June 8, 2011

Ingredient Spotlight: Triclosan

Ok, I'm just going to lead off with the niddy-gritty. Did you know that triclosan is a component of the gas chloroform? Yes, that's what's in the handkerchief Bad Guys hold over their victim's mouth to make them pass out in old time movies. And did you know that it might be in your toothpaste? Triclosan is used as an antibacterial in soaps, toothpastes, mouthwashes and many other products. Recently, researchers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute found that when products containing triclosan are mixed with water, a chemical reaction between chlorine and triclosan occurs, creating chloroform. That's not really the best gas to be inhaling while you're brushing your teeth. Just sayin.

Triclosan is in Colgate 2 in 1 toothpaste, Colgate Toothpaste Clean Mint, Colgate Total Plus Whitening Toothpaste, Colgate Total Gel Mint Stripe Toothpaste, Colgate Total Advanced Fresh Anticavity Fluoride & Antigingivitis toothpaste and thirty other toothpastes, a list of which you can find on the Cosmetics Database. If you want a recommendation of what to replace your old tube with, see my post on Jasons toothpastes. Triclosan is also in mouthwashes, so check the Cosmetics Database for a full list.

In other words, check the label of your toothpaste! And maybe chuck it in the waste basket, slam dunk.

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