Sunday, January 30, 2011

Goodbye Swedish toothpaste


My Swedish toothpaste has finally run out. I had been rationing it since August (and still no cavities!). I got this toothpaste at the 7-Eleven down the street from my hotel on my first day in Gothenburg. 7-Elevens are everywhere in Sweden - who knew? I had to buy this tube because in my half-asleep state I left my Tom's of Maine toothpaste in the bathroom of my hotel in Dublin. (I once had one degree of separation from the real Tom of Tom's of Maine because I went to college with this son, and once, he gave me a ride back to campus from my internship at Real Art Ways so I wouldn't have to wait for the bus in the rain.)

I know Pepsodent is an American product, and I never buy it here at home, but it's way more interesting with some Swedish words on it. The fact that I am so enamored with this tube of toothpaste is probably a sign I should get out more, but, you could also argue I am easily pleased.

Here's an interesting fact about Pepsodent: according to my good friend Wikipedia, one version of Cole Porter's song "You're the Top" mentions it. The song is from the 1934 musical Anything Goes and is about a man and a woman who take turns complimenting each other. It was the most popular song from that musical, and was the subject of hundreds of parodies. The lyrics are particularly significant because they offer a snapshot as to what was highly prized in the mid-1930s, and demonstrate Porter's rhyming ability:

"You're the baby grand of a lady and a gent,
You're an old Dutch master, you're Mrs. Astor,
You're Pepsodent!"

I also want to give a shout-out to my little buddy Giovanni, who hopefully is making good progress on his school project. Hey Giovanni, make sure you brush your teeth before bed! :-)

2 comments:

  1. I can't believe it lasted that long :) and that it has so much quirky history- I don't know why I always associate it with dentures...

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