Will your toothpaste kill you?

My boyfriend likes to throw his hands up in the air and scream at every new thing that I find to add to my list of things to avoid. He is very fond of saying that "in the right dosage anything will kill you." He is also fond of saying that I can't eat anything except lettuce (and maybe sawdust and grass). I always retort that "if it's good for the cows then it's good for me." I know that it drives him crazy; however, I believe that there are some things that are best to not be used at all.

Does it strike anybody as wrong that there is a substance in toothpaste, and sunscreen, and various other personal care products, that can also be found as a coloring agent in some foods? Also, that the same substance found in all of these different places is carcinogenic? Additionally, it can cause immunotoxicity, has occupational hazards, organ system toxicity, skin/eye/lung irritation, and can cause changes on the cellular level (1). This does not sound like something that I would want anywhere near me, much less in my mouth!

If one was to Google the Material Safety Data Sheet for this substance then one would find the statement, "May cause gastrointestinal (digestive) tract irritation with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea (2)." I am not entirely certain how much titanium dioxide would have to be consumed in order for these effects to occur; however, the fact that this is an additive for coloring in various food products is appalling. Interestingly, in the same data sheet, protective equipment used while handling this substance: gloves, lab coat, dust respirator, and safety glasses are listed. These are things that are used in order to keep something off the body, or out of the body. If that much precaution is used in its handling, why would I want it inside of me (regardless of the amount)?

The earlier statement, about how anything in the right amount could kill you, needs to be reiterated. While that may be true, and while it may not seem that by eating a Little Debbie snack cake might not warrant a national emergency, one has to consider how much of this substance we, as consumers, are actually in-taking on a daily basis. It can be found in deodorant. It can be found in food. And I know I have seen it in toothpaste ingredients. The Environmental Working Group's website also specifies other places and names that it can be found under. Given all of this, it can be assumed that we are all probably getting more titanium dioxide in our systems in a month than we should in an entire lifetime. It would be one thing if it was an occasional use; then it might not be as big a deal to consume it (especially since, presumably, the amount of this chemical in personal care and food products is minimal). However, when it is in things that normal people use everyday (while getting ready to start the day, and while getting ready for bed) then I see this as a problem.

Disturbingly, it is difficult to escape this chemical. Before I was aware of the health risks that titanium dioxide can pose, I purchased some vegetarian friendly hand lotion. Titanium dioxide is one of the listed ingredients. In parentheses it describes it as being from a plant. The questions that I have, that I have been unable to find the answer: is there a difference between vegetable derived titanium dioxide and non-vegetable based? Is there such a thing as different kinds of titanium dioxide? Is one safer than the other? Or is there just one universal version of this chemical? And, why would anybody want to pay $10 for something that purports to be vegetarian (and by implication, better than chemical and animal-derived sludge) and yet still contains things that are unnecessary for the existence of the product? As far as I have read, there is no nutritional value to the consumption or use of this chemical. So why does it exist? Or, more importantly, why do companies use it?

When discussing and thinking about these chemicals there are more questions than answers. However, quite simply, I would like to be able to brush my teeth (so my teeth do not rot out of my head), and not have to wonder if I am going to have some serious health issue as a result!

(1) Environmental Working Group
(2) Material Safety Data Sheet

Beware of the Foam!

I was recently at Target, and decided to look at the personal care products to see if they had any shampoos that did not contain any carcinogenic or neurotoxic substances. I could not find a single one! One of the chemicals that kept coming up as one of the main ingredients in these products is sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate. There are only slight variations as to what they do. One is slightly milder than the other; however, they both cause the foaming action in soaps, toothpastes, and shampoos. This is perceived to be a good thing, as a lot of people associate foaming with cleaning. I know that it kind of freaked me out the first time I used a toothpaste that didn't foam. Now, I am glad that there are products out there that do not foam.

Sodium lauryl sulfate is "used in garage floor cleaners, engine degreaser, car-wash soaps"(1) and cleans via corrosion. It is a skin irritant that "penetrate[s] into the eyes as well as heart, liver, etc, and [has] long-term retention in the tissue(1)." Additionally, it has been known to cause cataracts. (Imagine, every time you accidentally get shampoo in your eyes when you shower, this chemical is leaching its way through your eyeball and attacking it and other vital organs in your body.) It also can attack the follicles and cause hair loss to occur. It "dries skin by stripping the lipids from the surface so it can't effectively regulate moisture(1)." Also, to make things worse, it has the potential to be carcinogenic when contaminated with nitrates.

Sodium lauryl sulfate absorbs through the skin into the body. When this happens it can also mimic oestrogen, which can decrease male fertility, increase female cancers, and increase PMS and menopausal symptoms(2).

Personally, I have frequently has issues with using soaps and shampoos because of the drying effect that they have on my hands. I get out of the shower, and I immediately have to apply lotion or else I cannot stand for my hands to be attached to my body anymore. I never knew why this was the case. I once even had the theory that it had something to do with whatever chemicals may be in the city water. Now I know, and it scares me a lot.

The same day I went to Target, I also frequented various other retail stores. At Wal-Mart, I was faced with the same problem. I could not find a toothpaste, or shampoo, that did not have this chemical. Finally, I found some products in the organic section of Hannaford that did not contain it. However, with the $10+ price tag, and my budget as tight as it has to be, I'm stuck with using the cheapo poison that I always have used. Hopefully, by the time I run out of my Dove Moisturizing Shampoo (that lists its first ingredient as being sodium lauryl sulfate), then I will be able to afford the stuff that doesn't contain this chemical.

I'm pretty sure we, as a nation, and as an universal population, can do better than this. We need to take a stand, and let these companies know that we will not tolerate these poisons in our showers, bathrooms, or households any longer! We need to get these harmful products banned from store shelves, and we need to get the prices of the poison-free products lowered so they can be more affordable for everyone. I do not care how cheap sodium lauryl sulfate is to produce. I can live without the foam! I cannot live with garage floor cleaner or car engine degreaser absorbing into and affecting my body!

Sources:
(1) Dangers of sodium lauryl sulfate
(2) Effects of sodium lauryl sulfate