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Claim: A Facebook user claimed that applying toothpaste to fungus-infected nails will cure them.
Verdict: Although health experts assert that toothpaste is not a remedy for fungal-infected nails, there is not enough research to confirm this claim.
Full Text
Natural Remedy Home, a Facebook blog, recently posted a video claiming that applying toothpaste to fungal-infected nails will cure them of the fungus.
To make this work, the claimant asked users to scrape the affected nail(s), apply the toothpaste, and leave it for four hours before rinsing it off. On the second day of usage, she asked users to wash the affected area with a bathing sponge and “then proceed to apply the toothpaste and gradually, the fungus will disappear.”
Since the video was posted on June 15, 2024, it has gone viral, gathering 1,200 views, 33 likes, 1,600 and four comments thanking the claimant for sharing the remedy.
Considering its virality and implications on public health, DUBAWA sought to conduct this fact check.
Verification
Nail fungus (Onychomycosis) is usually caused by a joint group of fungi that attacks the nails, skin, or hair. Onychomycosis affects both fingernails and toenails, but mostly the toenails. This fungus leads to brittle, discoloured, and thickened nails.
According to an article from the “Toenail Clinic blog,” toothpaste can successfully cure toenail fungus because it contains ingredients like baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and essential oils. These ingredients are believed to have antifungal and antibacterial properties.
The article, however, highlights that despite the claim that toothpaste can cure toenail fungus, there is no scientific evidence to support using it as the only treatment. It maintained that toenail fungus is a “stubborn condition that often needs specific medical treatment.”
In a March 21, 2023 article, Listerine antiseptic mouthwash (original flavour) was listed as one out of seven natural remedies for toe fungus. The article lists the gold-coloured Listerine mouthwash as a top-tier over-the-counter toenail fungus remedy because it contains thymol, a plant with antifungal properties. However, a warning was made: “While it is not particularly effective, some patients will try this remedy because of its less aggressive nature. “
It is worth noting that no comprehensive research on the subject was found. Hence, the potency of toothpaste and mouthwash in treating toenail and fingernail fungus is still debatable.
Experts opinion
Johnson Udodi, a medical practitioner in Abuja, explained to DUBAWA that there is no proof that toothpaste can treat nail infections. He, therefore, urged patients to avoid self-care and seek medical help from a dermatologist or medical practitioner.
“You cannot treat fungal nail infection with toothpaste just like you cannot resolve hunger by breathing air. The proprietary ingredients in toothpaste, as approved by regulatory authorities, do not include antifungal agents, and there is certainly nothing that can be proved to have any clinical effect on nail fungus. This claim is false and should be discouraged. Fungal nail infection has the capacity to predispose the affected part to more serious bacterial infections. Those who have this problem should see a dermatologist for expert management.”
Similarly, Dr Marie Lyn Agim, a senior doctor at National Hospital Abuja, found it absurd that people think toothpaste has fungal healing properties.
“The idea of using toothpaste to treat fungal nail infection is as absurd as it sounds. It is definitely not something I will be willing to try on myself. Triclosan, which has antimicrobial (possibly antifungal) action, has also been listed as one of the ingredients that could be used in toothpaste. It would not be in such a concentration that any toothpaste containing it could be an effective treatment for fungal nail infection. Therefore, the claim is false.”
Conclusion
Although health experts have stated that toothpaste is not a remedy for fungal-infected nails, there are not enough studies to support this claim.
The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame Karikari Fellowship, in partnership with Premium Times/UNILAG, to facilitate the ethos of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy in the country.
