Latest news with #BabyFoodSafetyActof2024
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lead and Arsenic Discovered in Trusted Toothpaste Brands
That minty-fresh feeling might come with a hidden cost. A recent study has found that popular toothpaste brands are contaminated with dangerous heavy metals like lead and mercury, posing unexpected health risks every time you brush. A new U.S. study has uncovered a disturbing truth about the products many rely on for daily oral care. The study discovered that popular toothpaste brands, including those marketed for children and as 'natural' or 'eco-friendly,' are contaminated with toxic heavy metals. The investigation, led by consumer advocacy group Lead Safe Mama, tested 51 toothpaste products and found that approximately 90% contained lead. Even more concerning, 65% had traces of arsenic, nearly half tested positive for mercury, and about one-third showed cadmium contamination. Many of these toothpastes contained multiple heavy metals, intensifying health concerns. While the highest detected levels violated safety standards set by Washington State, they still fell within federal limits—limits that public health experts argue are dangerously outdated and insufficient. 'It's unconscionable—especially in 2025,' said Tamara Rubin, founder of Lead Safe Mama. 'What's really interesting to me is that no one thought this was a concern.' Despite proposed legislation like the stalled Baby Food Safety Act of 2024, which seeks to cap lead levels in children's food at 10 parts per billion (ppb), and California's stricter 6 ppb limit, no such regulations currently exist for toothpaste. Rubin suggests the contamination may be linked to ingredients commonly found in toothpaste formulations like hydroxyapatite (often derived from cow bone), calcium carbonate, and bentonite clay. These substances are typically included for their whitening or cleansing properties and dental benefits, but may inadvertently introduce dangerous levels of heavy metals into the product. Several well-known toothpaste brands—including Crest, Sensodyne, Tom's of Maine, Dr. Bronner's, Davids, and Dr. Jen—were flagged in the recent study for containing concerning levels of heavy metals. Despite the serious findings, none of the named companies have taken action to remove lead from their products, according to Tamara Rubin of Lead Safe Mama. Rather than addressing the contamination, some companies responded with legal threats. Rubin revealed that she received cease-and-desist letters from certain manufacturers, which she publicly shared on her blog. In defense, some brands claimed that lead is naturally present in the environment and, therefore, impossible to eliminate entirely. Others dismissed the study's findings as insignificant or unworthy of concern. Neither the U.S. Food and Drug Administration nor Procter & Gamble, the parent company of Crest, has issued a statement regarding the study. On a more positive note, not all toothpaste brands tested showed contamination. Products such as Dr. Brown's Baby Toothpaste were found to be free from lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium. Notably, these safer options also avoided the three high-risk ingredients—hydroxyapatite, calcium carbonate, and bentonite clay—suggesting a potential link between formulation choices and contamination levels. The presence of heavy metals in toothpaste poses serious health threats, especially for children. Lead exposure, even at low levels, can impair cognitive development, reduce IQ, and cause behavioral issues. It can also harm kidney function and raise the risk of heart disease over time. Worryingly, all four metals detected in the study—lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic—are classified as carcinogens. Their presence in everyday hygiene products like toothpaste adds to growing concerns over long-term exposure and the cumulative effects on children's health and development. Read the original article on GEEKSPIN. Affiliate links on GEEKSPIN may earn us and our partners a commission.
Express Tribune
18-04-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Dangerous heavy metals found in popular toothpaste brands, including lead
A new US study has revealed that many popular toothpaste brands, including some for children and others marketed as natural or green, are contaminated with dangerous levels of lead and other heavy metals. Lead Safe Mama, the consumer advocacy group behind the investigation, tested 51 toothpaste brands and found that around 90 percent contained lead. Additionally, 65 percent contained arsenic, nearly half tested positive for mercury, and about one-third showed traces of cadmium. Many brands were found to contain multiple heavy metals, raising serious health concerns. The highest levels discovered violated the state of Washington's safety limits, although they remained within federal guidelines. Public health advocates have criticised federal limits as inadequate, pointing out that even low levels of lead exposure can be harmful. 'It's unconscionable – especially in 2025,' said Tamara Rubin, founder of Lead Safe Mama. 'What's really interesting to me is that no one thought this was a concern.' Exposure to lead can damage cognitive development in children, harm the kidneys, and increase the risk of heart disease. All four of the detected metals – lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic – are classified as carcinogens. Among the brands found to contain concerning levels of metals were Crest, Sensodyne, Tom's of Maine, Dr Bronner's, Davids, Dr Jen and others. So far, none of the companies named have agreed to remove lead from their products, Rubin said. Some have responded by sending cease-and-desist letters, which she posted publicly on her blog. Several companies have defended their products by stating that lead occurs naturally in the environment and cannot be completely eliminated. Others dismissed the test results as insignificant. The Baby Food Safety Act of 2024, which is currently stalled in Congress, proposes a limit of 10 parts per billion (ppb) for lead in children's food. California has already implemented a stricter limit of six ppb. However, neither law addresses toothpaste. The FDA and Procter & Gamble, the parent company of Crest, have not yet commented. According to Rubin, the contamination likely stems from specific ingredients used in toothpaste formulations, such as hydroxyapatite, calcium carbonate, and bentonite clay. Hydroxyapatite, which is derived from cow bone, is believed to support calcium absorption in teeth. Calcium carbonate is used to whiten teeth, and bentonite clay acts as a cleansing agent. However, not all brands tested positive. Some children's products, including Dr Brown's Baby Toothpaste, were found to be free of lead and other heavy metals. These also did not contain the three suspect ingredients.
The Guardian
17-04-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Toothpaste widely contaminated with lead and other metals, US research finds
Toothpaste can be widely contaminated with lead and other dangerous heavy metals, new research shows. Most of 51 brands of toothpaste tested for lead contained the dangerous heavy metal, including those for children, or marketed as green. The testing, conducted by the Lead Safe Mama non-profit, also found concerning levels of highly toxic arsenic, mercury and cadmium in many brands. About 90% of toothpastes contained lead, 65% contained arsenic, just under half contained mercury, and one-third had cadmium. Many brands contain a number of the toxins. The highest levels detected violate some federal and state limits in the US, though the thresholds have been roundly criticized by public health advocates for not being protective – no level of exposure to lead is safe, the federal government has found. 'It's unconscionable – especially in 2025,' said Tamara Rubin, Lead Safe Mama's founder. 'What's really interesting to me is that no one thought this was a concern.' Lead can cause cognitive damage to children, harm the kidneys and cause heart disease, among other issues. Lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic are all carcinogens. Rubin first learned that lead was added to toothpaste about 12 years ago while working with families that had children with high levels of the metal in their blood. The common denominator among them was a brand of toothpaste, Earthpaste, that contained lead. Last year she detected high levels in some toothpaste using an XRF lead detection tool. The levels were high enough to raise concern, and she crowdfunded with readers to send popular brands to an independent laboratory for testing. Among those found to contain the toxins were Crest, Sensodyne, Tom's of Maine, Dr Bronner's, Davids, Dr Jen and others. So far, none of the companies Lead Safe Mama checked have said they will work to get lead out of their product, Rubin said. Several sent her cease-and-desist letters, which she said she ignored, but also posted on her blog. Some companies have defended themselves, often claiming that lead is found in trace levels throughout the environment and is impossible to avoid. Others have said the levels Rubin found are not concerning. The federal Baby Food Safety Act of 2024, which is stalled in Congress, called for lead limits in kids' food or personal care products like toothpaste of five parts per billion (ppb). California's limit on lead in baby food is two ppb, but it does not include toothpaste. Most toothpastes exceeded those thresholds. The FDA's current lead limit for children is 10,000 ppb, and 20,000 ppb for adults. None exceeded the FDA limits. The state of Washington recently enacted a law with 1,000 ppb limits – several exceeded that and have been reported, Rubin said, but companies have time to get in compliance with the new rules. The FDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did Crest's parent company, Procter & Gamble. Rubin said the contamination seems to lie in some ingredients added to toothpaste, including hydroxyapatite, calcium carbonate and bentonite clay. Hydroxyapatite is extracted from cow bone and added because it allegedly helps teeth absorb calcium, though Rubin said she doubts it does. Calcium carbonate is added to help remove stains from teeth. Bentonite clay is a cleaning agent. Those with the highest levels all had bentonite clay. Meanwhile, Rubin's testing of hydroxyapatite and calcium carbonate as individual ingredients showed concerning levels of lead and other metals, suggesting those are the source. Several children's toothpastes, like Dr Brown's Baby Toothpaste, did not test positive for any metals and did not contain the ingredients in question.
