Have you read the “Ingredients” Label on your tube of Toothpaste lately and been intimidated by terms such as: triclosan, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, sodium fluoride, saccharin, titanium dioxide, sorbitol, glycerol, potassium nitrate, strontium chloride, zinc citrate, sodium lauryl sulfate, chlorhexidine, aluminum trihydrate, sodium monofluorophosphate, sodium methyl cocoyl taurate, silica, allantoin, and so on? Well, this is an attempt to familiarize you with some toxins you may choose to avoid– in the interest of your sustained health and vitality.

Triclosan

– present in most supermarket brand toothpastes - reacts with the chlorine in the tab water to form chloroform gas and chlorinated dioxins, both known carcinogens. Triclosan bioaccumulates and is present in human breast milk, this is rather significant considering Triclosan is a major active ingredient in all antibacterial soaps, mouthwash, deodorants, shower gels and even in makeup, powders, clothing and children toys. Triclosan is lipophilic, thus accumulates in fatty tissue. And – No, your teeth are not exposed to it for just a short instance; Colgate’s “Total” series’ claiming that their toothpastes "continue working" or "stay on the teeth" for up to twelve hours after brushing. As for the environment, consider that wastewater cannot neutralize Triclosan and thus the substance can be detected in lakes and rivers where it can find its way into our tab water. It also endangers the ecosystem: Triclosan has been found to act as endocrine system inhibitor in bull frog tadpoles and is being studies for its effect on thyroid function. The reality of genetic damage to amphibians in water where Triclosan traces are found, may be indicative of long term health problems that we don’t even know yet.There are other concerns too, such as Allergies including Asthma and resistance building of bacteria by its widespread over-use.

Sodium fluoride

– never mind its widespread use even in public drinking water, Fluoride is the most popular active ingredient in toothpaste due to its proven ability to prevent cavities. Most toothpaste brands use a concentration of fluoride in toothpaste for adults is 1000 to 1450 ppm max. In contrast, Fluoride is more toxic than lead and is also considered toxic waste! The US EPA has set the maximum contaminant level for fluoride at 4 ppm! The US Public Health Service has stated that fluoride makes the bones more brittle and the dental enamel more porous. The Safety Officer in Physical Chemistry at Oxford University states: “Very toxic by ingestion, inhalation and skin contact. 4g may be fatal. May cause burns. Severe eye irritant. Chronic exposure may cause lung damage.” How much fluoride is too much? As little as 0.04 mg/kg/day has been proven to cause adverse health effects. Retention of 2mg a day will produce crippling skeletal fluorosis (a bone disease exclusively caused by excessive consumption of fluoride) in one's lifetime. And – Yes, Fluoride accumulates in the body and the kidneys can only eliminate a part of the daily onslaught of fluoride. At risk are particularly children, because fluoride is found not only in toothpaste, but also in water, mouthwash, Dentist's treatment, fluoride pills, juice, soft drinks, canned food, commercial fruit and vegetables, and salt. Children's ingestion of fluoride from juices and juice-flavored beverages can be quite substantial and a crucial factor in developing fluorosis (The damage in tooth development occurs between the ages of 6 months to 5 years, from the overexposure to fluoride.). Grape juice has been found to contain up to 6.8 mg/L of fluoride, a can of chicken soup up to 4 mg of fluoride. Fluoride interacts with dairy products, thus drinking milk after brushing teeth may create calcium fluoride, a substance which can not be absorbed by the body. Do the math: if you live in an area where you are exposed to high involuntary exposure to forced fluoridation (city water, food additives), your health is in acute danger!

Saccharin

– is used as sweetener, but also as thickener and – is a very common ingredient, as we expect toothpaste to taste sweet and sugar is obviously not indicated. Saccharin is a synthetic sweetener 300 times sweeter than sugar. In high doses Saccharin can cause side effects, but in toothpaste only small doses are used. However, frequently other synthetic sweeteners such as Sucralose, Aspartame or Cyclamate are used in toothpaste.

Sorbitol

– is used as sweetener, but also as thickener and is found in most Gel Toothpastes. Sorbitol can also be used as laxative in amounts that exceed what is used in Toothpaste.

Glycerol

– is an odorless, colorless, viscous liquid chemical used in most Toothpastes as “non active” ingredient. It is also widely used in pharmaceuticals, in foods as humectant (retains moistness), preservative, filler and sweetener (Glycerol is a sugar alcohol) and has a better taste than Sorbitol. In personal care Glycerol is common in hair care, skin care, mouth wash, perfumes and is a major ingredient in glycerin soap. While this ingredient is of no concern in Toothpaste, the fatally toxic subject agent in the China imports was the related diethylene glycol, which is similar in appearance, smell and taste, but a lot cheaper than Glycerol.

Titanium Dioxide

– if the color of your Toothpaste is snow white, it is likely for this ingredient, which is also common in sun block, lip stick and many cosmetics. While Titanium Dioxide it is an unnecessary ingredient in Toothpaste, the more important question is: can it do harm? The answer seems to be No, it is relatively non-toxic and even environmentally without concerns.

Strontium Chloride

– a de-sensitizing agent that works by blocking the tiny crevices (microtubules) that enable cold and heat sensations to reach the tooth's nerve. It is a radioactive isotope and is toxic on skin and eyes and a cause of indigestion when eaten. Some products have replaced Strontium Chloride with Potassium Citrate or Potassium Nitrate which acts differently in masking pain – by blocking the mechanism of pain transmission between nerve cells. However, since the pain that is being masked is there as a warning that dental treatment is inevitable, these compounds promote the cause of a wide array of misdiagnosed disease symptoms caused by hidden dental problems. Watch out for these compounds in “Toothpaste for sensitive teeth”, such as Sensodyne, Rembrandt, Tom’s of Maine and others.

Zinc Citrate

- is considered a natural, safe and appropriate ingredient for tartar control and antigingivitis Toothpaste. The other anti-tartar buildup ingredient Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate is slightly toxic and has a bitter taste requiring additional flavorings to mask.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

- this chemical is a very effective foaming agent, known as surfactant. Unfortunately, SLS is also very dangerous, highly irritating chemical. A study at the University of Georgia Medical College, indicated that SLS penetrated into the eyes as well as brain, heart, liver, etc., and showed long-term retention in the tissues. The study also indicated that SLS penetrated young children's eyes and prevented them from developing properly and caused cataracts development In adults. SLS is used in Garages as engine degreaser and to mop the oil strained floors! Is that what we want to put into our children’s mouth? For all that, even “Tom’s of Maine” is using SLS, pretending it is a natural product “derived from coconut oil” (a deceiving statement and gross distortion of the fact that SLS is very highly chemically processed) and citing its long history of use and declaring its dangers as “rumors”. However, the company falls short of proving safety and – once again: the FDA do not require manufacturers to test their products for safety! The American College of Toxicology says that SLS stays in the body up to five days. Other studies show it easily penetrates the skin and eyes, and enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, liver, lungs, and even the brain and has shown long term retention in tissue. So why is SLS used at all? Because it is cheap and the consumers (yes us!) are requesting cheap buys – and foamy, bubbly products.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)

– because of mounting criticism and pressure of consumers to replace SLS, some companies are switching to SLES, claiming it is “much safer”. Although sodium laureth sulfate seems somewhat less irritating than SLS, there is no proving that it is safer. SLES as SLS cannot be metabolized by the liver and its effects are therefore much longer-lasting. This not only means it stays in the body tissues for longer, but much more precious energy is used getting rid of it. Examples: Pepsodent “Anti-Cavity”, Tom’s of Maine “Anticavity Fluoride Cinnamint”

Chlorhexidine

– its intended use and (unwanted) risk can be determined from the official FDA web site: “The effect of Chlorhexidine gluconate on periodontitis has not been determined. An increase in supragingival calculus was noted in clinical testing in Chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse.” Side effects include tartar buildup, change in taste, and increase in plaque, staining of teeth, mouth, tooth fillings, dentures, or other appliances in the mouth. So it seems this chemical is aimed at solving one oral problem (gingivitis) while spawning others (plaque and tartar buildup)! In Elgydium “Anti-Plaque” Toothpaste as Chlorhexidine digluconate.

Aluminum Trihydrate

– widely used in Toothpaste recipes in Europe as a scrub or abrasive, while in the US Hydrated Silica are more common fillers.

Allantoin

- is present in botanical extracts of the comfrey plant. Chemically synthesized bulk allantoin is natural-identical, safe, non-toxic and used as anti-irritant, anti-sensitizing agent.

Sodium Monofluorophosphate

- is widely used in major brand Toothpastes to protect tooth enamel from attack by bacteria (cavities, also known as caries). It was developed to avoid infringing on the Crest patent for stannous fluoride. The active part of the molecule is the fluoride ion, which is why two other fluorine containing compounds, sodium fluoride, and stannous fluoride are also used. As Sodium Fluoride becomes inactive when used with abrasives that contain calcium, Sodium Monofluorophosphate can be used and remain effective. MFP seems to be less toxic than Sodium Fluoride and is used in quantities of less than 1% in most Toothpaste and is said to reduce cavities by 17-38%. It is not used in drinking water fluoridation nor is it added to foods. In Colgate, Aim, Ultra Bright, Aquafresh, Tom’s of Maine, Close-up, Aim, Pesodent, Sensodyne, Rembrandt, Natural Dentist, GoSmile, Biotene, Listerine, Mentadent and others.

Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate

– is used in a major Toothpaste branded for “sensitive teeth” and is a Nitrosating Agent, the chemical can cause nitrosamine contaminations, which have been determined to form cancer in laboratory animals. There are wide and repeated concerns in the USA and Europe about the contamination of cosmetics products with nitrosamines. It is rated “unsafe for cosmetics” in the EU and “unsafe for infant products” in the US and is banned – yet present in Toothpaste such as in Sensodyne.

Other Ingredients

– there are many more ingredients in Toothpaste, such as flavors and colorants and other compounds that produce the intended brand appeal. These are to numerous to list here and may be less important in the context of toxins that can cause many “unexplained” disease symptoms.

Summary – which is a safe Toothpaste ?

There is really not a straight answer to that, but all of the major branded Toothpaste feature at least some of the highly toxic ingredients. While they may all claim to be safe, their claims are limited to their product and do not account for accumulation of toxins by repeat use and by use of additional products with these toxins. Unfortunately, the consumer is left alone figuring out what toxic levels are tolerable to them. The Environmental Working Groups’ not for profit web site “Skin Deep” features a detailed, searchable database and ratings of Toothpaste and other Personal Care products, which can be useful – if you live in a country where those products are available: http://www.cosmeticdatabases.com

Meet the Author: http://www.vitalityconcepts.com

References: you may download original article with Bibliography links at http://www.vitalityconcepts.com/v2/index.html

Heinz R Gisel is a Personal Nutritional Concepts and Medical Devices Innovator, based in San Diego and Tokyo. He is the Founder of Vitality Concepts Corporation and Doctors 4 Vitality Clinics, LLC. He developed a a clinical, non-invasive analysis system that can detect disease before any symptoms occur, without radiation. He believes that Nutrients belong into food and beverages and not capsules and pills and he has patents pending on such nutritional concepts. Email at: HRG@D4VC.com