アウトドアで歯磨き(英語)2022-08-31T10:01:45+09:00

NEWS

Why are highly “biodegradable” toothpaste and oral care products used in mountain lodges and camps?

Many lodges and campgrounds prohibit the use of toothpaste containing “persistent” chemicals and synthetic fungicides.

The reason is easy to understand in areas where sewerage is not maintained, but the wastewater we produce is either drained directly into the natural river or cleaned in a septic tank before being drained into the river.

In the case of natural rivers, many microorganisms that live in the water play that role, and the environment is established.

Microorganisms live in the septic tank, and the microorganisms eat the dirty water that washes the body and dishes and biodegrade it to clean the water.

The same is true in cities, where wastewater drained by sewers is collected at a sewage treatment plant, where it is biodegraded by microorganisms to purify the water.

Petroleum-derived synthetic bactericides and preservatives that kill bacteria in the oral cavity, synthetic surfactants and synthetic fragrances, and toothpastes containing tree resins and high-concentration sap are persistent and cannot be biodegraded. In other words, the microorganisms cannot eat and kill the microorganisms.

Therefore, in many cases, the use of oral care products containing chemically synthesized ingredients is prohibited when climbing a mountain lodge, campsite, or mountain climbing.

To give an example that is easy for many people to understand, the water discharged from the sewage treatment plant may have experienced the smell of non-biodegradable synthetic fragrances in nearby rivers and the sea. Naturally, odorless, persistent chemical components are also released naturally.

It is easy to imagine what will happen to the global environment in which we live, the organisms that live in the water, and the marine products that we eat every day if many people use it many times every day and continue to drain it into the sewage.

Being friendly to microorganisms that biodegrade their polluted water is also important for the health of ourselves and our children.

In developed countries, “highly biodegradable products” that do not affect the microbial ecosystem are attracting attention even for oral care products that are discharged to the environment.

In the world, many people have begun to realize that it is important not only for the convenience and profits of companies but also for their own health and to leave this beautiful green earth inherited to the generations of children. Is changing to.

Especially in the highlands, the action of microorganisms is weak, so environmental pollution caused by strong chemical substances is irreversible, so caution is required.

New Needs for Mountaineering / Outdoor Toothpaste / Oral Care Products

Until now, the standard for mountaineering and camping was to not bring toothpaste products, do not brush your teeth, and wipe with a simple wet sheet to minimize the amount of gear you carry.

However, as we learned from the advent of the new coronavirus, the oral cavity is also the entrance to the body and various infectious diseases, and keeping the oral cavity clean even during emergency mountain climbing and camping is a physical condition in the mountains. The medical idea that the priority cannot be lowered in order to maintain the condition and strengthen the immunity is becoming mainstream in developed countries.

Therefore, there was a need for a new era of toothpaste and oral care products that effectively sterilize the bacteria that cause problems in the oral cavity, and are biodegraded by microorganisms when exhaled, and digested and decomposed in the body even when swallowed.

The latest toothpaste and oral care methods in the mountains

The latest mountain tooth brushing and oral care methods are described in the catalog of Mr. Mochizuki, a member of the Oral Peace Project.

We have received a valuable interview from the site with Mr. Yoshitaka Sugimoto, the manager of Akadake Tenboso, asking “Why oral peace is needed in mountains, mountain lodges, and outdoors.”

Mochizuki Outdoor Tools Co., Ltd.
Headquartered in Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture, we are a mountaineering / outdoor manufacturer, and the sole distributor in Japan for Cascade Design, Inc., which handles many outdoor brands such as MSR, Therm-a-Rest, and Platypus. Tsutomu Mochizuki, a top climber who attended Mt. Tanigawa in 1950, was dissatisfied with commercially available climbing gear and co-developed Haken (climbing equipment) with a blacksmith in the town.

Akadake Tenboso
A mountain lodge directly below Mt. Aka, the main peak of Mt. Yatsugatake, one of Japan’s 100 famous mountains. Up to 200 people can stay in the manned hut, which is the base for climbing Mt. Aka and traversing the southern part of Yatsugatake. It is open even in the midwinter and is a popular base for climbing Mt. Aka throughout the year. It is also famous as a mountain hut where you can soak in a bathtub at an altitude of 2722 meters.

Please take a look.

How to choose toothpaste and oral care products for mountains and outdoors

The following are the selection points for mountaineering and camping toothpaste that require safety for the natural environment and the human body while effectively brushing and oral care with the minimum number of gears.

First and foremost, try tasting yourself. With this, you can understand most of the differences, such as “feeling whether it is a safe ingredient even if swallowed as it is”, “feeling whether it feels good or bad when you put it in your mouth”, “feeling the effect of using it”. I will.

Secondly, it can be important to check whether or not “ingredients that are expected to have antibacterial properties that are safe to swallow” are included.

In order not to increase the number of bacteria that cause troubles in the oral cavity, simple moisturizers (gels such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid) cannot meet the needs of clinical practice, and “products containing antibacterial agents that are safe to swallow” are the oral cavity. It is considered to be highly useful for cleaning, moisturizing, and keeping the inside clean.

The third big point is the usability of activities in the mountains.

Non-food products containing a large amount of chemical components such as synthetic thickeners and synthetic polymers have low raw material costs, but have drawbacks in terms of usability and water solubility. In other words, it remains like a foreign substance in the mouth and makes me feel uncomfortable. For example, it feels like petrolatum, lard, and paint are stuck in your mouth all the time.

You can also check the water solubility of each product at home.

Add a small amount of the product you want to compare with a petri dish (a small plate is fine).

After that, add water and leave it for about 1 hour.

Finally, flush the water and observe the condition of the remaining wetting agent.

Anything that remains undissolved will feel like it sticks to the upper jaw. There are types that remain almost as they are even with water (saliva), and types that naturally spread thinly and moisturize with water (saliva), such as Oral Peace Outdoor Adventure and Clean & Moisture.

Hard-to-dissolve substances that use a lot of chemical raw materials are difficult to digest in the human body and decomposed by microorganisms in the intestinal tract, and even if they are excreted in nature, they are difficult to decompose and are difficult to biodegrade by microorganisms.

Whether it feels like it doesn’t dissolve in saliva and remains in the mouth, or it feels like it spreads in the mouth and is moisturized without discomfort. We recommend that you choose the best product.

It is important to thoroughly understand the research and development background of each product and its characteristics such as usability, and select the product that suits the usage scene.

Why do we need “antibacterial agents that are safe to spit out, biodegrade, and swallow” for mountain and outdoor toothpaste and oral care products?

Bacteria cause tooth decay and periodontal disease in the oral cavity, and plaque, which is a mass of bacteria, is also formed.

Tartar is calcified plaque and is caused by bacteria in the oral cavity.

In addition, when the immune system is weakened, the growth of Candida can be seen.

Daily oral care and countermeasures against the causative bacteria are important to prevent plaque, tartar, bad breath, oral candidiasis, etc.

On the other hand, when exhaling to the natural world, if gargle or exhalation is not possible, while controlling germs in the oral cavity, if exhaled, it is biodegraded by microorganisms in the natural environment, and if swallowed, it is digested and decomposed. You will need an agent.

Actual clinical problems remain with water, plant extracts, enzymes, and lactic acid bacteria themselves, and there are also problems with environmental excretion and ingestion of synthetic fungicides.

Research and development of new formulations that deal with the causative bacteria and solve the conflicting issues of low environmental load and peace of mind even when swallowed have been desired all over the world.

About ingredients and additives for mountain / outdoor toothpaste / oral care products to check

For toothpaste and oral care products that are friendly to the natural environment, it is also important to check the composition of the following ingredients and additives.

× Ingredients not approved as food
× Petroleum-derived ingredients × Chemically synthesized ingredients
× Synthetic disinfectant that causes damage to the intestinal flora × Cetylpyridinium chloride (also known as cetylpyridinium chloride / CPC), benzethonium chloride, chlorhexidine gluconate, IPMP (isopropylmethylphenol), triclosan, lauroyl sarcosine salt (LSS), etc. Synthetic disinfectant
× Bleach and deleterious substances such as chlorine, chlorine dioxide (CIO2), sodium chlorite, sodium hypochlorite, chlorine-based gas, etc.
× Na hydrogen carbonate (baking soda, abrasive, alkali)
× Alcohol (ethanol)
× Calcium carbonate (Ca carbonate, large abrasive, limestone powder, white lined powder in the athletic field, raw material for chalk), zeolite (boiling stone), coral powder, shells, mud (clay, montmorillonite), charcoal (charcoal) ) ・ Abrasives such as microbeads (plastic) (compounds, stone powder, etc.)
× Synthetic surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate, lauryl glucoside, cocamidopropyl betaine, and sodium cocoyl glutamate
× Soap base, coconut oil fatty acid K, olive fatty acid K, and other soaps and foaming agents
× Synthetic preservatives such as paraben (paraoxybenzoic acid ester), phenoxyethanol, sodium benzoate, sorbic acid K, PG (propylene glycol), BG (butylene glycol), etc.
× Glycin (preservative / food additive chemically synthesized from formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide) × poly-ε-lysine (polylysine, an antibiotic analog produced by mold-like actinomycetes, preservative / food additive)
× Phosphorus (phosphates such as polyphosphoric acid, metaphosphoric acid, pyrophosphoric acid, and phosphoric acid 2K)
× Solubilizers such as PEG (polyethylene glycol) and propanediol
× Fluorine × Nanoparticles × Synthetic colorants such as Blue No. 1 × Synthetic fragrances / flavors × Salt / sea salt × Titanium oxide × Metals / heavy metals such as copper / silver × Phytic acid × Saccharin Na × Arginine × EDTA-2Na × Difficult Digestible dextrin
× Hinokitiol × catechin × mastic resin × tea tree essential oil × honey propolis
× Raw materials derived from coral in the marine environment, etc.
× Raw materials derived from animals, including those derived from humans × Raw materials derived from insects and insects
× Lactic acid bacteria themselves (live / dead bacteria, lactic acid bacteria derived from animal feces, etc.)

When purchasing a product that is discharged into the natural environment or put into the mouth, it is recommended that you check the “all ingredients” (all ingredients contained in the product) of each product before making a selection. ..

About comparison of polishing power and presence / absence of polishing action of toothpaste / oral care products for mountains / outdoors

The following describes how to compare and select the polishing action of abrasives that have the side effect of accumulating on the periodontal disease, which makes the perception hypersensitive due to over-shaving.

Simply, if you pick up each product with your finger and touch it, and if it is “gritty” or “grainy”, it is considered that the polishing action is relatively strong.

In addition, we will introduce “Comparison of the presence or absence of polishing action and the strength of polishing power” that can be easily done at home.

Place aluminum foil etc. on a cutting board etc., put what you want to compare on it and polish it with your finger.

For those with strong polishing power, the aluminum is scraped and the paste gel turns gray, and the scraped aluminum can be removed from the tissue.

Therefore, by looking at how much aluminum can be scraped, it is possible to know the presence or absence of polishing action and the strength of polishing power.

There are cases where “no abrasive”, “soft abrasive”, and “natural / organic” can be scraped and there are differences in polishing power, so if you are interested, we recommend that you check it yourself.

There are various types of products, such as those that are made mainly of abrasives and that polish and scrape off the teeth, to oral pieces that do not contain any abrasives, such as outdoor adventures and clean & moisturizers.

It is important to fully understand the research and development background and intentions of these products, as well as the characteristics of the products, and to select the most suitable one for the natural environment.

How to choose a container for mountain / outdoor toothpaste / oral care products

Tube packages for oral care products are mainly available in plastic tubing, aluminum tubing and laminated tubing types.

Plastic tube / container (made of only plastic, the contents that have come out will return, air will enter inside the empty container, and there will be a gap, and if you see through the sun, the remaining amount of contents can be seen through) , “Very cheap”, “Can be opened with one hand”, but “Low confidentiality, easy to putrefy, need to mix a lot of synthetic preservatives”, “The contents cannot be kept light-shielded There is a demerit that “the components of the material tend to deteriorate”.

The advantage of the aluminum tube type is that it has a high airtightness and light-shielding property, and the contents once stepped out do not return, so it has the advantage of “maintaining good hygiene”. On the other hand, it has the disadvantages of being “difficult to use” such as “cannot be opened with one hand”, “may come out too much”, and “tube breaks”.

The laminated tube type uses the latest technology “aluminum barrier lamination (ABL)” and is made of a material in which “PB, PET, aluminum, PB” layers are layered from the outside.

By sandwiching the aluminum layer between the laminates, the airtightness and light-shielding properties equivalent to those of aluminum tubes can be ensured, and compared to plastic tubes, the contents do not volatilize and the contents can be protected. There is no deterioration even after leaving it for 6 months in a time-lapse test (temperature 40 degrees, humidity 75% etc.), and it is more convenient to meet the demand for ease of use at medical / nursing sites and at home while retaining the functionality of the aluminum tube. It was developed with the characteristics taken into consideration, and the characteristics of conventional aluminum tubes are fully guaranteed.

Although the cost of the container is high, it is a tube that combines the advantages of the functionality of an aluminum tube with the advantages of the ease of use of a plastic tube.

It is also important to select oral care products that reflect the voices of many patients and consumers, and not only research and develop the ingredients inside, but also utilize the latest technology in packaging.

Consideration for tubes and containers for oral care products and confirmation of the quality of adopted tubes and containers can be confirmed by cutting open the tubes and containers with scissors after use and looking at the inner surface.

We recommend that you check it yourself.

What is the proper use of toothpaste / oral care gel and oral care spray for mountains / outdoors?

It is effective to use it properly according to each feature.

Gel is useful for brushing teeth, oral care, and moisturizing the mouth.

On the other hand, in the case of spraying, you can spray directly into the oral cavity when you do not have time, and you can easily control the number of bacteria in the oral cavity, oral hygiene and moisturizing.

It is also useful for oral hygiene when you cannot gargle immediately.

Spray products are useful when you are out, busy, or for people who have fallen asleep.

You can also use it as a mouthwash by pushing a few oral care sprays into the water in a cup to dilute it, which is also convenient for gargling.

Spray products are also suitable for carrying and storing because they are almost water and require less water than mouthwash, which has a large capacity.

Effective use of both items is the key to proper toothpaste and oral care.

[Summary] How to choose toothpaste and oral care products for mountains and outdoors

The first is the confirmation of “all ingredients”.

Whenever you purchase a product that creates your body and mind and puts it in your mouth, which is the gateway to all your important body and health, be sure to “all the ingredients” (all the ingredients that are blended and added). We recommend that you check and check for yourself before making a selection.

“All ingredients” can be found on the product packaging.

In many cases, it’s easy to get caught up in “other than the essence of the product.”

However, in the world of science, research, and manufacturing, all new efforts and efforts regarding research, technological innovation, and safety behind products are the result of “all ingredients.”

It is important to check “all ingredients” and determine the essence of the product.

The second is confirmation of “research background” and “results”.

What kind of project members, universities / graduate schools and research institutes (national or private organizations / internationally competitive public institutions),

What kind of career and profile researchers (researchers who can have international competitiveness in their institution or specialized field) have researched and developed the technologies and products, and what they are researching for. Or

And does the research / technology have innovation and objective superiority (“patent”, “treatise”, “award history”, “newspaper publication”, etc.)?
is.

We are now in an era where you can easily search for “research background,” “data,” “treats,” “patents,” “awards,” and “media publications” related to each product on the Internet.

It is important to identify the “research background” of what kind of research institution, researcher, involved members, etc., and what kind of “results” the research has achieved as a result.

Thirdly, what kind of research results and products are handled by the public media such as newspapers and television, and public media such as magazines.

Is it a research result or product that has news value and is treated as an article rather than an advertisement by highly reliable news media and public media?

Every day, we receive press releases from numerous research institutes and companies, and what is published and reported through the filter of reporters who are exhausting is a new socially useful research result for many consumers without specialized knowledge. It is a big factor in determining whether a product has unprecedented value.

Fourth, what kind of medical institution / store is selected, and what kind of countries are sold and used?

For stores such as highly reliable medical institutions and department stores, medical professionals who select various products in the world at their own risk and provide patients and customers with products that their hospitals and stores can proceed with confidence. There is a buyer (purchasing person).

Now that there are so many things and information all over the world, there are stores with high quality that consumers are sure to buy here.

Being selected by these medical institutions and department stores is a product that should be selected, trusted, and recommended to important patients and customers by the filters of connoisseurs who are looking at products all over the world. It will be a thing.

In addition, in order to be officially sold locally not only in Japan but also in overseas countries, it can be sold for the first time after strict approval by the health institutions of each country.

Products that are officially sold locally are products that have been carefully examined in each country and that should be used as contributing to the health of the people.

What kind of medical institution, government agency, public institution, what kind of department store or store should choose the product to choose?

Is it a product that is sold not only in Japan but also in the United States, Europe, China, Asian countries, Central and South America, and other countries around the world? And is it a product that many people around the world are looking for?

For many consumers who do not have specialized knowledge, calmly knowing the handling and sales performance of the product, the difference from other products in the world, the essence of the product, the superiority of research and technology, the product to choose It is an element to judge the goodness.

Finally, confirmation of “sociality”.

Whether it is a product or business that leads to good things not only for you but also for society and others, a product that prioritizes human health and environmental consideration, a product for mere commercial purposes, or social It is important to find out if the product you are working on.

We are in an era where you can easily find out about the actual situation and management attitude of the above companies on Wikipedia.

It is important for medical professionals and consumers to wisely assess the “sociality” of products and companies, not just the product specifications themselves.

Now that various information is overflowing and companies and products are overflowing, in order to protect the health of ourselves, our families and patients, and to protect our own health and livelihood, we must be able to discern and judge the essence. We are in an era of demand.

In the era after the coronavirus disaster, which has changed drastically, medical professionals and consumers learned about how corporate products lead to better things for society and themselves, and the socio-economic mechanism. We need to make wise choices.

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