Today, an Online Article Saved Me a Ton of Frustration.

Sometimes I think we have too many choices. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for variety and being able to choose what product is best for our own personal needs, but have you been to the store to pick out something so simple as a tube of toothpaste recently? (I would hope most of you have!).

Did you know that there are 353 different types and sizes of toothpaste being sold in America these days? Last year alone 69 different types were released. This morning, as I squeezed out the very last drop of toothpaste onto my brush, I shuddered at the thought of having to go to the store later today and having to decide which of these 353 different tubes of toothpaste to purchase. I could feel the anxiety building at just the slightest thought of this daunting task!

We use to just buy the same kind all the time, but for some unknown reason we've been on a quest to try different types over the last year. (with 69 new types coming out, I guess we didn't want to miss out on the latest, greatest thing!).  Unfortunately for me, this was never brought to a vote in my house or I would have veto'd it from the get go. This was a decision solely made by my wife with no consultation from me. So, each week it seems a new type of toothpaste keeps showing up in our house. Today, the choice is all mine and I'm not taking this decision lightly!

Luckily, this morning I stumbled upon this article from money.com which is all about purchasing toothpaste. (What are the odds I would find this article on the VERY DAY I had to go get toothpaste?!?) In reading the article, it answered the age old question "which type of toothpaste should I buy".

"Just make sure it has fluoride and has the American Dental Association seal. So long as it meets these criteria (and most toothpastes do), the best advice is to pick a toothpaste with a flavor and taste you like, simply because then you'll be more likely to brush."

What? It's mainly a matter of which one tastes best??!?! All this other stuff about having more fluoride than brand x or better tarter control or gives you extra, extra pearly white teeth doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things? WOW! Suddenly, my upcoming chore doesn't seem so scary! I should be able to pull this one off without spending an hour reading all of the fine print on each tube trying to decide which is best! That anxiety attack can be saved for more important items that I'll have to shop for like, say, grated cheese or canned tomatoes (paste, sauce, stewed.. what!!??!!)!

Now if only they had one of those ladies with taste samples setup in the toothpaste aisle so I could compare tastes....