Why Toothpaste Hurts Your Penis

Millions of YouTube views have been devoted to videos promising men larger and longer erections by rubbing mint flavored toothpaste on their penis. The supposed and generally unsubstantiated benefits of applying toothpaste to your penis include: preventing premature ejaculation, increasing girth, maintaining erection 30 minutes longer, and increased pleasure for partner. But along with these fallacies, are some pretty compelling reasons why toothpaste is actually harmful to your genitals.

In an article for The Sun, a pharmacist from online service Doctor-4-U says "There is no evidence to prove that toothpaste can aid with sexual problems."

Urologist Rich Viney told MailOnline that toothpaste has "Absolutely no effect' on sexual performance and any perceived benefit is a placebo. It does not make you less sensitive. Toothpaste is naturally abrasive so it might make intercourse uncomfortable which may help in lasting longer."

Despite warnings from doctors and other healthcare professionals, there are still guys willing to give it a go. Here's why it's bad for you and your partner.

• the peppermint oils, bleaching agents, and other chemicals can cause mild burns and scarring on sensitive genital skin
• toothpaste contains gritty additives that can be abrasive which could severely irritate genital skin and cause blisters
• if the substance enters the urethra, it could cause infection
• the ingredients and gritty texture could easily give your partner an infection - this is essentially putting foreign matter in the vagina

As a general rule both men and women should avoid putting minty products near or on their genitals.

Aside from cleaning your teeth and giving you minty fresh breath, toothpaste shouldn't be used on your body. As shown in the video below, toothpaste is a great polishing product, which is a testament to it's abrasive properties and another reason why it doesn't belong on your genitals.