The type of toothpaste you use could be detrimental to your health. A group of dentists have voiced real concern about some toothpastes on the market today. They say that some of these toothpastes contain substances that can be harmful to your health. Some of these chemicals present in some toothpastes have been linked to oral and breast cancers. They have also been linked to neural and cardiac ailments and on top of that mouth irritations, damaged gums as well as environmental pollution.
Dr Toby Talbot is a member of the Royal College of surgeons and an expert in restorative dentistry, and has more than 35 years experience in the field. Dr Toby Talbot believes that oral products found on the shelves are grounded more in the industrial chemistry than in medicine.
He suggests that the public gets more savvy and be more aware about what they are buying. He says that even though most oral care products suggest that they are the leading products used by dentists, that this is not so. They usually just leave the samples at the dentist’s office.
Detergents that can cause mouth ulcers
A wetting agent present in 85% toothpastes is known as Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS). SLS is used to make the pastes spread easily and helps the peppermint oil mix with the water. SLS basically keeps these elements together in the tube of paste and ensures that they do not separate from each other.
SLS causes gaps to open up between the mucosal skin cells in the mouth and this then allows toxins or carcinogen to get into these gaps. Did you know that oral mucosa is one of the most flimsy tissues present in your body? So getting any detergent (SLS) near it is not a good thing, because it can cause the mucosa some irritation and can even cause abrasions and even breaches in the skin, which in turn could then cause chronic mouth ulcers.
Colgate removed a product containing triclosan from their products last year. Triclosan is a substance used for the prevention of gum disease. It was however found that Triclosan has a chemical in it that is linked to cell cancer growth. Even though Colgate has insisted that the small doses of Triclosan in their products pose no threat, it has been proven to be an effective way to get into the body. Triclosan in toothpaste is used by industrial chemists to help stop bacteria from forming. With this in mind, the head of research and development for Colgate Patricia Verduin, said that the claims that Triclosan present in Colgate Total can lead to cancer are untrue. It has been concluded that the Triclosan present in the products do not pose the risk of cancer in humans.
Teeth whitening products can cause damage to your gums
The peroxides and hydrogen peroxide present in the teeth whitening products are toxic to the gums and have been known to irritate the soft tissues. These chemicals can damage the mucous membranes causing your gums to be harmed. It has also come to light that the levels of concentration in these products are not effective enough to be able to whiten the teeth successfully.
This being said, the fluoride present in toothpastes have done much to improve the state of teeth. The percentages in tooth decay have dropped dramatically over the last decades because of fluoride, and the overall condition of the mouth and teeth has improved.
Therabreath toothpaste contains no SLS and will not harm your gums in any way. Therabreath toothpaste actually helps to keep your gums healthy, as well as keep your breath fresh and halitosis free.