the gunk that stays on Mister Man’s teeth as he brushes? Maybe he will be able to brush without supervision someday soon.

Thanks, Michelle! Yes, we hope to be available in stores soon, too...

The Grommom is written by Monica, a Hawaiian blogger with four surfing, skating sons (or "groms" as they're called in the islands).

Monica tried out Vortex a few weeks ago, and had this to say:

Vortex actually has the minimum amount of flouride allowed by the FDA, but it puts three times the fluoride in the teeth compared to standard toothpastes!  This is because it isn’t blocked by the foaming agents.  Without foam, the toothpaste is able to adhere closely to the surface of the teeth, protecting them better from cavities! Fascinating, huh?
So far, my boys haven’t missed foam in their toothpaste a bit.
All four of my boys are using Vortex now, and loving it. And they tell me that they are noticing that their teeth are whiter than ever!

Thanks, Monica! Fluoride really is amazing stuff, but it was important to us that Vortex provides the maximum amount of cavity protection with the minimal amount of added chemicals.

Wow. Everyone here at Vortex is so thankful for the positive reception that our little "toothpaste that could" is having.  It's really amazing to see how Vortex is impacting children's oral health care, one smile at a time.