CERTAIN local toothpaste brand is carrying out misleading TV and newspaper advertisements these days of its toothpaste with the slogan of ‘Dentist ko bhool jaiye; Mm-paste ko yaad rakhiye”. Such misleading ads target ignorant general public by giving the impression that the toothpaste is a replacement for a dentist or dental treatment. This is complete nonsense.

Dental diseases, like tooth decay and gum disease, leading to pain and bleeding are the cause of long neglected dental diseases. This needs proper dental treatment to eliminate them.

A tooth paste can merely mask or subdue the pain or bleeding in some cases, that too for a limited time only.

A tooth paste (containing fluoride) can only prevent dental diseases when used with proper tooth brushing twice daily, but a toothpaste can under no circumstances cure dental diseases and thus be a replacement for a dentist.

Some other local toothpaste manufacturers have also started making such dangerous claims on their adverts. To lend credibility to their claims, they use respected TV personalities also.

I request such TV personalities to have the claims of the said toothpaste verified from the Pakistan Dental Association or any qualified dentist, and then kindly issue a clarification and dissociate from such unethical ads.

Pemra is also requested to immediately ban all such misleading oral health toothpaste ads. This is in the interest of public health.

DR MAHMOOD SHAH President, Pakistan Dental Association (Sindh) Karachi