A Difficult Personal Decision I’ve made the personal decision to step away from brushing my teeth with Crest. And I want to stress that word — personal (and difficult). I’m not asking anyone to follow me. I’m simply acting in alignment with where my dental values have moved. Most of you have watched my thinking evolve over time. That’s what we’re supposed to do as human beings: evolve, refine, shed old oral-care frameworks, and build better ones. And look — I know you’re not supposed to develop an emotional attachment to a toothpaste brand, but Crest was different for me. The Pro-Health line built something the market desperately needed. They dragged plaque prevention into the spotlight and paved the way for a better conversation. They deserve their chapter in the dental-care history books. I personally hope they continue to write new ones. But if you’ve followed me for any length of time, you also know I’m an idealist — maybe to a fault — and I can’t turn off the portion of my brain that not only can see things as they currently are but continues to believe in what they should be. The cavity scare of 10/10 ripped the mask off the industry for the new folks. Or for those who’ve been around long enough, it simply reminded us how fragile and easily manipulated this whole oral ecosystem still is. The fact that one fluoride formulation can trigger sensitivity flare-ups and force temporary gum dislocations across every mouth? That’s not a “black swan.” That’s a design flaw. Here’s a short recap: Crest relied on its own “Whitening Accelerator” — which over-bleached a small region. That started a smaller, but manageable, sensitivity chain. The real chaos began when their “Advanced Foam System” mysteriously collapsed mid-brush. Gum-health purists, who operate largely enamel-neutral, suddenly couldn’t maintain their usual pH balance. With equilibrium impossible, they pulled their recommendations across pharmacies and grocery stores. With no stability present, gum pain falls off a cliff. And across the industry? Victory laps. “Zero cavities!”...