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"I've been seeing these blue particles
flush out of patients' gums for several months now," wrote Trish
Walraven, a dental
hygienist from Texas. So she told a co-worker, consulted with other dental
hygienists across the United States and Canada, and identified the source of
the mysterious plastic microbeads. In a March 4, 2014 blog entry called Crest Toothpaste Embeds Plastic in Our Gums, Walravern described what she learned -
and called the makers of Crest "sneaky".
Active Ingredients and Polyethyelene
Microbeads
Proctor & Gamble (P&G) doesn't
list "polyethyelene microbeads" as an ingredient on tubes of Crest toothpaste. Polyetheylene is the world's most commonly used plastic,
but it isn't an active ingredient like the potassium nitrate or sodium fluoride
found in brands like Crest Sensi-Relief. Instead, Crest adds polyetheyene beads
"to provide color". Polyethyelene (PE) has abrasive properties, but it's not used
to clean teeth or help disperse anti-plaque and anti-cavity ingredients.
Regardless of whether PE plastic is an
active or inactive ingredient, Walraven calls its use in toothpaste "completely
unacceptable". As a dental hygienist, she's concerned about patient health. The
embedded plastic beads that hygienists are finding threaten the gingival sulcus, a shallow channel where diseases such as gingivitis begin.
"When you have hundreds of pieces of plastic being scrubbed into your gums
every day that are smaller than even a millimeter," Walraven says, "many of
them are getting trapped".
FDA, ADA, and P&G Responses
Although Walraven is careful to state "I
am not saying that polyethylene is causing gum problems", other critics are
bolder. In a September 18, 2014 Washington Post article entitled Why dentists are speaking out about the plastic beads
in your toothpaste, Arizona
dentist Justin Phillip described the link between embedded plastic in the
sulcus, bacterial growth, and periodontal disease. The on-line article also explains
that polyethylene microspheres are FDA-approved for use in personal care
products.
For its part, the American Dental Association
(ADA) Council on Scientific Affairs continues to endorse Crest products. The
council has the authority to withdraw the ADA
Seal from toothpastes with plastic beads,
but cities a lack of clinical evidence that disproves their safety. Crest also
maintains that PE beads are safe; however, P&G recently announced that all
microbeads will be removed from Crest products by March 2016. The reason, the
company explained, is "changing consumer and dental preferences."
Are You Concerned About Microplastics?
As the co-founder and co-owner of a
25-year old company that custom-fabricates rubber and plastic parts, I've read
my share of stories about synthetic polymers. Some critics claim that all
petroleum-based plastics are "bad" because they're made of non-renewable
resources. Others examine chemicals such phalates, plasticizers used in food
packaging and polyvinyl (PVC) flooring, and cite studies about health problems
such as endocrine
disruption.
Naturally, some articles are more
convincing than others - especially when you consider the source. For example, researchers
from McGill University here in Montreal recently announced
that plastic micro beads were found at the bottom of the St. Lawrence River.
These microplastics are used not just in toothpastes, but also in face scrubs
and shower gels. According to biologist Anthony Ricciardi, plastic microbeads
could eventually enter the food chain.
Join the Conversation
As engineers, are you concerned about
the use of plastic microbeads in toothpaste? Will you continue to buy personal
care products that contain microplastics, or will you avoid them because of
concerns about your health and the environment? Thanks
for reading my latest CR4 blog entry. I look forward to your comments, and to what
I hope will be a lively discussion.
About the Author: Doug
Sharpe is the President of Elasto
Proxy, Inc. (Boisbriand,
Quebec, Canada), supplier of sealing solutions and custom-fabricated rubber and
plastic parts to a variety of industries, including medical equipment.
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