Toxic Chemicals In Your Toothpaste

Terrifying Times for Toothpaste

Tubes of toothpaste have some freaky, poisonous stuff hiding inside of them. Some of these ingredients have been linked to cancer, blindness, and even death… WHOA, serious stuff, huh? If you haven’t checked the ingredients list on your toothpaste container, you should probably know that you might be brushing your teeth with rat poison, pesticides, and/or engine degreaser. “If accidentally swallowed, contact poison control center immediately” is most definitely not the type of thing I want to see on the container of something i’m putting inside of my mouth…

Fluoride Under a Magnifying Glass

Most toothpastes and mouth washes on the market contain fluoride. Is that not what dentists have recommended to prevent cavities through the ages? Unfortunately, it is and most popular toothpaste brands contain enough fluoride to kill a small child within 2-4 hours. Minimal ingestion of sodium fluoride can cause nausea, vomitting, and diarrhea in children. More seriously, a large ingestion of this known carcinogen can cause respiratory and cardiac failure. As scary as this is, fluorides have been used to alter the behavior of humans throughout history. Less known to the public is that fluoride compounds were actually added to the drinking water of prisoners to keep them quiet in Nazi prison camps during WWII. Fluoride has also never been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). And the really crazy thing about all of this: according to a study in 1990, fluoride has been shown to NOT reduce cavities in the slightest and fluoride is now being linked to a list of health problems and about 10,000 unnecessary deaths each year from cancer.

Brands such as Toms of Maine, Nature’s Gate, Sensodyne, and Colgate contain some ingredients you definitely want to steer clear of. Whether it is fluoride, dyes, “natural” flavors, or sodium lauryl sulfate, you definitely should pay attention to what is hiding inside of that container. Most “natural” toothpaste brands still have some pretty scary chemicals in them. We are going to take a closer look at some of the most popular toothpaste brands and expose what they are hiding.

Toms of Maine

Toms of Maine tricks so many people with their “all natural” labeling. This toothpaste brand is actually one of the scariest of all. Toms toothpaste contains sodium lauryl sulfate which is a popular surfactant. Surfactants are chemicals responsible for the foaming action you feel when you are brushing those pearly whites. But this chemical disrupts the function of your taste buds by breaking up the phospholipids on your tongue. Have you ever wondered why everything tastes bad after you brush your teeth? You can thank SLS for that as it enhances bitter tastes. Toms of maine also contains “natural” flavors. But what is hiding behind that “flavor” umbrella? Nothing good that is for sure. Toms contains sodium fluoride (eek!) and hydrated silica as well. Hydrated silica harms the tooth enamel and prevents re-mineralization.

Nature’s Gate

Although Nature’s Gate is better than the rest of the brands on this list, this brand still contains a few ingredients you should be wary of. This brand is sneaky. It contains sodium Lauroyl sarcosinate… a derivative of sodium lauryl sulfate. SLS is used in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers, and car wash soaps. This brand also contains hydrated silica which alters the acidic balance of the mouth, gums, and tongue.

Sensodyne

Sensodyne is advertised as being good for gum and mouth sensitivity. This brand of toothpaste contains an entire list of things we would never want “cleansing” our teeth. Sensodyne has SLS, hydrated silica, sodium fluoride, dyes, and flavors. These specific dyes have been linked to learning and behavioral issues, severe allergic reactions, and other health problems.

Colgate

Colgate is probably one of the most popular toothpaste brands. This brand of toothpaste is the scariest of all. Colgate contains a list of terrifying ingredients such as sodium fluoride, hydrated silica, dyes, flavors, triclosan, and propylene glycol. While triclosan has been shown to prevent gingivitis, the benefit comes at a lofty price. This chemical has been linked to cancer and has been classified as a pesticide. This chemical poses a risk to both human health and the environment. Unfortunately, toothpaste is the number one carrier of this chemical. Research has shown that people who brush their teeth with Colgate Total had more than five times as many triclosan in their urine as those who did not. Propylene glycol is used in antifreeze, paints, enamels, and airplane de-icers. This chemical is used as a surfactant. It is a known skin, eye, and lung irritant and may cause organ system toxicity.

Better Solutions

There are many all natural alternatives out there to keep your teeth pearly white and your gums healthy. Certain oils such as tea tree and spearmint can put an end to nasty bacteria in your mouth. Oil pulling with coconut oil is also another way to protect your smile and rid your mouth and body of toxin buildup. Whichever route you choose to take, you can not forget how important it is to brush and floss. Our tooth cleansers here at Face Naturals are the bomb. Oh and they are all natural and definitely do not have anything scary or carcinogenic hiding inside of their containers. You can get your hands on one (or all) of these on our website!

References

The 5 Harmful Ingredients in Toothpaste

Toxic Toothpaste Ingredients You Need to Avoid

What are the Harmful Ingredients in Toothpaste?

Best-Selling Toothpaste Contains Hazardous Endocrine-Disrupting Chemical