Introduction
Toothpaste is a dental hygiene product that everyone uses on a regular basis. It is meant to clean the insides of our mouth, including our teeth and gums.
But more than its claimed cleaning effects, everyone should be aware that ingredients of every toothpaste product can be harmful to the teeth.
1. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS) are just a few of the many surfactants that are usually found in any toothpaste product and these are chemicals that are responsible for the foaming action of the toothpaste.
These surfactants break up the phospholipids on your tongue, which interferes the functioning of your taste buds. This is why everything tastes so bad after brushing your teeth. It can also create microscopic damage to the oral tissues inside the mouth, which is usually the cause of Canker Sores.
2. Polyethylene
This ingredient is found in toothpaste products because of the properties in it that act as an emulsion stabilizer, viscosity, exfoliating and polishing agent.
Polyethylene in your toothpaste can be harmful especially when used on a broken skin because it can lead to toxicity which will not only affect the insides of your mouth but also lead to serious body problems.
3. Glycerin
This is put in toothpaste products to make it look smooth and less “chalky”. When Glycerin is coated in your teeth, bacteria are encapsulated. This ingredient may seem to give off the lesser harm than the other ingredients, but this actually prevents re-enamelization.
Your teeth regenerate themselves and this will be slowed down if Glycerin is coated in it. When the enamel is destroyed, you would still need to clean all the coatings inside so as to absorb the calcium and other minerals that are found together with them.
4. Propylene Glycol
This chemical is present in many toothpaste and beauty products as well. This is also used for anti-freezing and for brake fluids. When this type of chemical is ingested in large amounts, it will lead to acute toxicity especially if gets in contact with broken skin. Prolonged use of this chemical can also cause serious harm not only to the teeth but to the other parts of the body as well.
5. Sodium Fluoride
This is one chemical that is found in most commercial toothpaste products. Sodium Fluoride is said to prevent tooth decay, but in actuality, it causes demineralization by removing the calcium found in your teeth. In the long run, the teeth become discolored and brittle.
Conclusion
There are a lot of toothpaste products out in the market. There are some brands which would appeal more to you or could perhaps focus on the area which needs improvement for your mouth’s state.
Toothpaste is an essential part of your daily life and upon knowing some harmful ingredients on it, as much as you would want to, you just can’t avoid using it. The only thing you can do to minimize harm when using toothpaste is to make sure that you read the ingredients in it.