Couple of days ago,I intentionally read the ingredients list on my toothpaste.I read my cosmetic ingredients,but never read my toothpaste ingredients before as it just didn't get my intention.It's a toothpaste which is made by a multinational company,and most of Indonesian people know the brand. Me,and my family have been using it for quite long time.It's available everywhere,easily accessible to get the product. As now I give a full attention to ingredients list on each cosmetic products that I use and wear,so this time I read my toothpaste ingredients list and find this material:DMDM Hydantoin! I can't believe it!How can they put DMDM Hydantoin as toothpaste preservative agent??I mean,it's formaldehyde!.What is formaldehyde?According to wikipedia:"Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a characteristic pungent odor. It is an important precursor to many other chemical compounds, especially for polymers. In 2005, annual world production of formaldehyde was estimated to be 23 million tonnes (50 billion pounds).Commercial solutions of formaldehyde in water, commonly called formalin, were formerly used as disinfectants and for preservation of biological specimens. In view of its widespread use, toxicity and volatility, exposure to formaldehyde is a significant consideration for human health".
As far as I know,formalin is used for preservating dead specimens,like embalming process.I remember,there were some"cheat food producers"here who used formalin to preserve meat,back then when I was teens.People were shocked,and the government punished those cheat producers. So now,I don'tunderstand..why a multinational company use a formaldehyde agent as toothpaste ingredient?I mean,though we don't swallow our toothpaste,but there's still a chance that we can accidentally swallow it. Also,I wonder if there can be any residue left in our mouth,and I can't imagine if I have to technically accidentally"swallow" DMDM Hydantoin daily!.. Btw, you can read my preview post about chemical ingredients to avoid in skincare and cosmetics here.
So I searched for some toothpaste ingredients that we should avoid,and find this web.I'll copy ingredients list that is written there:
Fluoride Hardens Teeth
Fluoride is recommended to strengthen teeth and prevent cavities. Sodium fluoride, the form found in most toothpastes, is also used in rat and cockroach poison, nerve gas, and behavior modifying drugs. It has never been approved by the FDA. Fluoride can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, paralysis, convulsions, and cardiac failure. Four ounces of most toothpaste contains enough fluoride to kill a small child.In a surprising turnaround, a 1990 study found fluoride to have no significant impact on preventing cavities or tooth decay, while it did cause an increase in dental problems, allergies, arthritis, and cancer. Nevertheless, it continues to be used in virtually all toothpaste.
Triclosan Kils Bacteria
Triclosan is used in toothpaste for its antibacterial properties. It's also used in pesticides, and is classified as a dangerous chemical by the EPA and may cause damage to the liver, kidneys, heart and lungs, sterility, convulsions, coma and death. It is a hormone disruptor and is stored in fat, accumulating in the body's tissues with each use.
Worse, in combination with the chlorine used to sterilize normal tap water, triclosan forms chloroform – the carcinogenic gas used as an anesthetic but that can also kill in concentrations just over those needed to sedate.
Hydrated Silica Abrades and Whitens
Hydrated silica is a natural compound from quartz and sand used as an abrasive whitener in toothpaste. Repeated use harms tooth enamel and prevents tooth surfaces from re-mineralizing, causing significant damage to teeth.
Hydrogen Peroxide Bleaches Teeth
Hydrogen peroxide is used to whiten teeth, and is found in most whitening toothpastes. It is a powerful bleach, and is also used in the paper industry, hair dyes, clothing detergent, fungicides, glowsticks and as a rocket propellant. In high concentrations, hydrogen peroxide is dangerously corrosive and explosive. Topical use can cause skin and eye irritation, and blistering inside the mouth and throat. Ingestion of hydrogen peroxide causes vomiting, diarrhea and internal bleeding.
Sodium Hydroxide Freshens the Mouth
Sodium hydroxide is used to give that fresh, slick feeling – by dissolving the surface of oral tissues. Sodium hydroxide is extremely alkaline and dissolves proteins upon contact, right off of your teeth and gums.
Isopropyl Alcohol and Ethanol Freshen
Isopropyl alcohol and ethanol (ethyl alcohol) are drying agents, used to speed the entry of other toothpaste ingredients into the soft tissues of the mouth and gums.Ethanol is the primary ingredient in mouthwash and is a known carcinogen. It has also been clinically shown to destroy fillings.Ingesting as little as one ounce of isopropyl alcohol is deadly. In smaller doses, it causes headaches, dizziness, narcosis, nausea, vomiting and coma.
Potassium Nitrate Desensitizes Teeth
Potassium nitrate is one of several chemicals used to desensitize teeth. It does so by blocking the transmissions of nerve cells within the teeth and gums. Potassium nitrate is also found in ice cream, cigarettes, bombs and as a component of gunpowder, where it is called saltpetre.Even supposedly natural and organic toothpastes contain many of these ingredients, making it ever more important that consumers learn to identify harmful chemicals and avoid them.
I've ever read about fluoride long time ago but didn't put it in my consideration because there're rare toothpastes that don't contain fluoride. If you ask my personal opinion about that ingredients list,well..I'll try my best to get what I consider"safest"product at the market by always read at ingredients list first before deciding to buy any cosmetic product. It will be perfect if I can find toothpaste which is matched to that list above,however if I can't find it,at least I'll try to find product which has no formaldehyde preservative agents,or triclosan in it. Why?simple..who is in this earth wants to swallow formalin or pesticide voluntarily?Me,absolutely no!.. -___-
I also found an article about amalgam.What is amalgam?amalgam is a dental fillings which is actually a half mercury.Check this link out:http://www.amalgam.org/
courtesy of conceptdental.com.au
Sorry if you find that pic is annoying but I want to show you what amalgam filling is.I didn't know if that silver filling is half mercury untill I read it,so..now I know it :).. About this dental fillings and what material you can choose,you can read it here and here.
It's true that our toothpaste,our cosmetics products are part of our rights to decide.But at least we know what are inside our products so that we can take responsibility of the risks on our own buying decision for products that we'll buy.
Have a lovely day!:)..
10 lovely notes
Thanks for a very informative post! I'll be sure to look out for those ingredients next time I buy a tooth paste. ^.^
ReplyDeleteStephanie:
ReplyDeleteDon't mention it:) I'm glad to post this since I want and i'm sure we all want the best product for all of us.I did find a better toothpaste one,but the price is more expensive.The key is just:read on ingredients list.Now it takes me more time to just pick a toothpaste,but at least the result is worth it. I know that being healthy can be a bit tricky,but if it's not us,who will care about our health then?
Thanx for visiting;)..
Yurina:
ReplyDeleteThank you yurina,I'll post the award on my blog..:)
Hi, lovely cosme..
ReplyDeleteMau komen dikit, jangan underestimate sama amalgam loh,, sampe saat ini amalgam masih tambalan yang paling kuat dan paling awet.. kandungan merkurinya tuh cuma dikit banget kok dan ga sampe membahayakan tubuh.. cuma sekarang eksistensinya uda kalah sama tambalan yang sewarna sama gigi which is estetiknya jauhhh lebih oke.. :)
Hai Ephong:)
ReplyDeleteHmm..yah menurutku sih semua tergantung personal preferences saja sih.Kalo ada yg suka pake amalgam/merkuri,yah pake aja.Kalo yg ga suka,ya ga usah pake.Dan sekarang sudah ada banyak pilihan sehingga konsumen bisa lebih bebas memilih mau pake yg mana.Kalo aku pribadi,setauku si dokter gigiku ga makein amalgam(krn fillingnya warnanya putih)yg menurut aku memang estetikanya jauh lbh oke(ga suka bling2 di gigi aja,hehehe). Merkuri di kosmetik pun,ada org yg make krn pengen putih scr instan.Pilihan tiap org aja sih,mau pake yg mana.
Thanx for visiting anyway^^
bukan, non cosme..yang dimaksud 'bahan berbahaya' itu, kalau penggunaannya over excessive atau berlebihan atau tidak sesuai aturan yang aman secara biologis..contoh, bahan pemutih gigi itu sama dengan bahan pemutih pakaian,tapi telah disesuaikan supaya biokompatibel dengan jaringan tubuh :D Misalnya, pengencerannya dibuat berbeda, supaya konsentrasinya lebih tissue-friendly.
ReplyDeleteTapi ini postingan bagus, biar kita lebih waspada,sikat gigi gak perlu berlebihan, 2x sehari juga udah cukup :D
Salam Kedokteran Gigi..
@Ephong: halo ephong. pendapat yang bagus..tapi perlu diluruskan sedikit. Amalgam kalah bukan karena estetiknya lebih oke.
ReplyDeleteAmalgam kalah karena isu kandungan merkurinya.
Sebab kalo gigi geraham jauh lebih baik ditambal dengan amalgam, karena ketahanannya.
Gigi depan dengan komposit yg putih karena estetiknya.
Tapi secara garis besar, gak ada yang kalah, semuanya pemenang dengan penatalksanaan yang tepat!
Salam Kedokteran Gigi!
@dokter gigi:
ReplyDeleteWah,saya kok baru baca comment ini yah skrg?Sori,jrg liat post2 yg uda lama soalnya^^..
Ini mas/mbak ya?soalnya mungkin saja mbak karena"ada apa dgn giveaway blognya?"yg suka giveaway kan blog2 cewek biasanya^^..
Ok,bahan2 berbahaya disini yg mana yah?Soal bleaching,saya setuju,kalo digunakan sekali seumur hidup tidak masalah.Bagaimana jika digunakan sehari2 selama seumur hidup?Kalo formalin itu,sudah jelas dlm makanan tidak ditolerir oleh pemerintah,lalu kenapa dgn pasta gigi yg notabene masuk ke mulut hrs ditolerir?
Saya pribadi,saya memilih pasta gigi yg non formalin.Mestinya yg berkenaan dgn mulut,produk2 kosmetik menggunakan standar food grade dan bukan industrial grade.
Utk amalgam,saya sdr ga mau pake amalgam krn itu merkuri dan scr estetik ngga menarik.Skrg kan sudah ada byk pilihan,jd konsumen bisa memilih mau yg mana.Tapi konsumen berhak tau material yg akan diaplikasikan kpd gigi mereka krn merekalah yg memakai.Jika mrk ok dgn amalgam,so it's their choice. Btw,pasang invisalign di indonesia berapa ya,mas/mbak?
Hi Lovely:)
ReplyDeleteGood post! I am about to write toothpaste as well, because it's tragic...I mean the ingredients. What toothpaste and mouthwash do you use?
Hi Dina!:)
DeleteYou can call me Lynn:).I didn't put my blogger name here because I want to be focused on the blog.
Aarrgh..yep..it's tragic,the most tragic one about toothpaste -____-.......I'm currently using toothpaste,a local brand called"Enzym".That's the less worse I can find on the market here.Not to say the best,rather than nothing:( They still have ethoxylated stearyl fatty acid on it.And the fluoride as well.Don't forget that!-__-
And mouthwash..I don't use any.Not sure if I can find a good one here.What I can do the best is only to make sure nothing's left in my mouth by washing it multiple times with water so that no trace of fluoride and that ethoxylated ingredient left:S How about you?
Spamming isn't a lovely thing!I won't approve any spam and advertisement comment here.Please,don't try your luck by spamming on my blog.Thank you..