Sort of tangential: I used to be able to tell episodes of depression were setting in because I'd stop brushing my teeth. It was the clearest indicator I can recall.

I'd then brush my teeth hoping it would cure the depression. It clearly worked, because I'm no longer depressed. It just took a few years to kick in.

Always remember to brush your teeth.

OK, and my anecdote is that for forty years I used no toothpaste at all, brushed only before bed, didn't floss, never went to the dentist, and had perfect teeth. The conclusion of this limited study is: whatever.

I guess I should admit that eventually I got lazy and skipped a night, and immediately got a cavity that led to having a tooth removed, and now I use toothpaste and floss. But still, anecdotes, what are they worth.

Counter-anecdote, I did the same, got Burt's Bees with novamin when they still sold it (discontinued), then switched back to Crest. I prefer the Crest. No cavities either way, but tooth sensitivity and clean feeling differences. A tooth chip I wondered might remineralize, i.e. grow back or fill in or something, had no change.

My guess is the SLS detergent, present in Crest and not in Burt's, is the more significant factor.

You can do the same by just kissing a person with the right mouth biome.

Any idea about mHAP (hydroxi apatite)

Do you eat much sugar? Soda or juice? These things make a huge difference. So does age. Young people get cavities easier than somewhat older people.