CLEAN BEAUTY | NATURAL COSMETICS | HOMEMADE COSMETICS

How to Avoid Toxic Toothpaste

These are the 7 toxic toothpaste ingredients to watch out for

Photo by John Torcasio on Unsplash

I don’t know about you, but I prefer to brush my teeth with safe, non-toxic, natural toothpaste. Unfortunately, most drug-store toothpastes are loaded with toxic ingredients.

It makes sense to go non-toxic when polishing your pearly whites. The lining of our mouths is very porous. Besides, you can’t help but swallow some toothpaste when you brush your teeth.

The site, ‘Fun Dental Facts’, states that Americans buy a lot of toothpaste. More than 14 million gallons per year! That means, on average, Americans each use about 23 gallons of toothpaste per annum.

But what can you do? You can’t give up brushing your teeth! Fortunately, there are some great safe, natural kinds of toothpaste available.

First, let’s explore which ingredients you should avoid. Many of these are pretty scary. Unfortunately, they are commonly found in most toothpaste.

Fluoride

• The jury’s out on this ingredient. Many people, especially dentists, say the benefits for your teeth are worth the risk.
• My own dentist was pretty upset when I mentioned I was fluoride-free. For what it’s worth, I haven’t used fluoride in over ten years. I haven’t had a cavity in all that time. I know I’m only one person and that isn’t evidence.
• But too much fluoride can create all kinds of problems, especially for young children. These include tooth discoloration, skin rashes, and stomach upset. Fluoride may also affect glucose metabolism.
• The Fluoride Action Network lists 50 compelling reasons to be against fluoride. These include lowering of IQ and damage to the brain. My mind is my most valuable asset. If there’s any doubt, I prefer not to take the risk

Parabens

• I’ve written about parabens before, so I’ll only cover a few of the basics here.
• Parabens are the most widely used preservative in cosmetics.
• Tasha Stoiber, Ph.D., writing for the EWG, explains the concerns. Parabens are endocrine disruptors that mimic estrogen. They have been found in breast cancer tissue. They affect male reproduction. They may also cause skin damage, premature aging, and skin damage.
• The common types of parabens are methylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben. Watch out for any word with ‘paraben’ as a suffix.

Triclosan and triclocarban

• These are antimicrobial ingredients. Triclosan, in particular, is often found in toothpaste.
• According to the Environmental Working Group, these may cause endocrine disruption. Triclosan affects thyroid function and reproductive hormones.
• Overuse of these toxins may result in ‘bacterial resistance’. That means antibiotics may not be able to do their job when you need them.

Saccharin

• Saccharin is a ‘petroleum-based sugar substitute’. That’s right — it’s produced in a laboratory and is derived from crude oil.
• Acesulfame-K, sucralose, aspartyl phenylalanine methyl ester, alitame, and tagatose are in the same category.
• Saccharin was found to be a carcinogen in a few clinical studies in the 1970’s. Many other studies have since debunked that. Saccharin isn’t considered to be carcinogenic.

Aspartame

• Aspartame is probably the most commonly used artificial sweetener. As well as being an ingredient in food and drinks, it is also used in toothpaste.
• The body metabolizes Aspartame into its components: aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol.
• Personally, I had a horrible experience with aspartame. I got greedy with some artificially sweetened candies. I had a miserable stomach ache for days. It also gives me an instant headache. I know some people can be very sensitive to aspartame because I’m one of them.
• Some studies have indicated a risk of cancer, whereas many others say it’s safe. The consensus is that aspartame isn’t carcinogenic.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate & Sodium Laureth Sulfate

• SLES are used to make toothpastes foamy.
• SLES can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane as well as ethylene oxide. Both are well-known human carcinogens.
• Ethylene oxide is the most cause for concern. It is possibly a nervous system disruptor. It may interfere with brain development in children.
• Both dioxane and ethylene oxide can be removed during manufacturing. However, there is no way to know which products have undergone this process.
• The Environmental Working Group’s Skin states SLS is a “moderate hazard”. i.e. Cancer, neurotoxicity, organ toxicity, skin irritation, and endocrine disruption.

Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)

• PEGs (Polyethylene Glycols) are petroleum-based mixtures used as cream bases or thickeners.
• These are not dangerous unless applied to broken skin. However, PEGs are frequently contaminated with ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane. The IARC has listed these as known human carcinogens.

Final words

Before you start having toothpaste induced nightmares — relax. There’s no need to give up brushing your teeth and suffering stink breath and cavities.

Luckily, the EWG has certified several brands of safe toothpaste. There are many others on the market that have only natural, non-toxic, ‘clean’ ingredients.

Armed with the information in this post, you’ll be able to select a safe, natural toothpaste and scrub to your heart’s content. Your mouth will stay fresh, your teeth sparkling clean and your body free of toxins.

It’s easy to make the switch

• In case you need another reason to switch to a clean beauty or personal grooming routine — here’s the last thing I’ll say about it: It’s never been easier to go au naturale.
• Thanks to so many of us finding out about the toxins in our cosmetic products and demanding better solutions, there has been a boom in organic, natural companies offering clean, non-toxic beauty and cosmetic products.
• The time to make the switch to natural, clean personal care and beauty products is now. You’ll never look back.
• Read more here and here.

Sign up here to receive interesting writing you won’t read anywhere else.