Heavy Metals in Toothpaste: A Hidden Health and Environmental Risk
Heavy Metals in Toothpaste: A Hidden Health and Environmental Risk
Brushing your teeth is a daily must, but could your toothpaste be toxic? A recent study by Chengappa et al. in Frontiers in Dental Medicine found heavy metals in over-the-counter toothpastes, raising alarms about toothpaste safety and environmental impact (Chengappa et al., 2025). As someone who trusts toothpaste for a healthy smile, it is shocking to learn that metals like lead might be in my tube. Let’s dive into why this study matters, how it was done, what it found, the health risks, and what’s next for safer dental products.
Why Was This Study Needed? (Context)
Heavy metals, like lead and zinc, are natural but have spiked in our environment due to industry and waste (Masindi & Muedi, 2018). Essential metals (e.g., zinc) are needed in small doses, but nonessential ones (e.g., cadmium) are toxic, causing health issues like cancer (Jan et al., 2015). Toothpastes, used daily by billions, may contribute to heavy metal exposure, building up in our bodies and polluting water and soil (Chengappa et al., 2025). This study investigates whether toothpastes are safe or adding to toxic metal risks.
Experimental Details: How Was It Conducted?
Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, the team reviewed in vitro studies using the PICOS framework: toothpaste samples, no intervention, any comparison, heavy metal presence, and lab-based designs (Chengappa et al., 2025). They searched databases like PubMed and Scopus with terms like “heavy metals AND toothpastes,” narrowing 9,409 articles to 11 from Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and others. Data was extracted via Covidence, with quality assessed using the QUIN tool.
Instruments used
Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS): Eight studies (e.g., Orisakwe et al., 2016).
Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS): Two studies (e.g., Salama, 2016).
Microwave Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (MP-AES): One study (Vella & Attard, 2019).
What Was Found? (Results)
All 11 studies detected heavy metals, including essential (zinc, copper) and toxic (cadmium, lead, arsenic) types. Nigeria reported lead in all 35 samples tested (Orisakwe et al., 2016); Saudi Arabia found arsenic up to 221.96 ppm (Almukainzi et al., 2022). Many exceeded FDA (20 ppm lead) or WHO (0.3 ppm cadmium) limits. Seven studies had high bias risk.
Health Effects of Heavy Metals
Toxic metals are dangerous: cadmium causes kidney damage and cancer; lead triggers anemia and brain issues; arsenic risks skin cancer; mercury harms nerves (Jan et al., 2015). Even essential metals like zinc can disrupt health in excess (Chengappa et al., 2025). Daily brushing amplifies these health risks of heavy metals.
Conclusion and Future Scope
Heavy metals in toothpaste threaten health and the environment, with some exceeding safe limits (Chengappa et al., 2025). We need clearer regulations, stricter manufacturing checks, and more global studies, including human trials. Consumers should choose safer toothpastes to protect health and the planet.
References
- Chengappa, K., et al. (2025). Heavy metal content of over-the-counter toothpastes—a systematic review of in vitro studies. Frontiers in Dental Medicine, 6, 1543972. doi: 10.3389/fdmed.2025.1543972
- Jan, A. T., et al. (2015). Heavy metals and human health. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 16(12), 29592-29630. doi: 10.3390/ijms161226183
- Masindi, V., & Muedi, K. L. (2018). Environmental contamination by heavy metals. IntechOpen. doi: 10.5772/intechopen.76082
- Orisakwe, O. E., et al. (2016). Heavy metal content in toothpastes from Nigeria. Toxicology Reports, 3, 534-540.
- Salama, A. K. (2016). Assessment of metals in cosmetics. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 188(1). doi: 10.1007/s10661-016-5550-6
- Vella, A., & Attard, E. (2019). Analysis of heavy metal content in toothpastes in Malta. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 18299. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-21771-7
- Almukainzi, M., et al. (2022). Assessment of metals in cosmetics. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 188(1). doi: 10.1007/s10661-016-5550-6
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