Last of the Mohicans: Arm and Hammer Discontinues Mentadent Toothpaste

When we were kids, if my mother uttered the phrase "Well, that's the last of the Mohicans!" you knew whatever she was referring to was in danger of disappearing or was already gone.

It was a colloquialism she used quite often and it wasn't until we were older that we learned it was a reference to one of her favorite historical novels, James Fenimore Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans. It was set in 1757 during the French and Indian war and is was considered to be an allegory reflecting the changing society of the time. But I digress.

As children, my sisters and I were "Crest kids." I think a lot of kids were. This meant we brushed our teeth, morning and night, with Crest toothpaste. To frighten us into doing this activity (which many little kids view as an unnecessary and time-consuming chore) our Mom would regale us with stories about our Dad's terrible gum disease and all the trouble and pain it caused him.

Her tactic must have worked, as I didn't get a cavity until I was in my 30s and it was then that I decided how truly important dental health was. That was when I discovered Mentadent toothpaste, which I have used now for over two decades.

Even my dentist, Dr. Gayle Reardon, always comments on my one good feature, telling me "you have such pretty teeth!" I have always said it is thanks to Mentadent and my electric toothbrush.

Toothpaste was on my shopping list this week and I went in search of the usual, to no avail. I couldn't find Mentadent anywhere! So I googled it and low and behold, the Arm & Hammer company has, in its infinite wisdom, discontinued it.

I immediately went to Amazon and paid some scary Mentadent hoarder way too much for 4 containers of it. Oh I'm sure I'll find something to replace it, but until then I keep hearing my mom say, "well, that's the last of the Mohicans!"

No, Arm & Hammer didn't "pave paradise", nor did they "put up a parking lot", they simply stopped producing my favorite toothpaste. But that being said, it is true that "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone!"

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