The Sinful 7: Toxic ingredients you’ll never find in our oral care solutions

Did you know, your mouth is 50 times more absorbent than your skin? What goes into your oral care products really matters. At Spotlight Oral Care, we use only the highest quality clean, active ingredients and all of our oral care solutions are free from harmful ingredients that could potentially affect your health or the health of the planet. 

As dentists, we need to know you’re giving your smile the best, while doing good for the planet, too. Which is why our dental floss is made using 100% recycled plastic bottles, and is coated in clean, active ingredients for a happy, healthy smile. An estimated 2 bottles are used in every roll!

Our Sinful 7 is a list of harmful ingredients that shouldn't appear in your oral care products. 

 1 Propylene Glycol

This synthetic food additive belongs to the same chemical group as alcohol and is often found in toothpaste as a wetting agent. As one of the active components in antifreeze, this is definitely not something you want in your mouth. It can be rapidly absorbed through the skin, with studies suggesting that prolonged contact could lead to brain, liver, and kidney abnormalities.

2 Sodium Lauryl Sulphateis 

Most generic toothpaste, soaps, and detergents boast this foaming agent, which is a known irritant and has allergenic potential. For some users, it can increase mouth ulcers, mouth irritation, and inflammatory reactions in the mouth and its tissues. In short, this ingredient is a major no-no. 

3 Triclosan 

An antibacterial and antimicrobial chemical that has been used in personal care products and as a pesticide for decades. Research suggests it may disrupt some thyroid hormones and immunity, and contribute to antibiotic resistance overall. It’s been banned from hand soaps and body washes since 2017 – so why would you want it in your toothpaste?

4 DEA/ Diethanolamine 

Used to make cosmetics creamy or sudsy, DEA also acts as a pH adjuster, counteracting the acidity of other ingredients. As a skin irritant, studies have suggested that DEA may react with other ingredients to form a carcinogen called nitrosodiethanolamine (NDEA) which is absorbed through the skin. This ingredient should never be part of your oral care formulations. 

5 Microplastics 

Microbeads have devastating consequences to our health and environment. Microplastics are easily mistaken as food by fish, birds, and other wildlife. When animals fill their stomachs with microbeads, they can spread the plastic up the food chain, which can lead to contamination of the fish we eat. Once in the environment, microbeads are almost impossible to remove, so imagine what they would do to your body?

6 Alcohol 

One of the most common ingredients in mouthwashes, alcohol is a known cause of head and neck cancer, as it acts through the carcinogenic activity of acetaldehyde, formed in the oral cavity due to alcohol. Frequent use of alcohol-based mouthwashes has been linked with increased incidences of oral cancer and cellular changes within the oral cavity. A high price to pay for a quick rinse. 

10 Phthalate and BPA

BPA affects your health in more ways than one. This toxic chemical has been linked to causing reproductive, immunity, and neurological problems, as well as an increased likelihood of Alzheimer's, childhood asthma, metabolic disease, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Exposure to BPA is a concern because of the possible health effects of BPA on the brain and prostate gland of fetuses, infants, and children. Always look for a BPA-free formula.