PSA - Check your toothpaste! [View all]

Just got back from the dentist after having spent extra time in the chair while my hygienist picked blue plastic bits out of my gum line. She asked me if I used a specific Crest Pro-Health toothpaste. I told her "No, but my son did because it came with a promotional toothbrush when he got his braces. Why?" She said, "Oh, because there are blue plastic bits in there and they can get imbedded in the gum line, and you have them. Are you sure you didn't use his toothpaste?"

Soooo, she finished her work, and I went home to research and check our toothpastes in the house. Apparently Crest Optic 3D also has them. I ditched them all and went out and bought tubes of Tom's brand for all of our various bathrooms/people in the house.

I was sooooo pissed. Proctor and Gamble said it's in there for decorative purposes and they will stop using them when they find an acceptable replacement for polyethylene microbeads.

The ingredient is found in the following Crest products:
• Crest 3D White Radiant Mint
• Crest Pro-Health For Me
• Crest 3D White Arctic Fresh
• Crest 3D White Enamel Renewal
• Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White
• Crest Sensitivity Treatment and Protection
• Crest Complete Multi-Benefit Whitening Plus Deep Clean
• Crest 3D White Luxe Lustrous Shine
• Crest Extra White Plus Scope Outlast
• Crest SensiRelief Maximum Strength Whitening Plus Scope
• Crest Pro-Health Sensitive + Enamel Shield
• Crest Pro-Health Clinical Gum Protection
• Crest Pro-Health For Life for ages 50+
• Crest Complete Multi-Benefit Extra White+ Crystal Clean Anti-Bac
• Crest Be Adventurous Mint Chocolate Trek
• Crest Be Dynamic Lime Spearmint Zest
• Crest Be Inspired Vanilla Mint Spark
• Crest Pro-Health Healthy Fresh
• Crest Pro-Health Smooth Mint


Here are some links:

http://www.snopes.com/medical/drugs/crest.asp
(Snopes rates it as True)

http://www.dentalbuzz.com/2014/03/04/crest-imbeds-plastic-in-our-gums/
(has links to nih.gov for ingredient list of each of the products listed above)

http://stanwood-dentist.com/why-do-crest-toothpastes-contain-unsafe-polyethylene-plastic-particles/
(a dental practice that notes Proctor and Gambles reply)

Note: These are the same 'scrubby' beads that are used in some exfoliant body washes and lotions, but this is inside your body. Off to research if they are in other brands.

Mint chocolate toothpaste? Really?