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By Dr. Mercola
You might not think much about
the ingredients in your toothpaste compared to the ingredients in your food or
even other personal care products, but those pea-sized dollops on your
toothbrush twice a day add up.
Over the course of a lifetime,
the average American uses about 20 gallons of toothpaste, and even if you spit
most of it out, some of the chemicals it contains make their way into your
bloodstream. 1.
Your mouth is actually one of
the most absorbent places in your entire body. This is why some medications are
administered sublingually, or under your tongue.
Typical toothpastes can contain
some harsh abrasives and chemicals. Among the worst ingredients to watch out
for -- propylene glycol -- a solvent that is the active component in some
anti-freezes, and is used in everything from makeup to mouthwash. Fluoride is
also a questionable ingredient for some – it's used in commercial toothpastes
to strengthen enamel, and many dentists recommend using a fluoride toothpaste.
Fluoride is considered toxic when ingested in high levels and is a
controversial additive in water. Accidentally ingesting high quantities of
toothpaste as children sometimes do can be potentially toxic. 2
7 Toxic Toothpaste
Ingredients
1. Triclosan
The popular toothpaste Colgate Total contains an antibacterial chemical
called triclosan, which allows the company to tout it as the "only
toothpaste approved by the FDA to help fight plaque and gingivitis."3
But while triclosan has been shown to help prevent gingivitis, the benefit
comes at a steep price. The chemical has been linked to concerns over
antibiotic resistance and endocrine disruption.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are a serious concern, as they can promote a
wide variety of health problems, including breast, ovarian, prostate, and
testicular cancer, preterm and low birth weight babies, precocious puberty in
girls, and undescended testicles in boys.
Some animal studies showed that triclosan caused fetal bone malformations
in mice and rats, which may hint at hormonal effects. Further, triclosan may
interfere with a type of cell signaling in brain, heart, and other cells, such
that researchers noted it "may not be worth potential risks."4
The chemical has also been linked to cancer, with research finding
triclosan may promote breast cancer progression.5
The state of Minnesota has already banned most uses of triclosan, but it's
still widely sold across the US in toothpaste, hand soap, makeup, and more.
Toothpaste appears to be one of the most potent delivery vehicles for the
chemical, as research found people who brushed their teeth with Colgate Total
had more than five times as much triclosan in their urine as those who did
not.6
2. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
Many toothpastes contain surfactants like sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium
laureth sulfate (SLS), or sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES). Surfactants are
chemicals responsible for the foaming action of the toothpaste, but they also
interfere with the functioning of your taste buds by breaking up the
phospholipids on your tongue.
This enhances bitter tastes and is thought to be the reason why everything
tastes so bad right after you've brushed your teeth.
Not to mention, SLS has even been linked to skin irritation and painful
canker sores, with research suggesting an SLS-free toothpaste should be used for
people with recurring sores. 6
However, one of the main problems with SLS is that the manufacturing
process (ethoxylation) results in it being potentially contaminated with 1,4
dioxane, a carcinogenic byproduct.7
SLS is also registered as an insecticide and may have toxic effects to
marine life, including fish, insects, and crustaceans. 8
The manufacturers actually tried to get approval to market SLS as a
pesticide for organic farmers, but the application was denied because of its
potential for environmental damage.1 9
3. Artificial Sweeteners
Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners are often added to commercial
toothpastes. Aspartame is primarily made up of aspartic acid and phenylalanine.
The phenylalanine has been synthetically modified to carry a methyl group,
which provides the majority of the sweetness.
That phenylalanine methyl bond, called a methyl ester, is very weak, which
allows the methyl group on the phenylalanine to easily break off and form
methanol. You may have heard the claim that aspartame is harmless because
methanol is also found in fruits and vegetables.
However, in fruits and vegetables, the methanol is firmly bonded to pectin,
allowing it to be safely passed through your digestive tract. Not so with the
methanol created by aspartame; there it's not bonded to anything that can help
eliminate it from your body.
That's problem number one.
Problem number two relates to the fact that humans are the only mammals who
are NOT equipped with a protective biological mechanism that breaks down
methanol into harmless formic acid.
In humans, the methyl alcohol travels through your blood vessels into
sensitive areas, such as your brain, where the methanol is converted to
formaldehyde. And since there's no catalase present, the formaldehyde is free
to cause enormous damage in your tissues.
Symptoms from methanol poisoning are many, and include headaches, ear
buzzing, dizziness, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, weakness, vertigo,
chills, memory lapses, numbness, and shooting pains in the extremities,
behavioral disturbances, and neuritis.
4. Fluoride
Fluoride has long been heralded as the answer to decaying teeth, but it's
been receiving increasing scrutiny in recent years, and for good reason. A
groundbreaking study published in the journal Langmuir 10 uncovered that the supposedly beneficial fluorapatite
layer formed on your teeth from fluoride is a mere six nanometers thick.
To understand just how thin this is, you'd need 10,000 of these layers to
get the width of a strand of your hair! Scientists now question whether this
ultra-thin layer can actually protect your enamel and provide any discernible
benefit, considering the fact that it is quickly eliminated by simple chewing.
They wrote:
"… [I]t has to be asked whether such narrow… layers really can act as
protective layers for the enamel."
In fact, toothpaste that contains the naturally occurring cacao extract
theobromine better repaired and re-mineralized exposed dentin (the tissue that
makes up the bulk of your teeth below the enamel) than fluoride toothpaste,
according to one study.11
Not to mention, fluoride toothpaste is often the largest single source of
fluoride intake for young children and is a major risk factor for disfiguring
dental fluorosis. This is because children swallow a large amount of the paste
that they put in their mouth.
In fact, research has shown that it is not uncommon for young children to
swallow more fluoride from toothpaste alone than is recommended as an entire
day's ingestion from all sources. 12
Swallowing fluoride, as is the case with fluoridated drinking water, is
especially detrimental to your health, as the science clearly demonstrates that
fluoride is a toxic chemical that accumulates in your tissues over time, wreaks
havoc with enzymes, and produces a number of serious adverse health effects,
including neurological and endocrine dysfunction.
Children are particularly at risk for adverse effects of overexposure. If
you have a young child, therefore, it's recommended that you use a non-fluoride
toothpaste, although I recommend the same for adults as well.
5. Propylene Glycol
Propylene glycol is a type of mineral oil that, in the industrial grade, is
used in antifreeze, paints, enamels, and airplane de-icers. The
pharmaceutical-grade form is used in many personal care products, including
toothpaste, as a surfactant. Research on the safety of propylene glycol in
personal care products is lacking, although it's a known skin, eye, and lung
irritant and may cause organ system toxicity.13 This is clearly not a
substance you want to be brushing your teeth with.
6. Diethanolamine (DEA)
DEA is found in many foaming products such as toothpaste. It's a known
hormone disrupter and can react with other ingredients to form a potential
carcinogen called NDEA (N-nitrosodiethanolamine), which is readily absorbed
through the skin and has been linked with cancers of the stomach, esophagus,
liver, and bladder.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) ranks DEA as a number 10 in its
cosmetics database (the most toxic score) due to high concerns of organ system
toxicity, contamination concerns and irritation, along with moderate cancer
risk. The California Environmental Protection Agency lists DEA as a possible
human carcinogen.14
7. Microbeads
Microbeads are tiny plastic pellets found in body washes, facial scrubs,
toothpaste, and more. The microbeads go down your drain, through the filters at
most wastewater treatment plants, and out into the environment. Plastic
microbeads absorb toxins from the water and are eaten by a wide variety of
marine life and, ultimately, by humans as well. There's good reason to boycott
any toothpaste containing microbeads, even aside from the obvious environmental
threat. Last year, a Dallas dental hygienist reported finding the microbeads in
patients' teeth.
The bits were found in Crest microbead toothpaste and were getting trapped
under patients' gums. This gives food and bacteria an entrance to your gum
line, which could actually cause gum disease. 15
Procter & Gamble, which makes Crest, reported they would stop using the
microbeads by 2016 as a result. But while it seems the use of microbeads is on
its way out, the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) is lobbying to have
microbeads made from biodegradable plastic such as polylactic acid (PLA) remain
in personal care products.
DETOXIFICATION AND NON TOXIC TOOTHPASTE.
Toothpaste is key to maintaining good oral health, acting as an
antibacterial, but what type are you choosing? Detox your toothpaste by
eliminating Fluoride, Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate, Triclosan, Sodium
Hydroxide, and other nasty chemicals.
These chemicals are damaging to the body as a whole, and can even reduce
the healthy bacteria (probiotics) in the mouth.
This is important to cleans your body from this toxins accumulated in your system.
find out more.
Healthy Homemade Toothpaste Recipes
It's possible to make your own toothpaste and avoid many of the pitfalls of
commercial varieties. The first one includes coconut oil, which has been tested
against strains of Streptococcus bacteria, which are common inhabitants of your
mouth.
1. Homemade Peppermint and Coconut Oil Toothpaste
Ingredients
•1/2 cup bentonite clay
•1/8 tsp. salt
•2 tsp. baking soda
•2/3 cup water
•1/4 cup coconut oil
•1 tsp. stevia (optional)
•1 to 4 drops peppermint essential oil
Preparation
Mix the clay and salt in a bowl. Add the water. Mix well. Add the rest of
ingredients. Mix well again until it forms a paste. Store it in a jar with a
lid. Every time you go to use it, spoon some onto your toothbrush. Dampen the
paste by putting your brush under some gently running water. Brush as usual.
If for some reason you prefer a toothpaste without coconut oil, you can
also try this recipe, which makes enough for three brushings: 16
2. Homemade Baking Soda and
Peppermint Toothpaste
Ingredients
•1 tsp. baking soda
•1 drop peppermint or lemon essential oil
•A few drops of water
Preparation
Mix in a bowl until the paste is formed. Then brush your teeth.
3. Try Oil Pulling.
A simple swish and swirl of
your favourite oil is the answer to fresher breath, whiter teeth and a toxin-
free body. The practice of oil pulling literally pulls toxins from the oral
cavity, which is then spit out and cleared from the body. A research study
indicated that oil pulling reduced plaque-induced gingivitis, and the bacterium
Streptococcus mutants, which is known to cause cavities. So grab a jar of
coconut oil from the kitchen counter, and get pulling!
