Do you use toxic toothpaste? How to make sure you’re using safe toothpaste
As a rule of thumb, your toothpaste should be safe to swallow, and not have a warning on the back. However, this is not the case since most do contain a warning on the back that swallowing toothpaste may be hazardous to your health.It’s important to learn which toothpaste ingredients to avoid because many commercial brands contain chemicals with side effects.
The inside of your mouth provides a fast way to absorb ingredients from toothpaste and mouthwash into the body.You may not be aware of it, but ingredients in toothpaste may be delivering a daily dose of antibiotics or other ‘active ingredients’ to you as you brush, especially if you have bleeding gums.
Ingredients in Toothpaste to Avoid
- Fluoride: In recent years there have been growing concerns over the health risks that fluoride can present, especially in young children. Ingesting too much fluoride can possibly cause permanent tooth discoloration, stomach problems, skin rashes, and impairment of glucose metabolism. In fact, the FDA requires a warning label on every tube of fluoride toothpaste sold in the US.
- Saccharin: It has been on the on-and-off list of FDA for causing cancer.
- Antimicrobials: Whether natural or synthetic can include tea tree oil, alcohol, and triclosan among others. These days’ antimicrobials are found in many products, such as deodorants, dish soap, hand and body soaps, and some shampoo. Center for Disease Control warns that with overuse of antibiotics, the result can be antibiotic-resistant bacteria. MRSA and other resistant to antibiotic strains are proof.
- Abrasives: It is meant to remove stains, but can be harsh in many toothpaste brands, with their claims to whiten teeth, and can actually cause sensitivity. “Abfraction” is a term used by the dental profession for tooth sensitivity that may be caused by aggressive brushing or abrasive toothpaste.
- Chlorine dioxide: It is industrial bleach, used for bleaching wood, flour, and disinfection of municipal water. This ingredient is sometimes added to toothpaste to fight gum disease.
- Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS): It is a surfactant and industrial detergent added for foaming.
- Sodium hydroxide (NaOH): It is also known as lye or caustic soda, is a metallic base, used in textiles, drain cleaners and industrial detergents.
- PEG/PPG (polypropylene glycol): It is a surfactant used as a wetting agent and dispersant in leather finishing.
How to Make Sure You Are Using Safe Toothpaste?
You should look for following when choosing your toothpaste:
- Salicylate free, and fluoride free.
- Free of artificial sweeteners.
- Formulated with xylitol.
- Baking soda toothpaste to help remove the surface stain, helping to brighten your smile.
- Toothpaste without sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).
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