Brushing our teeth is one of those activities we’ve been doing routinely all our lives. We’ve been told since early childhood that if we are to have the “smile that lights up a room” we need to brush regularly with our familiar toothpaste. By doing this daily ritual, we will have whiter teeth, healthy gums, fewer, if any, cavities, and begin the day with a fresh taste and clean breath. True, but, aside from fluoride, are we aware of any other ingredients in the toothpaste we are using? Our assumptions are that whatever is in our toothpaste is ok and will not harm us. But did you know that there are ingredients in toothpaste that are not safe for you? This is of serious concern considering that almost 70% of us use toothpaste at least twice a day, including your kids.
Toothpaste Toxins
Here is a list of common toothpaste ingredients known to potentially cause chronic inflammation, allergies, and cancer.
Fluoride
Most toothpaste contains small amounts of fluoride. It is used to help strengthen enamel can help prevent tooth decay.
However, fluoride also comes with an acute toxicity warning from the FDA, that in higher concentrations, fluoride poisoning can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
Artificial Sweeteners
Most toothpaste manufacturers enhance the taste of their toothpaste by the use of artificial sweeteners. These include sorbitol, saccharin, and aspartame. These are all potentially problematic ingredients.
Sorbitol
Sorbitol prevents toothpaste from becoming dry and crusty. However, it is also a laxative, and if ingested by children, can cause diarrhea.
Saccharin
Saccharin is added to toothpaste to improve its taste. This has been identified as a carcinogen in laboratory studies on rats and mice. When given saccharin, their risk of brain tumors, lymphoma, and bladder cancer increased.
Aspartame
Aspartame used to add flavor to toothpaste. However, this sweetener also comes with a warning for its carcinogenic properties.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
SLS is a detergent, used as a foaming agent for toothpaste. Unfortunately, it can also cause the development of canker sores, as well as general inflammation.
MEA (Monoethanolamine), DEA (Diethanolamine) & TEA (Triethanolamine)
These ethanol compounds are added to toothpaste to improve consistency and make toothpaste creamier. These are carcinogenic and can harm the liver and kidneys. Diethanolamine (DEA) is also a hormone disruptor, cited as a human respiratory toxin, and carcinogen.
Microplastics
These are added to increase the abrasiveness of the toothpaste in order to improve its plaque removal properties. However, when the small bits of plastic are swallowed, they accumulate in our muscles leading to fatigue, inflammation, and cancer.
Titanium Dioxide
Titanium dioxide is widely used in toothpaste to enhance its white color. However, there is concern that titanium dioxide is carcinogenic for the body’s non-reproductive organs.
The Takeaway
The many potentially toxic ingredients found in toothpaste should require a poison control label stating that these additives can cause cancer, and irritate the skin, eyes, and lungs.
Instead of reaching for a traditional toothpaste with all these chemical additives, why not try a healthier and safer alternative like LIVFRESH Dental Gel. All three products do not contain any abrasives, antimicrobials, phthalates, parabens, sugar, gluten, SLS, or triclosan. All our ingredients are on the FDA GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) list.
LIVFRESH Dental Gel is a pioneer in the world of toothpaste and dental gels. It uses a combination of different ingredients to create a patented formulation that have been proven to deep clean and remove plaque 250% better than standard toothpaste from leading brands. Browse the LIVFRESH line of dental gels today and start your journey to healthier teeth, gums, and mouth.