Dr. Mark Burhenne discusses in his article, “How to Avoid Toxins in Your Toothpaste: 12 Ingredients to Ditch Now”, about the importance of using non-toxic ingredients to brush your teeth. Burhenne is a dentist and discusses how most toothpastes have toxic ingredients in them and how they can potentially harm the body. Although you do not swallow toothpaste, the chemicals they contain can still irritate and infect the mucus membranes in the mouth. These chemicals can get into the bloodstream and disrupt the balance of good and bad bacteria that is present in our mouths and even our stomachs.
Below are a list of ingredients that should be avoided when choosing a toothpaste. Titanium dioxide is a chemical that gives toothpaste its white color, but it does not have any benefit for teeth. The Environmental Working Group, is concerned about titanium dioxide when it is inhaled because it could be a carcinogenic or even cause organ toxicity. Triclosan can be included in some toothpastes as an antibacterial agent, but animal studies have shown that it can cause endocrine disruption and create antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. The FDA currently has this ingredient banned in products such as soaps and body washes so Dr. Burhenne questions why it can still be used in toothpaste. Another ingredient found in toothpaste is sodium lauryl sulfate, which causes toothpaste to foam. This ingredient is actually used as an insecticide and has been shown to cause irritation and organ toxicity in the body.
Fluoride is a common ingredient that is used in toothpaste and in dental offices. It is used to prevent cavities and helps remineralize the teeth. Fluoride has been shown to potentially cause acute toxicity, which manifests itself as nausea, vomiting, and headaches. Although fluoride is used to remineralize teeth, toothpaste does not contain enough fluoride to actually remineralize them. Dr. Burhenne does recommend that it is used in certain circumstances but not in over-the-counter toothpaste. Artificial dyes are another ingredient that is added to toothpaste, mostly to make visually appealing. This can be a harmful ingredient because it has been linked with hyperactivity and ADHD in kids. Parabens are a chemical used that can be used to make toothpaste last longer, but it has been known to disrupt hormones leading to a possible increase of breast cancer. Saccharin can be used as a flavoring agent and it is an artificial sweetener. In rats, it has shown to be a carcinogenic agent and it can cause coughing, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Carrageenan is used to thicken toothpaste but it can cause intestinal issues and has shown to cause inflammation and ulcerations in the colon in some animal studies.
The following website shows instructions to make your own toothpaste that is free of potentially harsh chemicals commonly found in over-the-counter toothpaste: https://askthedentist.com/homemade-toothpaste/
To find out more ways to keep yourself healthy, please visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com.
Source: https://experiencelife.com/article/safe-toothpaste/
