Check Your Toothpaste!

I recently took our kids to the dentist, which prompted me to do some research on Fluoride (and toothpaste in general).  I had heard mixed opinions about it, so I wanted to find some more information.  The results were alarming enough that I feel obligated to share them with you!  Go get your toothpaste so you can see which of these ingredients are in yours!

(The following is from http://dherbs.com/articles/beware-of-toothpaste-222.html)

Commercial brand toothpastes contain caustic and toxic ingredients known to affect physical health. There's a reason why if it's ingested in large quantities that the consumer is directed to call a poison control center.

Many commercial brand toothpastes contain ingredients such as sodium fluoride, propylene glycol, sodium laurel sulfate, sodium saccharin, polyethylene, Blue Lake #1, D & C Red #30 Lake, and FD & C Blue #1 Lake.

Sodium fluoride (aka Flouride) is a toxic chemical used in rat poison. Teeth do not require fluoride, but fluorine. Fluoride is not a mineral or element, but fluorine is. Fluorine helps prevent tooth decay.

Propylene glycol is an industrial agent. It is commonly used to keep products moist and is also used in car antifreeze solutions and de-icing solutions for cars, airplanes, and boats.

Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS) is a surfactant and detergent commonly used in engine degreaser, garage floor cleaners, and car wash soaps. It's also used clinical testing as a primary skin irritant. Sodium saccharin is another ingredient in rat poison. In toothpaste, it's a sweetener.

Polyethylene is PLASTIC.

Blue Lake, FD & C Lake, and all the Lakes are petroleum-derived dyes and known carcinogens. They are used in your toothpastes to give them color.

Sugar alternatives are commonly found in oral hygiene and toothpaste products. They don't outright use sugar because toothpaste is supposed to fight against the damage of sugar so they use artificial sweeteners instead.

This article on the LIVESTRONG website concurs with the above article.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/167101-what-are-the-harmful-ingredients-in-toothpaste/

And then this website http://www.secretofthieves.com/toothpaste-ingredients.cfm lists all the toxic and harmful ingredients in mouthwash and toothpaste.  Check yours!

I hope you took time to look through these websites.  I wish someone had passed them on to me sooner than this!  I know that I am not about to put one more ounce of toxic toothpaste into my mouth or my kids' mouths!  I found excellent, safe toothpastes at our health food store -- beware, though, even some there still had SLS in them, so read the label!

So, what am I going to do with all our extra toxic toothpaste?  Put on rubber gloves and use it as a cleaning agent!