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Changing Toothpaste to Ease Asthma Symptoms

Q. A caller on your radio show said that using Crest desensitizing toothpaste instead of the usual brand had abolished his lifelong asthma symptoms. I went right out and bought some.

This toothpaste contains potassium nitrate, which was an ingredient in asthma relievers in the days when the pharmacist used to compound medicines. I hope this toothpaste will work for me as well.

A. Potassium nitrate, also known as saltpeter, was once prescribed for arthritis as well as asthma. Today it is employed as a preservative for cured meat and is the active ingredient in desensitizing dentifrice, including Crest Sensitivity Toothpaste.

Another listener heard the same call and has this report: “I also bought the Crest Sensitivity toothpaste and noticed immediate results. Previously, I needed my inhaler anytime I brushed my teeth. It’s been three days using the Crest, and I haven’t needed the inhaler at all.”

Do not stop your asthma medicine, but we are fascinated that switching toothpaste might help some people with their wheezing symptoms.

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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