For years, rumors have swirled about harmful ingredients found in many major brands of toothpaste. The number one active ingredient in the most commonly used brands is fluoride, which is a confirmed toxin that’s used in rat poison and insecticide as well as being added to the water supply of many American communities.
It’s been seven decades since fluoride started to be added to our water, but in the intervening years, very negative information has come out about this additive that should make people question why it’s used as part of anyone’s health or wellness regimen at all.
For instance, did you know that fluoride has been shown to reduce brain development in children? Numerous studies worldwide have shown fluoride to be an endocrine disruptor and a carcinogen in mice. Not only that, but there’s discussion that fluoride decreases the brain’s tendency towards independent thought; it’s believed that giving fluoride to children may make them more “compliant” in school and less troublesome to society.
One has to ask, with all of these negative reports about fluoride, why is it still used in water supplies and in toothpaste? Most dentists and dental organizations, like the American Dental Association (ADA), will tell you that fluoride is one of the only substances proven to fight the decay of teeth. Well, this may well be technically true, but if fluoride really is toxic, is it still wise to use it?
Fluoride isn’t the only suspect ingredient incorporated in many brands of toothpaste. Other deteriorative components commonly found are triclosan (an endocrine disruptor and carcinogen), sodium lauryl sulfate (a carcinogen, toxin and mouth irritant), propylene glycol (a toxin found in antifreeze and paint), diethanolamine (a hormone disruptor, toxin and carcinogen) and plastic microbeads, which are incredibly tiny plastic bits that pollute the water supply and the ocean (as well as causing harm to the human body). Some toothpastes also contain artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame (usually branded as Nutrasweet), which has been linked to brain and nervous system damage.
Have you ever stopped to think about why most toothpaste comes with very explicit warnings about not consuming significant amounts of it? You’ve probably read with wonder the admonitions that if you, or, particularly, a child, were to accidentally swallow even a small amount of toothpaste that you should “call a poison control authority” immediately (a nationwide toll-free phone number for which is typically given). If toothpaste is really a safe product, why is there a warning with a phone number for “poison control”?
Could it be that toothpaste and rat poison share many of the same ingredients and could potentially cause some of the same effects?
The fact of the matter is that even if you don’t explicitly swallow any toothpaste, you’re likely ingesting it in trace amounts every time you brush your teeth. The toxins contained in it, such as fluoride, build up in your body; they don’t pass through it via the digestive process. In fact, there’s anecdotal evidence that these toxins — via direct ingestion and indirect absorption into the blood via microscopic cuts in your gums as you brush — may cause the body to deteriorate and age faster than it normally might if they weren’t present.
In light of this information, it may be worthwhile for you to research and seek out brands of toothpaste or other dentifrices that don’t contain any of these toxic ingredients.
Around the world, different cultures use toothbrush and toothpaste alternatives that don’t contain any of these substances yet may work just as well or even better than Western toothpaste. In Africa and parts of India and Southeast Asia, for instance, many people use what’s called a “miswak” — a slice of a particular bush that contains fibers inside that look and feel like those found in a toothbrush. In fact, historically speaking, the artificial fibers of a toothbrush were designed to mimic the natural fibers found in a miswak. You can order miswaks from natural food outlets or even on eBay or Amazon.com.
Alternatively, toothpastes that are free of fluoride and the other ingredients listed above are commonly available at drug and health food stores. Some of the ingredients these alternative toothpastes commonly contain are coconut oil, peppermint oil, baking soda and myrrh extract. Some people believe that simply rubbing the teeth with these ingredients (sometimes with stevia used as a natural sweetener) will work just as well as brushing them vigorously with a toothbrush. Others believe that using a toothbrush with no paste on it at all — just water — is nearly as effective as using commercial toothpaste and is a lot safer as well.
In short, there are many dental care solutions available that let you avoid the above controversial ingredients, some of which may be banned as we come to know more about them. The majority of countries around the world do not put fluoride in their water supplies.
Even in the United States, some communities are ending this practice based on new information that’s come to light. For now, it’s recommended that readers be wary of taking all claims about fluoride and other ingredients promoted by the ADA at face value.
~ Health Scams Exposed
