Some Popular Toothpastes Contain High Levels of Lead, Mercury, and Arsenic—Here’s What to Know

While you may think of lead as a dangerous contaminant that shows up in old paint and water pipes, it’s also been found in everyday products on shelves right now, from chocolate to cinnamon. And the latest spot where lead has been spotted is toothpastes and tooth powders.

Lead Safe Mama, a consumer advocacy site founded by Tamara Rubin after her children and she experienced lead poisoning, has been focused on testing consumer products for lead levels since 2009. Rubin recently initiated crowd-funded, third-party, independent laboratory testing on dozens of different dental care products, and found that the majority had potentially unsafe levels of lead—and some products also contained unsafe amounts of cadmium, arsenic, and mercury.

Which Toothpastes Did Not Have Lead or Other Contaminants?

Rubin focused testing on children’s toothpastes, as lead ingestion can be even more problematic for young children (and obviously, kids tend to swallow toothpaste more often than adults), but also included some popular adult toothpastes. Among the dental care products tested, only six had undetectable levels of lead and the other contaminants:

• Dr. Brown’s Baby Toothpaste, Strawberry
• Kids’ Spry Tooth Gel With Xylitol, Original Flavor
• Pegciz Foam Toothpaste, Watermelon
• Orajel Training Toothpaste, Berry Fruity
• Miessence Toothpaste, Mint
• Essential Oxygen BR Certified Organic Toothpaste, Peppermint

Which Toothpastes Had Lead and Other Contaminants?

Rubin is continuing to test toothpastes and tooth powders, but currently, of the 52 products tested, 48 products had detectable levels of lead, 20 had detectable levels of cadmium, 30 had detectable levels of mercury, and 35 had detectable levels of arsenic.

Among the products that contained lead were some of the most common brands, including Colgate, Crest, and Tom’s of Maine. The products that contained 300 ppb (parts per billion) or higher of lead—which is 30 times the acceptable levels of lead in foods for children—included:

• Colgate Watermelon Burst Toothpaste for Kids
• Revitin Prebiotic Toothpaste, Citrus
• Crest Regular Toothpaste, Mint
• Now Solutions Xyliwhite Toothpaste Gel, Mint
• Hello Dragon Dazzle Toothpaste, Blue Raspberry
• David’s Premium Toothpaste, Natural Peppermint
• Jason Kids Only Toothpaste, Strawberry
• Hello Fluoride Free Toothpaste, Fresh Watermelon
• Colgate Total Whitening Toothpaste, Mint
• Spry Kids Gel Toothpaste Anti-Cavity, Natural Bubblegum
• Just Ingredients Tooth Powder, Fresh Citrus
• Redmond Earthpaste Natural Toothpaste With Silver, Lemon Twist
• VanMan’s Miracle Tooth Powder, Mint-Bone
• Primal Life Dirty Mouth Kids Tooth Powder, Sweet Bubblegum

The last three products in this list contained 3,500 ppb of lead or higher. (Primal Life’s Dirty Mouth Kids Tooth Powder came in at 7,800 ppb of lead!)

You can view the full table of tested products at the Lead Safe Mama website.

What Ingredients May Be Connected to Lead in Toothpaste?

Rubin also independently tested two common ingredients in toothpastes, hydroxyapatite, which is derived from bones, and calcium carbonate, which is a mineral. Both ingredients had over 200 ppb of lead, and detectable levels of arsenic, while calcium carbonate also had cadmium and mercury.

Other ingredients that were only associated with products that tested positive for lead were hydrated silica, which is a type of sand, and bentonite clay, which was associated with many of the products that tested highest for lead, Rubin says.

Potential Health Impacts of Lead, Cadmium, and Other Contaminants

The chemicals that Lead Safe Mama tested occur naturally in the environment, but they can have adverse health effects.

Lead

You’re probably already familiar with the dangers of lead, particularly for young children. Exposure to high levels of lead can lead to permanent brain damage, developmental delays, and hearing and speech problems in children. In adults, cardiovascular, reproductive, and kidney problems can develop with continued exposure.

The FDA currently allows lead in food, toothpaste, and other products, despite the fact that they say that no amount of lead exposure is actually safe. That includes allowing 10-20 ppb of lead in processed baby foods. For toothpaste, the FDA allows 10,000 ppb for fluoride-free toothpaste, and 20,000 ppb for fluoride toothpastes. So technically, none of the toothpastes tested exceeded the legal limit in the U.S.

Cadmium

Cadmium, a heavy metal that naturally occurs in the environment, has been associated in studies with increased risk of cancer, osteoporosis, and kidney and liver damage. It’s often found in high levels in shellfish, oilseeds, and in plants that are grown in soil containing high levels of cadmium.

Mercury

Mercury can cause damage to numerous organs and systems, including the nervous, reproductive, renal, and cardiovascular systems, according to the CDC. Methylmercury is one of the most commonly occurring mercury compounds, which can appear in the soil and water.

Arsenic

Another naturally occurring metal that’s found in soil, rocks, and water, arsenic has risen to dubious fame as a popular poison in mystery novels and movies—and in history. (It has no flavor or smell, so it’s impossible to tell without testing whether it’s in your food.)

In high doses, it causes gastrointestinal distress before death. But even if you don’t take a deadly dose, it can prevent your body from repairing cellular DNA, which is why it’s flagged as a carcinogen. Arsenic has been found in high levels in rice, seafood, mushrooms, and poultry.

Should You Stop Using Toothpastes That Contain Lead or Other Contaminants?

Some of the manufacturers have argued that because these are naturally occurring elements, it can be impossible to remove them from their products. “One of my favorite comments from a reader in relation to the toothpaste concern, was that snake venom is also natural, poison ivy is also natural,” Rubin says. “The argumentation that this is a natural existing concern is irrelevant, when you are in the presence of the fact that there’s no safe level of lead exposure for human beings.”

“I think it’s really important to provide people with science to make informed choices,” Rubin says. “No one is going to criticize them for choosing a toothpaste for whatever reason—but would they choose this product if they knew it tested positive for lead?”

The results of the testing have not changed the American Dental Association‘s stance on the use of toothpaste. “For optimal oral health, which is integral to overall health, the ADA recommends brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between teeth daily, and maintaining a balanced diet,” according to a statement provided by the ADA. “Children under the age of three should use a smear of toothpaste about the size of a grain of rice. People over age three should use a drop of toothpaste approximately the size of a pea. After brushing, it is recommended to spit out any remaining toothpaste in the mouth.”

While aware of the report, the ADA follows the FDA’s safety evaluations of dental products, including testing for heavy metals and contaminants, according to the release.

Rubin recommends taking the following actions if you’re concerned about lead levels in your toothpaste.

Use products that tested negative for lead and other contaminants

Rubin continues to test toothpaste brands, but you can currently choose among the products that have tested negative for contaminants to help support those companies.

Check your toothpaste labels for concerning ingredients

If your toothpaste contains any of the ingredients listed above—bentonite clay, hydroxyapatite, calcium carbonate, or hydrated silica—you may want to reconsider using it, especially for your child.

File a report with the FDA

“You can file a complaint with the FDA if you’ve been using one of the more toxic toothpastes, especially for children—and especially if they tested positive for lead with an unknown source of exposure,” Rubin says. “That can help the FDA be able to take more significant action in regulating these products.”

Consider using toothpaste from Europe

European regulations require that lead in toothpaste be kept to 500 parts per billion. Rubin has tested several European products that had levels well under that 500 ppb, which is far below the U.S. legal limits.