Why Is the Internet Obsessed With This Cult Toothpaste?

American customers are paying big bucks to import tiny tubes of toothpaste

Ashwin Rodrigues
Elemental

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Illustration by Thoka Maer

OnOn the r/LegalAdvice subreddit, readers can “ask simple legal questions” like how to handle a $60,000 inheritance, or what to do when your car is repossessed, or whether an individual has legal recourse if an ex deletes a college thesis. On January 7, 2016, a poster sought advice on the shipment of unsanctioned contraband. “…the company refuses to sell it here,” wrote Reddit user orochiman. “Just wondering if the feds will come shoot my dog if I order it from Europe.” The substance in question? Toothpaste.

Sensodyne Repair & Protect with NovaMin has established a cult following among those seeking to treat tooth sensitivity. Alex*, a 45-year-old who works in IT in France, says he discovered the toothpaste in 2012 while living in Romania. (*Alex requested anonymity for this article, as did several other Reddit users contacted for this story.)

“I was having a lot of trouble with cracks and holes in my tooth enamel and the dentists were saying the only solution is crowning a lot of my teeth,” Alex said over Reddit direct message. After using this toothpaste, he said, “I was a new man. Not only did my teeth stop hurting but the enamel damage seemed to be repaired. The NovaMin was…

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