The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1939-12-20
YOUR DOLLAR
BY CONSUMERS UNION

| You could get along without den
| thrice, many dental authorities agree.
Brushing your teeth is important, but
| it's the toothbrush, not the dentifrice,
| that does the trick. The most your
dentifrice will do is flavor the brush
and provide very small amount of
help in cleansing.
This does not mean that the choice
of dentifrice is not important.
Among the tooth paste tested by Gu,
$3.50 were harsh enough to scratch
a glass plate. Tooth enamel is softer
than the test glass, and so when you
use these tooth pastes you take a
chance of irreparably damaging your
teeth.
In it's December issue, Consumers
Union reports on 46 brands of tooth
'pastes, tooth powders and liquid den
tifrices. Among the tooth paste rat
ings are:
Best Buys: Milk-i-dent wool
worth's), CD COOPERATIVE Distribut-
ors).
Also Acceptable: Craig-Martin, Col
gate, DR.. Vests, Pepsodent, Squibb,
Iodent No. 1, Bost, Worcester Salt.
Not Acceptable because too abra-
sive: Forhan's Iodent No. 2, Kolynos,
Listerine, Phillips, Rexall, Wrigley's
Spearmint.
Electric Shavers
Electric shavers have come down in
price and gone up in quality. Some
shavers tested by GU this year give
as speedy and close a shave as a
safety razor. And some cheaper
models, Gu found, give better shave
the same brand.
Boards vary. So do faces. It's |
hard to decide in advance whether |
any particular shaver will suit each |
Individual user. Therefore Gu recon-
nends buying only on satisfaction
Dr. money back" guarantee. Ratings |
If 16 shavers (the two Best Buys cost
S7.50) are given in the December issue
If Gu Reports.
Jnion-Made Electric Shavers
Unskilled labor does most of the
work in manufacturing electric shay
RS. And the unions have not made
zig gains in organizing this new in
ustry. The United Electrical Radio
I Machine Workers (CIO) says the
shavers are made under con-
ract: Williams Roto-Shaver, Casco,
lin spite of the contract, |
JERMW considers Gem-lectric anti ,
nion). The init. Assn. of Machinists
AFL) has closed shop contract
nth Schick, covering 30-odd skilled
but the great majority of
yorkers Cup to 1900 in rush times)
! unorganized.
c Day Ii
The 3c-a-day hospital plan may be h
ne best you can get in your COM a
unity. But it's better insurance for a
ospitals than for patients, Gu reports C
| it's December issue. Benefits of t
lie largest plan, Associated Hospital t
ervice of New York city, have been n
1t so that in many cases the con- a
act won't cover total hospital costs. a
ven more important, 3c-a-day plans a
, not cover doctors bills.
Adequate health insurance should Fl
,ver both doctors and hospital bills t,
reasonable yearly rates. 1t should ii
so prevent many severe Illnesses by n
DIVIDING regular medical attention, b
fore the illness gets to the hospital a.
age. g
Why don't the present hospital in re
rance plans provide more adequate al
election? One reason, Gu suggests, tc
ay be too high administrative ex- 81
nses, and too high payments to m
spitals. Another is the pressure of 81
e American Medical Assn, which st
es its strength to veto prepayment be
, physicians care. Al
GUS present advice is to join a sa
cd cooperative health group offer &c
: both medical and hospital care, it
you can find one. If none is avail ae
lie, and if you want and can afford
pay &c day for hospital service Sa
acute emergency illness, join a go
n-profit hospital plan accredited by ha
!, American Hospital Assn. do