A new report published by the Cornucopia Institute, compares and assesses the ingredients of many toothpastes available in the marketplace
Behind the Dazzling Smile, Toxic Ingredients in Your Toothpaste? provides an excellent scorecard and ranking system where it looks at ingredients in toothpastes and ranks the product based on:
- Presence of artificial functional chemicals such as sweeteners, flavors, colorants and antimicrobials
- Organic status
- 3rd party certifications
The US FDA does not systematically assess the safety of personal care products. It allows the cosmetics industry to self-regulate and evaluate its own products. This has resulted in the presence of contaminants and other hazardous chemicals in consumer goods that may cause a plethora of health related issues.
Typical Toothpaste Ingredients
- Abrasives such as calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate and silicates
- Fluoride to strengthen tooth enamel and reduce tooth decay
- Humectants to prevent water loss in the toothpaste. Examples include glycerol, and sorbitol
- Flavoring agents, such as saccharin and other sweeteners. (No ADA-Accepted toothpaste contains sugar or any ingredient that promotes tooth decay)
- Thickening agents to stabilize the toothpaste formula. They include natural gums, seaweed colloids [e.g. carrageenan], or synthetic cellulose
- Detergents to create foaming action, including sodium lauryl sulfate
- Some toothpastes contain ingredients such as
- Potassium nitrate or strontium chloride to help reduce tooth sensitivity
- Stannous fluoride to help reduce gingivitis
- Pyrophosphates, triclosan, and zinc citrate to reduce a buildup of plaque
- Modified silica abrasives or enzymes to help whiten teeth
- Triclosan, to help reduce bad breath
Findings from the Report
Approximately 50 toothpaste brands were reviewed from Europe and the U.S.
Toothpaste categories include: Organic/natural, organic, natural, premium and mass market. Some insights include:
- Children are at greater risk of exposure, because they tend to ingest more toothpaste than adults.
- The EU has stricter cosmetic laws than the U.S.. Toothpastes sold in Europe have different, safer formulations than the same products, made by the same companies sold in the U.S.
- If a toothpaste is branded NATURAL, it does not mean it is free from hazardous chemicals.
- Toothpastes targeted to children often contain artificial colors (food dyes), which have been linked to hyperactivity and related behavioral problems in children.
- There are some third-party certifications that help assure the quality of toothpaste ingredients.
Recommendations
Read the labels and familiarize yourself with potentially harmful chemicals. Where possible, rely on toothpaste that is certified by a well-respected third party certification system
Impacts to your business?
Questions to consider:
- Do you consider 3rd party certifications?
- Has your company identified hazardous chemicals in products?
For help with any issue associated with chemicals, contact Amanda Cattermole at (415) 412 8406 or Amanda@cattermoleconsulting.com. We can help you develop powerful solutions to protect your company and brand reputation and result in safer products manufactured in cleaner supply chains.
Tips and Insights contains information to help you make informed chemical management decisions. Each post highlights a particular topic and includes questions you may want to consider for your business.