<<I learned from them that toothpaste isn't really necessary; what is
important is to remove food particles by brushing.  I also learned from my
children's dentist recently that most of the recent research shows that
fluoride doesn't do much either.  What causes tooth decay is residual starch
and sugar on the surface of the teeth, which feeds bacteria.>>

Good post.

Dental hygienists at work report that fluoride in drinking water does reduce
tooth decay *but* this reduction is most statistically significant amongst
the low-income population who tend toward more sweets and starches (and
possibly less tooth brushing).

Rob