Toothpaste! (Dedicated to Malli ❤)

A great question was posed by a brilliant 6-year-old mind. “If I can put toothpaste on my teeth, why can’t I swallow it?” Good call, girlfriend… that does make ZERO sense if you think about it hard enough.

So why do we have to go to that extra effort of swishing and spitting after brushing our teeth? The main answer is that most toothpastes contain fluoride which can help build strong teeth when applied, but it can upset your stomach and may cause problems such as white discoloration of your teeth if you swallow too much over time. BTW, at the age of 1 you can use a tiny rice-sized smear of fluoride toothpaste and at age 3, you can use the size of a pea!

You will also find some questionable ingredients in most regular toothpastes as well. My general rule is if you can’t say it, be suspicious. Even though you aren’t swallowing your toothpaste, the mucus membranes of the mouth are pretty good at absorbing stuff. Some toothpastes contain titanium dioxide which is known to be a carcinogen and toxic to non-reproductive organs 1. Cocamidopropyl betaine is added to make toothpaste foam up, but can cause allergic reactions and be contaminated with nitrosamines which are a known carcinogen 1. Propylene glycol is found in some types… the industrial form is an ingredient in antifreeze 1. ‘Nuff said. Some pastes also contain synthetic food dyes made from petroleum that have been linked to hyperactivity and ADHD in kids 1. While these ingredients are all approved by the FDA, you have to wonder how much is really safe to put in your body.

Finally, triclosan used to be in toothpaste but was removed from most formulations after the FDA put out regulations in 2016 due to concerns that it could cause problems with thyroid hormones, cancer and also contribute to resistance of bacteria to antibiotics 2.

Sooooo… to wrap it up, keep swishing and spitting. If you love your Crest, that little bit in your mouth briefly twice a day may be ok, but there are also lots of natural alternatives to try out!

1. EWG

2. 5 Things to Know About Triclosan | FDA