â™*PHOENIX*â™ - posted on 03/12/2011 ( 77 moms have responded )
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The ingredients that lurk inside your toothpaste, a simple everyday product we’ve all used since toddlerhood, are known toxins. And yet, we still use it. Even the American Dental Association (ADA) remains mum on these startling facts, so it’s up to you to educate yourself about the health risks of each ingredient.
Here’s a rundown of just some of the toxic ingredients you may find on your toothpaste’s ingredients label:
Sodium lauryl sulfate — This ingredient is commonly found in toothpaste, shampoos and soaps as a foaming agent to give the impression of cleansing. It is also a strong detergent known to cause eye irritation, skin rashes, hair loss, flaky skin and mouth ulcers (or canker sores).
Propylene glycol — Found in toothpaste, processed foods, cosmetics, antifreeze and brake fluid, propylene glycol is a skin irritant that can cause a bunch of complications: kidney damage, liver abnormalities, nausea, headache, vomiting, central nervous system depression, rashes and dry skin.
Triclosan — Some toothpaste products contain triclosan, which is also found in antimicrobial hand soaps. The dangerous aspect of this chemical is that it reacts when it comes in contact with the chlorine in tap water to produce chloroform, which can cause cancer.
Sodium fluoride — Sodium fluoride is one of the main ingredients in toothpaste — and rat and cockroach poison. It’s considered a carcinogen in large doses that causes paralysis, muscular weakness, clonic convulsions and respiratory and cardiac failure. It’s also never been approved by the FDA and has been linked to tooth deformities, arthritis, allergic reactions and cancer.
Fluorosilicic acid — Fluorosilicic acid is used to fluoridate tap water (in 90% of communities that fluoridate) and as a substitute for sodium fluoride in toothpaste. Fluorosilicic acid is a toxic waste product from the manufacturing of phosphate fertilizers. A study published in International Journal of Environmental Studies shows that children in areas with fluorosilicic acid added to the water had higher levels of lead in their bodies.
Don’t be fooled by products claiming to be “natural.” Finding a green toothpaste is tough, and you have to read the labels closely.
Most of Tom’s of Maine toothpaste products contain sodium lauryl sulfate, but there are two fluoride- and SLS-free options using “naturally sourced fluoride” and the foaming properties of glycyrrhizin (from purified licorice root). All of the company’s toothpaste products are made with recyclable aluminum packaging.
Miessence’s Mint Toothpaste contains no fluoride, aluminum or artificial sweeteners. Miessence only uses certified organic and beneficial ingredients in its personal care products (they’re all edible!) and ensures that its manufacturing process respects, supports and nurtures the planet.
Or, if you’re the do-it-yourself type, you can also make your own non-toxic homemade toothpaste from baking soda, peppermint oil and vegetable glycerin to be extra safe. Otherwise, you are merely picking your own poison.
(What kind of toothpaste do you use?)
would you ever make your own........?
http://1800recycling.com/2009/12/dirty-t...
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