A patient with hereditary desminopathy (Thr341Pro DES mutation in a heterozygous state) was recommended to refuse toothpaste. He continued to brush his teeth twice a day with a toothbrush with only water. As a result, within one month we noted a significant increase in strength and muscle mass in this patient. The patient did not take any medications during this period. After 30 days, the muscle condition returned to its original level. How can this positive effect be explained?
What type of toothpaste we’re they using and them did not. Surely the implication is a chemical within it and that won’t be in all toothpastes.
Dear David! Thank you very much for your answer.
The patient used different toothpastes: hygienic, therapeutic; whitening, complex care, with biocalcium, with fluoride, without fluorides, restoring enamel, without triclosan, without chlorhexidine.
Viacheslav Pauls,
Well, there's no doubt that the chemicals used in the toothpaste are to blame.
For example, flouride, when used in high concentrations, can induce muscular atrophy.
Another chemical is triclosan (TCS), which may or may not be present depending on the type of the toothpaste. Triclosan affects calcium signaling in cardiac and skeletal muscles causing impaired muscular function, which in turn may lead to muscular atrophy.
Viacheslav Pauls,
Another possible explanation would be that the patient's refrain from using the toothpaste lead to an increased level of plasma nitrate, which helped improve sympatholysis; thus, alleviating (possible) functional muscle ischaemia.
Article Sodium nitrate alleviates functional muscle ischemia in pati...
After refusal of toothpaste and recovering from desminopathy, the patient continue using very small tiny toothpaste and making sure he removed all with water and brush. The strength and muscle mass in a patient will come normal again.
Viacheslav Pauls interesting study
Perhaps the patient will benefit more from switching to mouth gargles. Is there any problem with such solutions too?
It is possible that chemical(s) from toothpaste may be impairing muscle functionor this may be a placebo effect.
Dear Firas Khalil Khana, Eze Obioma, Prof. Gheita, Jay Thakar many thanks for the answers and interest in this issue!
Currently, the patient has switched to dental powder cleaning, but there is no noticeable positive effect from this. Perhaps due to the presence of many chemicals in the tooth powder (calcium carbonate, menthol, etc.) as in the toothpaste. We will offer the patient a transition to mouthwash. We will report on the results later.
A placebo effect of 30 days in our opinion is probably unlikely. Moreover, the patient did not take any medications during this period. The patient is not prone to suggestion and auto-suggestion.
Perhaps the cancellation of toothpaste additionally provoked a temporary increase in the activity of immunity? This temporarily improved the condition of the patient with desminopathy.
The toothpaste may affect gut microbiota balance of the digestive tract thus affecting natural PH levels. The triclosan is proving s extremely aggressive. https://stm.sciencemag.org/content/10/443/eaan4116
Dear Vojislav, thanks for the answer! The patient's digestion improved somewhat after toothpaste was canceled.
We believe that the greatest impact on temporary improvement in the condition of a patient with desminopathy was exerted by an increase in the activity of immunity, which provoked the cancellation of toothpaste.
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