The Dirty Truth About Tooth Paste

Dental Health

The Dirty Truth About Tooth Paste

Many people these days live a healthier lifestyle. They reduce their bad fat intake, reduce refined sugar, replace it with Stevia (from a sweet herbal plant from Paraguay), Xylitol, an all natural sweetener, derived from Corn cobs and Birch trees, a proven cavity fighter and safe for use by diabetics and hypoglycemics, or cane sugar.

Modern toothpaste is a heavy mix of chemicals and synthetics meant to clean, polish and maintain healthy teeth and gums. But are those ingredients safe, or even necessary? Have you really given any thoughts to what you are swishing around your mouth at least twice a day?

It seems that toothpaste is almost as old as teeth and early populations used abrasives like crushed oyster shells, bone and eggshells mixed with flavouring and powered charcoal. Later essential oils of peppermint, spearmint or cinnamon made brushing more pleasant and helped kill bacteria and germs at the same time.

Most commercial toothpaste have ingredients such as SLS (Sodium lauryl sulphate), fluoride, PVMMA copolymer, sodium laureth sulfate , sodium saccharin, artificial colour etc. Let's find out what the ingredients really are:

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

A detergent, humectant (moisturizer), emulsifier and foaming agent. Don't get deceived if it says on the label "derived from coconut! It is a combination of lauryl alcohol and mineral sodium sulphate, followed by neutralization with sodium carbonate. Found also in car wash soap, engine degreaser, garage floor cleaners. Degenerates cell membranes and can change genetic information (mutagenic) in cells and damage the immune system. It is reported to cause eye irritation, skin rashes, hair loss, dandruff and allergic reactions. Penetrates your eyes, brain, liver and remains there long term.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is also an ionic, negatively charged surfactant. A compound which reduces the surface tension in water, between water and another liquid, or between a liquid and a solid, classified as a wetting agent. It has ether added and is therefore irritating and toxic.

Sodium Fluoride

Derived from hydroluric, made by reacting sulphuric acid with fluorspar, an ore rich calcium fluoride, a hazardous chemical. Researchers have linked to cancer but no one is listening! Especially dangerous for young children who tend to swallow it after brushing their teeth. Many toothpaste contain enough fluoride in a 120m = 4 oz tube to even kill small child! That's why many toothpaste manufacturers include a warning on their labels "Not to use by children under the age of 6 years." Fluoride can corrode the tooth enamel, when swallowed can lead to Chron's disease. It does not reduce cavities and scientists are linking it to dental deformity, arthritis, allergic reactions and approx. 10.000 death each year from cancer.

A report indicated that Fluorosis (fluoride poisoning) can result in darkened or mottled teeth, erosion of enamel, compromised bone structure and a host of other problems including learning disabilities, kidney disease and brain lesions. (see also the article "Hidden Fluoride in our food", January 2002 issue, Alternative Medicine Magazine).Pvmma CopolymerA thickener, dispersing agent and stabilizer.

It gives a soapy feel, highly irritating to eyes, skin and mucous membrane.Sodium SaccharinArtificial sweetener( from the dangerous, hazardous Aspartame family), potential carcinogenic, currently being evaluated by National Toxicology Program, mutagenic, toxic or causes adverse reactions.

Tests in the 1980s in rats developed bladder cancer, even the FDA (Federal Drug Administration, USA) list it as a possible carcinogen.

FD & C Blue No. 1

Often used to dye pastes blue, most coal tar derivative are potential carcinogens, cause allergic reactions, teratogen or toxic and has been known to produce malignant tumors at the site of injection and by ingestion in rats.

These are just a few main chemical ingredients you will find in many toothpastes, but there are also other harmful ingredients found in toothpastes that are hazardous to your health.

Therefore

"READ CAREFULLY ANY INGREDIENTS ON THE LABELS". If you can't pronounce the name of an ingredient, it is mostly a synthetic chemical and don't buy it!