Is Your Toothpaste Safe?

Reader Contribution by Faith Moser
Published on March 19, 2012
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Faith Moser is the creator of eco ike {organic baby t’s + cookbooks full of yummy, healthy and quick recipes for kids and grown-ups}! If you want your kids to grow, live, eat & play green, visit ecoike.com.

Have you ever looked at your toothpaste and read the “warning label”? Probably not. Why would consumers? We trust tooth paste companies to provide us with safe products. Fluoride toothpastes carry a warning that says something like, “Keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age. If more than used for brushing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.” Hmm… contact a Poison Control Center? Something isn’t right with traditional toothpaste if you need to contact a poison control center if ingested!  

Once considered a beneficial additive, fluoride is now turning out to be a potentially scary chemical. We were raised believing that fluoride fights cavities, keeps teeth strong and fights tooth decay–but it turns out that fluoride could possibly damage the tooth-forming cells which lead to defects in tooth enamel! Really?!? Worst of all, ingesting fluoride can detrimentally affect the pineal gland, thyroid, brain, kidneys and bones! The information on fluoride is not pretty. To read more about the dangers of fluoride, please check out the Fluoride Action Network

It’s disconcerting to have a “warning label” on your toothpaste (I think it is!), but it’s not the only thing that’s wrong with traditional toothpastes! They are also loaded with: 

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): This chemical is a foaming agent and skin and eye irritant. 

Triclosan is an antibacterial property that can possibly disrupt the endocrine system and liver. 

Cocamidopropyl Betaine: It provides a lathering property. It’s a known skin, eye and lung irritant. 

Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate: Listed on the CDC’s “Guide to Chemical Hazards,” this chemical is an eye, skin and respiratory irritant. 

FD&C Blue #1: This food dye is synthesized from petroleum. It can cause allergic reactions, asthma attacks, headaches, nausea and nervousness.

Our household brushes our teeth with natural toothpastes! I see first-hand how my kids swallow the toothpaste (despite telling them to spit it out), and even if they don’t swallow it, the mucus membranes in the mouth absorb the chemicals! Go natural in the tooth care department. There are some great and refreshing toothpaste options on the natural market.

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