Is the Toothpaste Pregnancy Test Real?

It seems like baby predictors and pregnancy wives’ tales are a dime a dozen. The ring test, the Chinese Gender Chart and even the Internet favorite "nub theory" are all fun ways people can try to predict whether they’re pregnant or not, or what the gender their baby might be. But now a new trend is making the rounds, and it could be setting you up for a lot of confusion.  

Women are flocking to YouTube to watch a video that claims to determine if you are pregnant using a few drops of urine and a cup of white toothpaste. But the reviews - and the results - are a mixed bag.

According to the video, all you need is plain white toothpaste (no stripes or color flecks) and a few drops of urine. The theory is, if you’re pregnant, the toothpaste will foam or turn blue within a few minutes of mixing with the urine due to the HCG levels in the urine of pregnant women. So, does it work? Yes and no.

"From what I’m hearing, both women and men are getting positive results from this test," laughs Dr. Gary Lederman, a dentist based in Bellmore, New York. "But that’s because the chemical reaction is based on the acidity of the urine, not the HCG."

That’s not to say it won’t work if you are pregnant, but doctors like Lederman say women should stick to the many reliable options available to determine pregnancy.

"If you are relying on this test to determine if you’re pregnant, I’d say it’s a bad idea," says Lederman. "There’s no guarantee it will work, even if you are pregnant, and it can just as easily yield a false positive as a false negative. Plus, it’s a waste of toothpaste."

Lederman and most doctors agree it’s a harmless science experiment but should only be done for fun.

"If you think you may be pregnant, please call your physician or purchase an over-the-counter pregnancy test. Don’t rely on wives’ tales and party games for something so important," he says.