Tamara Rubin, founder of the consumer advocacy site Lead Safe Mama, recently embarked on just such an investigation. Through her work, she revealed ghastly quantities of heavy metals in several dental care products, most notably toothpastes. Since 2009, Rubin has channeled her energy into the battle against harmful lead consumer items. Her new findings should alarm consumers—especially parents—if they weren’t already.
He found that many of them had dangerous levels of lead. Her crowd-funded initiative led to the first-ever third-party, independent laboratory testing on dental care products. This testing uncovered an alarming trend in consumer safety. In our national lead testing campaign, we found detectable lead in 48 out of 52 tested products. Furthermore, 20 out of 40 products contained cadmium, 30 had mercury and 35 were contaminated with arsenic.
Findings of the Investigation
Rubin’s findings are particularly troubling considering the already documented health risks these heavy metals pose, particularly among children. Extremely young children are uniquely vulnerable to lead ingestion, as the metal can cause irreversible developmental harm. The final three items on her list were above 3,500 ppb of lead. This is well over the European Union standards that limit lead in toothpaste to 500 ppb.
Rubin focused her testing exclusively on kids’ toothpastes. She understood that safety is a top concern for parents when selecting products for their little ones. The investigation’s findings call into question the safety of everyday dental products that families may regularly use.
“I think it’s really important to provide people with science to make informed choices,” – Tamara Rubin
The investigation examined two prevalent ingredients in toothpastes: hydroxyapatite and calcium carbonate. Alarmingly, both ingredients had more than 200 ppb of lead, with detectable amounts of arsenic. Calcium carbonate (3) Thai Union contains cadmium and mercury. This conclusion adds to the already complicated safety profile of these commonly used products.
Implications for Consumer Choices
Combined, these findings have important implications for consumer decision making. Rubin encourages parents and caregivers to pay close attention to the dental care products they choose for their children. She encourages consumers to demand their products be tested negative for contaminants in order to reward responsible manufacturers who put consumer safety first.
Rubin’s focus on making informed decisions harkens back to the more consumer empowering, pro-consumer days long forgotten. She challenges the perception surrounding product safety and highlights a crucial question:
“No one is going to criticize them for choosing a toothpaste for whatever reason—but would they choose this product if they knew it tested positive for lead?” – Tamara Rubin
As consumers explore the market, understanding that manufacturers are transparent will be more important than ever. As a result of increased awareness about substances that may be harmful, if not fatal, consumers of all types might reconsider their purchasing decisions.
Recommendations from Dental Experts
In view of these results, oral health experts remind consumers that good dental hygiene can lead to healthy teeth and gums if they follow safe procedures. The American Dental Association (ADA) almost insists on brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Remember to floss daily and eat a healthy diet, not just for your oral health, but your systemic health too!
Yet, the ADA’s advice becomes difficult when the safety of the very products industry has marketed to make oral hygiene easier and more accessible are called into question. The ADA has not yet weighed in on Rubin’s discoveries. More importantly, they are highlighting that the selection of safe and effective dental care products can make all the difference.
The dialogue around dental care safety is growing among consumers and key opinion leaders, and momentum is building. Rubin’s investigation has sparked a dialogue about consumer rights and the responsibility of companies to ensure their products do not contain harmful substances.
“One of my favorite comments from a reader in relation to the toothpaste concern, was that snake venom is also natural; poison ivy is also natural,” – Tamara Rubin
This analogy underscores the argument for thorough testing and regulations even in products that appear benign or derived from nature. If consumers cannot trust what is in everyday items, they will likely seek more transparency and responsibility from producers.
Leave a Reply