For most of us, Toothpaste is something that we put in our mouth twice a day. Yet, we hardly pay any attention to what it contains.The harmful chemicals present in our Toothpaste can be scary. Here is a lIst of a few of the violators.
Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS)
Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) or lauryl sarcosinate is a foaming lather (detergent) which keeps paste in the mouth and removes dirt and grease from the teeth. SLS is a carcinogen classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a Group 2B carcinogen. Detergents cause sensitization and interfere with the functioning of taste buds by breaking up the phospholipids. It irritates the oral tissues and can cause cancer sores, oral ulcers, stomach problems, and even cancer.
Sweeteners
Sweeteners and Flavourings are used to mask the taste of other ingredients and make the toothpaste more palatable. Artificial flavours of Mint,Cinnamon , anise, vanilla are used. Sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, xylitol, and sodium saccharin.These additives can cause irritation to oral tissues and trigger heartburn. Aspartame is the most common artificial sweetener used, which is 200 times sweeter than sugar. Aspartame has been known to be metabolized inside the body to poisonous methanol and formaldehyde and its side effects include migraine, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression.
Dyes And Coloring's
Blue, red, yellow and green are the popular dyes used in the toothpaste.
Fluoride
Fluoride is said to strengthen the tooth enamel and makes the teeth more resistant to acid produced by bacteria. But it does come with its share of health risk. It can cause permanent tooth discoloration, stomach problems, skin rashes, and impairment in glucose metabolism. Fluoride is a toxic chemical that accumulates in tissues over time, wreaks havoc with enzymes, and produces a number of serious adverse health effects, including neurological and endocrine dysfunction. Children are particularly at risk for adverse effects of overexposure.
Preservatives
Sodium benzoate, methylparaben, and ethylparaben are the common preservatives used in toothpaste. Parabens mimic the hormone estrogen and can potentially cause cancer, developmental, and reproductive issues.
So next time you use a toothpaste, ask yourself “Aapke toothpaste mein Kya Hai”.
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