We all want that gleaming smile. You may work hard at it too. You floss and brush. You use the expensive whitening toothpaste and get the best toothbrushes to get those pearly whites – well, white.
The other important part is going to the dentist. Yes, yes, I know – who likes to go to the dentist? It is important, just ask Emily Lallouz.
Image Credit: ABC 15 News
She went to her dentist and sadly had to get a root canal. But, while the dentist was rinsing her mouth out before the procedure she asked Emily if she had been using any toothpaste in the Crest Pro-Health line. Emily said yes, concerned.
The doctor said that she saw the telltale signs – there were blue plastic pellets stuck in Emily’s gums.
The microbeads are made of a plastic called polyethylene, and you can find them in other heath and beauty products like face and body scrubs.
The FDA has not approved the use of microbeads in toothpaste (but has given the green light for them to be used in other products).
But because toothpaste is considered OTC (over the counter) and the microbeads are not active ingredients, their use is not under scrutiny. In 2014, Cherlye Pestana posted her experience on Facebook.
Proctor and Gamble, the company who makes Crest toothpaste said back in 2104 that they would remove the microbeads from their products.
No Crest toothpaste on any shelf should contain the beads. If you have any Crest toothpaste in your home, you may also have microbeads in your gums. Go see your dentist and don’t use that toothpaste any longer!
Share away, people.