Toothpaste and Mouthwash: What You Probably Didn't Know

There is typically a warning label on most toothpastes saying: “Warning: Keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age. If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, seek professional assistance or contact a Poison Control Center immediately.”

Every day we use products that we think are safe and healthy, that even practitioners we trust recommend. But the truth is that products are not always safe. Often they are not, and the manufacturers don’t have to tell us so. Most of the chemicals used in personal care and oral care products have not been tested for long term toxic effects. Since it is well known that the chemical ingredients in these products can be quickly absorbed sublingually, this issue of chemical toxicity becomes a serious issue. Safer products are now available, but the majority of toothpastes and mouthwashes commonly sold - even in health food stores- are not.

READ LABELS! LEARN WHICH INGREDIENTS ARE HARMFUL & AVOID THEM.

Fluoride: We’ve been hearing about fluoride since the end of World War II. Is it really good for us? Consider the following: A Bill Moyers television special recently cited lead as one of the substances that has a long term history of toxic effects on humans. Pewter, a lead derivative, was used to make dishes in Roman times and is thought to have contributed to the downfall of the Empire by causing madness. A by-product of the phosphate fertilizer and aluminum industries, fluoride is more toxic than lead and slightly less so than arsenic.

Most fluorides are industrial rather than pharmaceutical grade and have been found to contain traces of mercury, radionucleotides, lead and arsenic. Highly corrosive, toxic and poisonous, fluoride requires a poison control warning label. Used in manufacturing pesticides and psychotropic drugs, fluoride is an inhibitor of enzyme activity, disrupting and reconfiguring molecular bonds. Studies show a carcinogenic potential and, contrary to popular belief, large scale studies of water fluoridation show little evidence of benefit. In fact, studies thought to show demonstrate positive benefits are under fire for flaws in methodology. Over abundance of fluoride can cause fluorosis or the mottled,brown spots found especially on the developing teeth in children.

A Yale University study established a connection between decreased bone strength, elasticity and fluoride. The Physician’s Desk Reference says, “fluorides occasionally cause skin eruptions such as…dermatitis, eczema…gastric distress, headache and weakness….” Past President of the AMA, Dr. Charles Gordon Heyd says, “…Fluoride is a corrosive poison that will produce serious effects on a long range basis.” Nobel prize-winning microbiologist Professor Albert Schatz, Ph.D says, “fluoridation…is the greatest fraud that has ever been perpetrated….” For a more in-depth look at fluoride read the article posted in Iluminae.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): Found in even so-called “natural” toothpaste as a detergent and surfactant. SLS can cause the gums to separate from the teeth because it denatures protein. It is found in floor cleaners, car wash soaps and used to de-grease engines. In Dangerous Beauty Mark Fearer reports that, according to the American College of Toxicology, animals exposed to SLS experienced eye damage, severe skin irritation, corrosion and death. Other research indicates that SLS may be damaging to the immune system.

When combined with other chemicals, SLS can also be transformed into nitrosamines, a potent class of carcinogens. For a long time it was believed that the skin created an impermeable barrier, however the creation of a whole industry of trans-dermal products has shown this to be untrue. There is evidence that SLS easily penetrates the skin, entering the heart, liver lungs and brain where residual levels may be maintained.

There is a potential risk with continuous use of shampoos, toothpastes and cleansers, particularly for young children.

Triclosan: This ingredient has gained popularity as an anti-bacterial agent in soaps and is currently being introduced into toothpastes. It is registered with the EPA as a pesticide and is similar in structure to PCB’s and Agent Orange. Manufacturing may produce dioxin, a potent hormone disruptor and carcinogen. Triclosan is a chlorophenol, a class of chemicals that can kill friendly bacteria and cause skin irritation. It is also suspected of causing cancer in humans. Internally, it can accumulate in body fat to toxic levels, damaging the liver, kidney and lungs and posing a threat of paralysis, sterility, immune suppression, brain hemorrhages, sexual dysfunction, heart problems, circulatory collapse coma and death. Scientists at the Tufts University School of Medicine warn that Triclosan may be forcing the emergence of “superbugs” that it cannot kill.

Chlorine Dioxide: Chlorine, including Chlorine Dioxide and Sodium Hypochlorite, are cited as causing multiple health risks including cancer in A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients. Debra Lynn Dadd writes in Nontoxic, Natural and Earthwise that Chlorine and derivatives have been associated with “Pain and inflammation of the mouth, throat and stomach and erosion of mucous membranes, vomiting, circulatory collapse, confusion, delirium, coma, swelling of the throat, severe respiratory tract irritation, pulmonary edema, and skin eruptions. Exposure has been linked to high blood pressure, anemia, diabetes and heart disease and causes a 44% greater risk of gastrointestinal or urinary tract cancer.”

Propylene Glycol: As a surfactant or wetting agent and solvent, the ingredient is usually the main, sometimes the only ingredient in anti-freeze products and can take the barnacles off a boat. This same ingredient found in many skin care products and toothpastes is used in industrial processes to break down cellular structures and proteins. The EPA requires workers to wear protective masks, clothing, gloves and goggles when working with this substance because of its toxicity and its ability to quickly penetrate the skin. Materials Safety and Data Sheets warn about brain, liver and kidney abnormalities resulting from contact.

FD&C Color Pigments: According to Debra Lynn Dadd in Home Safe Home, “colors that can be used in foods, drugs and cosmetics…are made from coal tar….animal studies have shown almost all of them to be carcinogenic.” Synthetic pigments contain heavy metal salts and allow toxins to penetrate the skin. The Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients has this to say,“…many (pigments) cause skin sensitivity and irritation….Absorption of (certain colors) can cause depletion of oxygen in the body.”

Saccharine: This petroleum derivative originally gained popularity because it is non-caloric. It is classified as “carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic” and once carried warning label that read “Use of this product may be hazardous to your health…Contains saccharine which has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals.”

Sodium Hydroxide: This product can be found as a tooth whitener nowadays. It is more commonly known as lye and is the main ingredient found in drain cleaners.

Methylparaben and Propylparaben: These toxic and allergenic synthetic preservatives are found in many cosmetics, including those in the health food store. Research at a university in the UK found that parabens are estrogenic, are hormone disruptors andmay interfere with fetus development.

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS TO AVOID

Cetypyridium Chloride: A synthetic derivative of ammonium chloride that can irritate the skin and mucous membranes. Ingestion may be very harmful.

Poloxamer 407 & 335: Types of plastics used as surfactants that are allergenic.

Polysorbate 80: An emulsifier for oil and water that can cause irritation and sensitivity.

Sodium Benzoate: A common preservative and antiseptic that may cause allergic reactions.

Methyl Salicylate: The main ingredient in wintergreen oil, used as an anti-microbial and preservative. Can cause irritation in the mucous membranes.

SD Alcohol 38-B: Very drying for the skin. Denatured alcohol has had chemicals added and is a dangerous solvent that penetrates the skin and breaks down cellular constituents.

Zinc Chloride: Carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic, used as an antiseptic and astringent.

PEG-40: An abbreviation for Polyethylene Glycol, PEG’s are used for dissolving oil and grease and found in caustic oven cleaners. They strip the skin’s protective moisture barrier and are potentially carcinogenic.

This article has been based on material compiled by Michael Wagner, 2002.