It was early afternoon, and our house was completely quiet. With four young children, this is usually a bad thing. After a quick investigation I discovered that our three year old budding artist, Jack, had created a four-foot tall crayon mural around his entire room. Soon after I set him to work with our dependable magic eraser I realized, with dismay, that the crayon streaks were instead becoming discolored wall streaks. A quick Google search revealed that toothpaste, of all things, was my answer. As a dentist, curiosity got the better of me, and I kept looking into the seemingly magical properties of toothpaste. Here's what I came up with:

• Decrease facial blemishes - Simply apply a tiny dot to the area before bed, and wash it off in the morning.

• Relieve irritation from blisters, bug bites, minor burns, and sores - A drop of toothpaste can stop itching, decrease swelling, and prevent weeping. Toothpaste dries up the sores and blisters and allows them to heal faster. Apply overnight for the best results. Do not apply if skin is broken or blistered.

• Scrub away stinky smells - Cooking with garlic, onion, fish and other strong smelling foods can leave hands smelling unpleasant. Scrubbing with toothpaste can remove these smelly odors. This process also works to deodorize sour milk smell in baby bottles.

• Tame your hair - Gel toothpastes are similar in structure to hair gel, and help you keep hair in place. A dab of gel toothpaste will also help baby barrettes stay in place.

• Clean and strengthen fingernails - Toothpaste works with the enamel on your teeth, so it makes sense that it would benefit your fingernails as well. Scrub toothpaste underneath and on top of your nails to strengthen, clean, and shine them. A toothbrush is a perfect tool to use.

• Remove stains - Apply directly to clothing stains and rub briskly until the spot disappears, then wash as usual (don't use whitening toothpaste for colorful fabrics). Apply to carpet stains, scrub with an abrasive brush, and rinse immediately.

• Shine up dirty shoes - Apply to your scuffed up tennis shoes or leather shoes, scrub with a brush, and wipe clean!

• Make your silver jewelry sparkle - Gently rub into the silver and leave overnight. Wipe them clean in the morning with a soft cloth. Softly scrub and rinse diamonds to restore their luster. Don't use this method on pearls because it damages their finish.

• Shine piano keys - Oil from hands attracts dust and dirt. Use a damp cloth and toothpaste, then wipe the keys clean with a second lint-free cloth.

• Clean crusty irons - A burned crust layer can develop on irons. The silica in toothpaste gently grinds away this dark layer.

• Defog goggles - Softly rub a small amount of toothpaste in the lenses and rinse completely (rubbing hard or extensively can cause scratches). This process eliminates foggy goggles!

• Remove scratches on DVD's/CD's - This remedy isn't completely reliable, but it does work with shallow scratches and smudges. Apply a thin coating, rub gently, and rinse clean!

Dr. Logan Hazard recently opened Heartwood Family Dental in Post Falls. At Heartwood we offer free exams and X-rays for new patients, treatment for the entire family, a wonderful team, and preferred providers for all insurances in the area. Call Justine today at (208) 777-1542.