Certain Common Toothpaste Brands Include Lead, Mercury, and Arsenic.
Going Gumby: Lead and Other Contaminants Found in Everyday Toothpastes
Chomp, chomp – think twice before you snag that toothpaste tube! The usual suspects – lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury – have been found lurking in popular toothpastes, leaning your pearly whites a risky shade of grey.
Enter Lead Safe Mama, a consumer watchdog founded by Tamara Rubin after her family suffered from lead poisoning. Since 2009, this comeback squad has made it their mission to uncover lead levels in consumer products, turning their eyes to toothpastes in recent years.
In her latest crusade, Rubin launched a crowd-funded, third-party, independent laboratory testing operation, sifting through a whopping host of dental hygiene products. The results? The majority of dental care products under scrutiny flunked the safety test, with some also carrying hazardous levels of cadmium, arsenic, and mercury[1].
Which Toothpastes Play It Safe?
Aiming to protect the little ones, Rubin zeroed in on children’s toothpastes. But fear not adults,) she also tested some well-loved adult brands. In the sea of toothy villains, our six toothpaste superheroes emerged victorious:
- Dr. Brown's Baby Toothpaste, Strawberry
- Kids' Spry Tooth Gel With Xylitol, Original Flavor
- Pegciz Foam Toothpaste, Watermelon
- Orajel Training Toothpaste, Berry Fruity
- Miessence Toothpaste, Mint
- Essential Oxygen BR Certified Organic Toothpaste, Peppermint
Who's a Lead-y Cheater?
With testing still in the works, Rubin has revealed that of the 52 products tested thus far, 48 had traceable levels of lead, 20 harbored cadmium, 30 sheltered mercury, and 35 hid arsenic. Talk about a mouthful of trouble!
Among the accused heavyweights were popular brands like Colgate, Crest, and Tom's of Maine. The biggest offenders included toothpastes containing 300 ppb (parts per billion) or higher of lead – a whopping 30 times the acceptable levels of lead in children’s food[1].
What's the Skinny on Lead in Toothpaste?
Lead, once banished to aged pipes and flaky paint, now hides in your toothpaste! For kids, ingesting lead can lead to serious brain damage, developmental delays, and hearing issues. In adults, a steady diet of lead can cause reproductive, cardiovascular, and kidney troubles[1].
Surprisingly, the FDA allows lingering levels of lead in food and products, even toys – go figure! They set the bar high for toothpaste, allowing up to 10,000 ppb for fluoride-free toothpaste, and a frightening 20,000 ppb for fluoride toothpastes[1]. Even though none of the tested toothpastes exceeded the legal limit, no safe level of lead is standard for humans, especially youth.
So, Should I Swap Out My Toothpaste?
Manufacturers argue that because these contaminants occur naturally, it’s impossible to completely remove them from their products. Rubin puts it simply: “No safe level of lead exposure exists for human beings.”
She’s right – treat those prospective lead licks like snake venom! “It's really important to provide people with science to make informed choices. No one is going to criticize them for choosing a toothpaste for whatever reason – but would they choose this product if they knew it tested positive for lead?”[1].
Citing the American Dental Association's support of fluoride toothpaste, Rubin offers several suggestions to avoid accidental lead exposure:
- Choose toothpaste brands that have been tested and found free of contaminants
- Keep an eye on your toothpaste’s ingredients, especially bentonite clay, hydroxyapatite, calcium carbonate, or hydrated silica
- Report any suspected lead exposure to the FDA
- Consider European toothpastes, which adhere to stricter heavy metal regulations
Just watch out for that lead-laced snake venom, and remember: knowledge is dental protection!
- While choosing a toothpaste, consider the potential hazards as lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury have been found in popular brands.
- Consumer watchdog, Lead Safe Mama, led the latest investigation into dental hygiene products and revealed many failed safety tests.
- After screening a large number of products, only six toothpaste brands emerged as safe options: Dr. Brown's, Kids' Spry, Pegciz, Orajel, Miessence, and Essential Oxygen.
- However, out of 52 tested products, 48 contained detectable lead levels, 20 had cadmium, 30 harbored mercury, and 35 hid arsenic.
- Brands like Colgate, Crest, and Tom's of Maine were among the accused heavyweights with some toothpastes containing 300 ppb or more of lead.
- Lead, once thought to be confined to aging pipes and paint, has been discovered in toothpaste and can cause severe health problems in both children and adults.
- In children, excessive lead intake may lead to brain damage, developmental delays, and hearing issues, while adults risk reproductive, cardiovascular, and kidney problems.
- The FDA allows trace amounts of lead in food and products, including toothpaste, though no safe level of lead exposure is accepted for humans, particularly children.
- Manufacturers argue that it's impossible to completely remove contaminants due to their natural presence, but Rubin underlines that no safe level exists for human consumption.
- To protect oneself, Rubin offers tips to avoid lead exposure, such as picking toothpaste brands confirmed to be free of contaminants.11.She also suggests scrutinizing toothpaste ingredients, like bentonite clay, hydroxyapatite, calcium carbonate, or hydrated silica, which may contain lead.
- Additionally, reporting any suspected lead exposure to the FDA is important, as is considering toothpastes from Europe, which adhere to stricter heavy metal regulations.
- As environmental science advances, the impact of industry practices on health, nutrition, and even climate change becomes more evident.
- The increased awareness of health and wellness, fitness and exercise, digestive health, and medical-conditions has led to a rushed adoption of therapies and treatments in the industry.
- Though the measurement of lead in toothpaste has sparked concern, health-related investigations have also reshaped the fashion and beauty, food and drink, investing, home and garden, business, personal finance, data and cloud computing, technology, relationships, travel, education, and self-development industries.
- Surprisingly, the fate of items like food, toys, and even toothpaste under the watchful eye of a government regulatory body, the FDA, can rely on outdated standards.
- Science continues to unravel the mysteries of chronic diseases, rendering it essential to maintain open communication channels with medical professionals and trusted resources for up-to-date information.
- Skin care, another realm susceptible to industry manipulation, raises concerns over the use of unsafe chemicals, while its environmental impact has become a hot topic in the news.
- With continuous breakthroughs in technology, data, finance, and education, it falls upon individuals to remain vigilant and informed, focusing on health, relationships, lifestyle, and mindful consumption.