Most toothpaste commercials show a long, dramatic swirl covering the entire length of the toothbrush. But dentists say this is not only misleading, it could actually be harmful.

A video shared by Dr. Miles Madison, Beverly Hills Periodontist & Dental Implant Specialist, has sparked fresh debate on how much toothpaste is truly safe. Paired with expert insights and existing dental research, one message is clear: more toothpaste does not mean better cleaning.

The Big Problem: We’re Using Far More Toothpaste Than Needed

According to Dr. Madison, almost 40% of people use an excessive amount of toothpaste, as shown by CDC findings. The amount typically seen in commercials? “That much is a hell no,” he says.

His guidance on the correct amount is straightforward:

For Babies and Toddlers (Teeth Eruption to Age 3)

Use only a smear, roughly the size of a grain of rice.

This tiny amount protects the teeth without overexposing children to fluoride, especially since young kids often swallow toothpaste instead of spitting it out.

For Ages 3 and Above

Use a pea-sized amount no more.

This is enough to clean the teeth thoroughly without increasing health risks.

Why Using Too Much Toothpaste Is Harmful

Children under eight have teeth and gums that are still developing. Overusing toothpaste, particularly fluoride-containing toothpaste, can trigger dental fluorosis, a condition caused by excess fluoride intake. This results in yellow or white spots, enamel damage, pits, and an increased risk of cavities.

Because children tend to swallow toothpaste, larger amounts can quickly push them into unsafe fluoride levels.

Adults Aren’t Exempt From Risks Either

Even though adults are less likely to swallow toothpaste, using too much can still:

• Erode protective enamel over time
• Irritate gums
• Trigger sensitivity
• Leave residue that traps bacteria
• Encourage people to brush too aggressively

Dentists also warn that people often rely too heavily on toothpaste while neglecting brushing technique — gentle circular motions, not force, and flossing.

So What Does Toothpaste Actually Do?

Toothpaste works by:

• Breaking down plaque
• Fighting bacteria
• Strengthening enamel
• Reducing inflammation
• Neutralizing acids
• Freshening breath

However, its benefits peak at a pea-size amount. Beyond that, the risks outweigh the rewards.

The Safe Brushing Routine Dentists Recommend

• Use only the recommended amount for your age
• Choose a fluoride toothpaste unless advised otherwise
• Use a soft-bristled brush
• Brush for two minutes
• Spit out the foam; don’t rinse immediately for long-lasting fluoride protection
• Floss daily
• Supervise young children while brushing

Used correctly, toothpaste prevents cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss, but used excessively, it can do more harm than good.

Pancreatic cancer is widely known as a "silent killer" because it doesn't usually cause pain or noticeable issues until it is very advanced and hard to treat. This is why doctors and researchers are always searching for earlier signs. Fortunately, new research has uncovered a possible warning sign that could help find the disease much sooner. Detecting this cancer early, when it is small and hasn't spread, gives patients the best chance for a successful recovery.

Why Is Pancreatic Cancer Difficult To Diagnose?

The statistics for pancreatic cancer show just how deadly it is. Even though it makes up a small percentage of all cancer cases (around 3%), it is responsible for a large number of cancer deaths (about 8%).

This high death rate happens because the cancer is often only found after it has already spread to other organs in the body. When cancer is found late, the chance of survival is very low—only about 3% to 16% of people live for five years or more. Because of these low survival rates, finding a dependable way to spot this cancer early is absolutely essential to saving more lives.

Early Sign of Pancreatic Cancer

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have discovered a promising sign that might point to early cancer: the pancreatic duct is enlarged. The pancreatic duct is basically a tube that carries the digestive juices out of the pancreas.

In their study, published in the journal Gastro Hep Advances, the research team found that if this duct is swollen or enlarged, it suggests a much higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer. This sign is particularly important for people who already have a high chance of getting the disease due to family history or genetics.

The researchers studied 641 people who were already considered to be at a high risk for pancreatic cancer, either because close family members (like parents or siblings) had it, or because they had specific genes that increase the danger.

Key Discovery: They found that 97 of these high-risk patients had this enlarged pancreatic duct.

Increased Odds: When they tracked these patients, they found that those with the duct enlargement were 2.6 times more likely to eventually get pancreatic cancer compared to the people without the enlargement. The danger was even greater if they had the enlarged duct and three or more fluid-filled sacs, called cysts, on their pancreas.

Will This Increase Pancreatic Cancer Survival Rate?

This discovery gives doctors a clear signal to take action. If a doctor sees an enlarged pancreatic duct on a medical scan—even if the scan was initially ordered for a different issue, like checking for kidney stones or general belly pain—they should immediately treat it as a warning sign.

Next Steps

The action taken would be to either perform very frequent and detailed imaging (scans) to watch the area closely, or in some cases, do surgery to remove the tissue concerned.

Can This Improve Chances Of Diagnosis?

Dr. Canto pointed out that sometimes, the swelling in the duct is visible even before the cancerous mass itself is big enough to be clearly seen on a scan. This means doctors have a valuable new chance to step in earlier than ever before.

The research is not stopping here; the team’s next big project is to teach Artificial Intelligence (AI) how to look at pancreas scans. The goal is for the AI to analyze the images and make even more specific and accurate predictions about a person's risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

Highlighting the importance of getting screened, surgeon Christine Lai reveals a key stage of breast cancer that most people do not know about.

Breast cancer is one of the leading cancer diagnoses for women throughout the world. But it is also a highly treatable type of cancer if found early. While most of us know that breast cancer symptoms like lumps in the breast or discharge from the nipples, these symptoms come when the cancer is already progressing to an advanced stage.

The University of Kansas Cancer Center explains that there could be a palpable lump or tenderness, but generally breast cancer has no symptoms in the early stage. But is this stage 1, or stage 2? Which early stage cannot be accurately diagnosed with self-examination.

In a recent post, Dr Christine Lai, Specialist Surgeon based in Australia, details the key stage people do not know about and its not 1 or 2, its stage 0.

What is Stage 0 Of Breast Cancer?

Dr Lai explains that stage 0 is the very first and most treatable stage of breast cancer. At this point, no actual lump has formed, and the person usually has no symptoms.

The cancer cells are only sitting inside the milk ducts, where they are growing but have not yet developed the ability to break out and spread into the surrounding breast tissue.

This specific type of cancer is often called Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS). If we find cancer at this stage, it is almost certainly curable. This is why getting a routine screening mammogram is so crucial—it can catch this hidden stage and save a life.

What Are The Other Stages Of Breast Cancer And Their Treatability?

In the video, Dr Lai details how big the tumor is during each stage, and how is it different from the previous stage, along with their treatability.

Stage 1: A Small, Localized Tumor

Stage 1 cancer means the tumor is quite small and is mostly confined to the breast. The tumor is usually 2 cm or less in size, which is smaller than a cherry. At this point, the cancer either hasn't spread to the lymph nodes at all, or the spread is extremely minimal and only visible under a microscope. Because the cancer is so small and localized, Stage 1 is highly treatable.

Stage 2: Moderately Sized or Starting to Spread

Stage 2 means the cancer is either moderately sized or has started to involve a few nearby lymph nodes. This stage applies if the tumor is smaller than 5 cm but has spread to up to three lymph nodes. It also applies if the tumor is larger than 5 cm but hasn't yet spread to any lymph nodes at all. Think of this as the cancer becoming more established, either by growing larger in one spot or starting to spread slightly to the closest glands.

Stage 3: Advanced Local and Regional Cancer

Stage 3 indicates that the cancer has become more aggressive locally, involving more lymph nodes or invading nearby tissues. This applies if there are more than three involved lymph nodes, or if the tumor is invading the chest wall or the skin of the breast. A special type of cancer called inflammatory breast cancer is also classified as Stage 3 because of how it spreads across the breast tissue. This stage requires more intensive treatment because the disease has spread more extensively in the chest area.

Stage 4: Spread to Other Body Parts (Metastatic)

Stage 4 is when the breast cancer has spread from the breast and armpit to distant parts of the body, such as the bones, lungs, liver, or brain. This is also known as metastatic breast cancer. While this stage is generally not curable, it is still highly treatable. Treatment focuses on controlling the cancer, relieving symptoms, and allowing the patient to maintain the best possible quality of life.

As air quality in Delhi continues to worsen, the visibility has also been impacted. In fact, the national capital's major landmarks, including the India Gate has been shrouded in thick smog. As a result, many are now reporting with breathing issues, however, the air quality's condition worsening impacts more than just lungs and respiratory system.

"Air pollution is eating into our bodies just like termites eat into wood," says Dr Arvind Kumar, Thoracic Surgeon and Lung Health Specialist at Medanta Hospital to ANI.

He highlights that the air pollution does not only impact the lungs, but also the IQ of the kids, non-smokers and their risk of cancer, and life expectancy.

How Does Air Pollution Impact IQ of Kids?

Dr Kumar notes that air pollution can now also reach fetus through mother's placenta. The way nutrients reach the womb to the baby, the pollutants, thanks to its minute size could travel through blood and reach to the babies. "IQ in kids are low," says Dr Kumar. As per a UNICEF report, toxic air lowers children's IQ and memory and affects their test scores and also triggers neurological deficit hyperactivity disorder. It further leads to development delays.

The report has estimated 17 million babies worldwide, with around 12 million living in South Asia, live in areas that record pollution levels six times higher than the international safe limits of 20 micrograms per cubic meter for PM 10 and 10 microgram per cubic meter for PM 2.5.

This brings us to Dr Kumar's next point, on how these particulate matters are now leading to lowering life expectancy.

Life Expectancy Lowered By 3 to 4 Years

Dr Kumar says that the overall life expectancy of an average adult is also going down by 3 to 4 years.

"We breathe on an average for 25,000 times a day, and end up inhaling 10,000 liters of air. While 20% of which is oxygen, we also inhale unwanted particles, which are some seriously disease causing chemicals including PM2.5," he says.

He further notes that while there has been discrepancies in the PM2.5 levels and overall pollution levels in the national capital, it could be agreed that on an average the AQI remains over 300.

However, in 100 AQI, there are around 22 microgram of PM2.5, which is equivalent to 1 cigarette. So, if a person breathes in 300 or above AQI, then the person is inhaling smoke equivalent to 15 to 20 cigarettes.

Which brings to the third most important point the doctor noted, which is the ending difference between the lungs of smokers and non smokers.

The Distinction Between Smokers And Non-smokers Is Ending

"Earlier we had 90% of lung cancer patients who smoked, and 10% were non smokers. Now, it is 50-50," says the doctor.

The doctor noted that due to the toxic air that everyone is inhaling, now there is no difference between the cancer risk between a smoker and a non smoker. In fact, as per the data, nearly 1 in 4 adults who smoke, among them, more than one-third are men, while women are only 8%. However, the doctor notes that there is no difference between a woman's and a man's risk for lung cancer, even though the data shows that less women smoke, all thanks to the toxic air pollution.

What Can Be Done?

The safety precautions that time and again many doctors have said include:

• Avoid going out during peak pollution hours
• Wear N-95 Mask
• Hydrate yourself
• If one can afford, bring an air purifier in your home