But, many conventional toothpastes contain toxic ingredients.
Lisa Beres, Certified Green Building Professional, discusses the top five toxins you should avoid in terms of your oral and dental care.
- Fluoride: very toxic when ingested at high levels.
- Saccharine: a sweetener that has been linked to bladder cancer among other health issues.
- Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS): has been known to cause microscopic tears in mouth (which can lead to canker sores).
- Carrageenan: linked to gastrointestinal inflammation and ulcers.
- Propylene Glycol: main active ingredient in anti-freeze that's used to soften cosmetic products. It has been linked to damage to the central nervous system, liver, and heart.
The dangers can also reach beyond these toxins. The average toothbrush can contain 10 million bacteria, including E. coli and staph.
Listen in as Beres joins hosts Andrea and Lisa to share more about toxic toothpastes, as well as some healthy and safe alternatives.
Lisa and Ron Beres are Certified Green Building Professionals, Building Biologists and published authors of several books including Just GREEN It! and the children's book, My Body My House. In addition to testing the health of homes, their consulting business includes celebrities and Fortune 500's. They are award winning television media experts and have appeared on The Rachael Ray Show, The Suzanne Show, The Doctors, Fox & Friends, The Today Show with Matt Lauer, NBC’s Nightly News with Brian Williams, Discovery’s Greenovate and Chelsea Lately on E!