4. Triclosan: A pesticide found in many types of toothpaste
Triclosan, a chemical used for its antibacterial properties, is an ingredient found in numerous detergents and toothpastes.
However, the formulation and structure of this ingredient are similar to some of the most toxic chemicals on earth. Because of this fact, triclosan has been scrutinized in regards to human health and safety, according to Tufts University School of Medicine.
While the companies that manufacture products containing triclosan claim that it is safe, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has registered it as a dangerous pesticide. The EPA gives triclosan high scores both as a human health risk and as an environmental risk, yet it is found in the toothpastes that you use multiple times a day.
Triclosan is a chlorophenol, which is a class of chemicals that is suspected of causing cancer in humans. Externally, phenol can cause a variety of skin irritations, but since it can temporarily deactivate sensory nerve endings, contact with it may cause little or no pain. Taken internally, even in small amounts, phenol can lead to cold sweats, circulatory collapse, convulsions, coma and death.
Additionally, chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides can be stored in body fat, sometimes accumulating to toxic levels.
Long term exposure to repeated use of many pesticide products can damage the liver, kidneys, heart and lungs. It can also suppress the immune system, cause hormonal disruption, paralysis, sterility and brain haemorrhages. (From “Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisonings.” Environmental Protection Agency)
5. Hydrated Silica: A whitener that damages tooth enamel
Hydrated silica, which is primarily used as an abrasive in toothpaste, is made from a crystallized compound found in quartz, sand, and flint. (From “The Safe Shopper’s Bible”)
Tooth enamel re-mineralises daily from the supply of ionic calcium and phosphorus in the saliva. Scratching the surface of the tooth with an abrasive such as hydrated silica harms the enamel and prevents remineralization, much like using sand to clean glass. Severe wear could eventually occur.
”The public is cautioned against excessive use of products containing 'dioforms,' which are abrasive substances that can cause the breakdown of tooth enamel. Products containing the ingredients silica and cellulose, in particular, should be avoided when gum disease, tooth decay, sensitivity
and receding gums are present.
While these ingredients can remove tartar and make teeth whiter in appearance, they also may do harm to dental health by altering the acidic balance of the mouth, gums and tongue,” said Dr. Warren Scherer, New York University College of Dentistry, as reported by The Naples Daily News.
6. Titanium Dioxide
Titanium dioxide is best known as an ingredient in sunscreen and is used in thousands of very common cosmetic products. What’s worse, titanium dioxide is an ingredient for which no long--term safety testing on humans has ever been conducted. In fact, according to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, titanium dioxide may be a human carcinogen. In toothpaste it is used for its whitening powers. Alarming right?
