WHEN was the last time you visited a dentist to have your teeth cleaned? During the visit, you might also recall that paste-like substance applied on your teeth during the procedure.

These sand-like particles are actually silica that acts as polishers your dentist uses to remove stains on your teeth?s surface.

Recently, Colgate added this same substance in their latest product called Total Professional Clean Gel.

While this product is not meant to replace one?s twice-a-year appointment to the dentist (for regular checkup and professional cleaning), Colgate?s Total Professional Clean was developed to supplement the days when one is not required to see the dentist.

According to Colgate, their latest product contains high cleaning and polishing silica that promises to provide that so called ?dentist-clean? feeling without being too abrasive.

Colgate said using the new product promises a 61 percent better surface stain removal than regular fluoride toothpaste while providing 36 percent better polishing than regular fluoride toothpaste.

Also enhanced

Like the rest of Colgate?s Total products, Total Professional Clean is also enhanced with the 12-hour antibacterial protection, a unique patented technology featuring triclosan.

While triclosan is effective in reducing plaque formation, it could only work for a maximum of two hours. To solve this, Colgate used a co-polymer, which acts as some sort of sealant to prolong the retention of triclosan on the teeth and thus, extend its effectiveness.

The result is 12 protection that helps prevent plaque from forming on the teeth.

Using silica in oral hygiene is no longer new as scientist found that as early as 1.8 million years ago, humans, as found in their remains, used grass stalks to clean their teeth.

This particular grass, scientists found, contains large numbers of hard, abrasive silica particles.

Colgate has started a referral program meant to convince consumers to share Colgate?s latest and highly innovative toothpaste by providing the referred consumer a kit containing a 40-gram tube of Colgate Total Professional Clean, information about this cleaning gel and a referral form that can be mailed to more friends and colleagues.

To avail of this Colgate Total Professional Clean sample pack, one may visit the Colgate Pro-Clean Challenge booths at select drugstores and supermarkets up to January 2009.