Is Toothpaste A Reliable Pregnancy Test?

Whether you're praying it's positive or hoping against hope it's negative, one thing you definitely want your pregnancy test to be is accurate. So, as a weird trend of dubious origin proliferates on the internet and, apparently, the bathrooms of potential moms-to-be, this is your friendly PSA that toothpaste can't actually tell you you're pregnant. Still, there's been an uptick in Google searches for "toothpaste pregnancy test" lately, and a glut of blog posts and YouTube tutorials have cropped up to show women how to pull off this DYI method. But if women are actually looking to their Crest to let them know whether they're expecting, it's definitely time to head to a different aisle of the grocery store for an actual pregnancy test.

According to Evewoman, searches for the toothpaste method of detecting a pregnancy have been increasing for years, leading to the logical conclusion that some women are trying it out. Decidedly unreliable sources touting this method claim that some variation of combining a few drops of urine with some toothpaste can reveal a woman's destiny as a mom (or not).

"Positive tests are indicated by bubbling, frothy and/or a blue or bluish color to the toothpaste," Babyprepping.com advises, even while noting that women should follow up with their doctors "to confirm or deny the results." "Negative tests are read if nothing at all happens to the toothpaste/urine mixture."

While all this could serve as interesting little science experiment, the whole enterprise is bogus. Speaking with HuffPost, Oxford Online Pharmacy owner and chief pharmacist Stuart Gale explained exactly why the test isn't to be believed, even if the icky mixture does react in the way described:

The fizz in the toothpaste is caused by the acid in the urine reacting with the calcium carbonate in the toothpaste to give off carbon dioxide.The more acidic the urine is, the greater the fizz. Whether or not a person is or isn't pregnant wouldn't make any difference.

Although its not quite as convenient as using the toothpaste that's already in your bathroom, using an at-home pregnancy test at your local CVS or Walgreens is a relatively reliable and affordable way of detecting a pregnancy. Visit reputable online sources, such as Planned Parenthood's website, for accurate and up-to-date information about how best to use these tests and what steps to take if yours turns out to be positive. That way, no matter what you want the outcome to be, you'll know you can trust the results.