Bacon toothpaste is a type of toothpaste that uses the flavor of bacon to create a strange and unusual product that combines dental hygiene with a love of fried meats. This uncommon type of toothpaste is made by only a few small manufacturers, but is sold by a wide spectrum of vendors over the Internet. It is often bought for use as a gag gift, or in other words, for the amusement of the recipient.
Making and selling a product like bacon toothpaste is an innovation largely based on the extreme popularity of bacon in some Western societies. Food experts sometimes speak of an overall American obsession with bacon, where this food is used in more and more uncommon ways. Bacon toothpaste is an example of taking this food out of its classical context and putting it into a radically different product. The challenge for the seller would be to clarify how this product is supposed to work, and whether using bacon can be compatible with a product that works as a deterrent towards tooth decay.
Unlike many other more common products, bacon toothpaste has only been used by a relatively small group of consumers in any one community or region. That makes it a bit harder to assess the popularity and effectiveness of this product. One complaint that can be found in product testimonials is that many users have found the odor and flavor of the bacon to be overpowering in the toothpaste, so that using the product becomes disgusting to the buyer and they discontinue using it. In general, the flavor of bacon is a powerful one that most people don’t consider compatible with hygienic or sanitary products.
In order to make bacon toothpaste, manufacturers might use actual small bits of bacon or renderings from this meat product. This would need to be disclosed on the label of the product, along with an admission that putting meat into toothpaste makes it inherently ineffective as an agent for dental health. Alternately, manufacturers could use artificial bacon flavoring and make a product that might still be useful as toothpaste.
Consumers will not typically find bacon toothpaste on the shelves at their local store. Since it is such a novelty product, bacon toothpaste is generally sold online or in specific novelty stores. Sizes and prices may vary according to the retailer.