Toothpaste, which is the best one to buy?

Have you ever found yourself staring at the toothpaste shelf in the store wondering what the best toothpaste is to buy? Have you checked the box for a “full” list of ingredients and noticed there is NO list? The David Suzuki Foundation explains: http://davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/queen-of-green/faqs/toxics/how-to-avoid-toxic-chemicals-in-toothpaste/

Let’s start with the list of synthetic ingredients that could be in your toothpaste.
Encarta Meaning ‘Synthetic’:  made artificially by chemical syntheses especially so as to resemble a natural product

1. Flavoring Agents
These are artificial flavours that have no benefit in preventing gingivitis. They are added to improve the taste of toothpaste to cover up the horrid taste of the other ingredients, especially SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate)

2. Abrasives give toothpaste its cleaning power. Common abrasives include calcium phosphates, alumina,  and silica. All are NOT good for your teeth

3. Sweeteners
Sodium saccharin, is 600 times sweeter than table sugar. Other sweeteners are aspartame and ammoniated diglyzzherizins. (known Carcinogens)

4. Coloring Agents: F,D & C color pigments
These chemicals are suspected carcinogens. Coloring agents provide toothpaste with pleasing colors. Artificial dyes are used to make red, green, and blue toothpaste and are thought to trigger behavioral, learning and health problems.
 
5. Glycerin/ Propylene Glycol (also known as Anti-freeze)
Put in toothpaste to keep it moist and prevent the solid and liquid ingredients from separating. It is a viscous liquid that coats the teeth therefore preventing the saliva to do what Mother Nature intended and that is to remineralize the enamel. This additive may cause nausea if swallowed.

6. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate/SLS (known carcinogen)
This is a detergent-type ingredient that causes toothpaste to foam in your mouth. You may also see ingredients such as sodium stearyl fumarate. Some believe that (SLS) induces canker sores in people sensitive to this ingredient. SLS increases tissue permeability approximately 100-fold therefore allows other chemicals in the toothpaste to be absorbed more effortlessly.

7. Triclosan (a registered pesticide)
The Environmental Protection Agency registers it as a pesticide, assigning it high scores as a risk to both human health and the environment. Important to know that triclosan is stored in the body tissue and can accumulate to toxic levels in the liver, kidneys and lungs over time.

8. Paraffin
Derived from petroleum, paraffin creates the smooth paste that oozes onto your toothbrush.  If you happen to swallow this ingredient, you may end up with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and severe constipation.
    
9. Fluoride (Xenobiotic) Webster Dictionary Def’n for xe·no·bi·ot·ic:

• Lethal dose of fluoride in 1 box of toothpaste for a 40 lb child
• 4 out of 10 children have dental fluorosis which is the first outwardly visible sign of fluoride overdose in children
• makes bones brittle and joints more arthritic
• causes Heart Burn: when the fluoride hits the hydrochloric stomach acid it makes hydrogenfluoride-an acid that burns!
  
  

The good news is we know the bug “streptococci mutans” causes tooth decay, the bad news is that Fluoride doesn’t kill ‘streptococci mutans’.  
When you Google toothpaste brands and check their Material Safety Data Sheets this is what you will find:

TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION
Chronic Effects: No chronic health effects reported.
Target Organs: No target organs reported.
Carcinogenicity: This finished consumer product is not carcinogenic
It is no wonder the public believes that toothpaste is safe

Some will say “I spit out the toothpaste, I don’t swallow it”.....it is important to know that everything that goes into the mouth is absorbed into the bloodstream, cells, and organs. It has also been proven that the rate of absorption is even higher inside the mouth because of the moist tissues.
After reading this Article it is my hope that you will research this topic and make an informed decision when you are choosing your next tube of toothpaste.

Lori Lawrence   R.D.H., N.H.C.
Further Reading and Reference Material:
 
“Successful Self-Dentistry”; Nadine Artemis
“Whole Body Dentistry” Dr, Mark Breiner D.D.S.
David Suzuki Foundation www.davidsuzuki.org
“The 6 Hidden Dangers in Toothpaste” www.oramd.com
 
****Readers should make their own investigations to determine the suitability of the information provided for their particular purposes.

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