Procter & Gamble's Crest toothpaste recalls better times as a dental hygienist in Texas discovers many of their products contain polyethylene, the same type of plastic found in garbage containers and grocery bags.
As common users of Crest toothpaste recall, among the most appealing features of the famous toothpaste are the small blue dots on every pour in the toothbrush; these, as dental hygienist Trish Walraven explains, are actually microbeads of polyethylene, which can later be stuck to the teeth and gums and, as would happen with any strange body in your teeth, could lead to bacteria gathering more easily around your teeth, even perhaps helping to the development of gingivitis later on.
She goes on to state that many Crest toothpastes recall having added the ingredient at some point, for merely decorative purposes.
Walraven, a dental specialist residing in Dallas, Texas, explains her case in an article in the website Dental Buzz. In the article, she explains the science behind the choice of polyethylene made by Crest toothpaste, recalling an experiment she made to test if the plastic diluted in the mouth or with water - in it, she showed that polyethylene doesn't dilute neither with water nor even with acetone.
In the article she goes on to state that this plastic is found in many of Crest's toothpaste products, even making a full list; she also says the warning is "sneaky" as it is only in the box and not in the toothpaste tube.
As her article went viral, it even reached Procter & Gamble, the makers of Crest, who announced that they would be taking out the plastic from their products, saying that the entirety of their products would be microbead-free by March of 2015.
In any case, while using Crest toothpaste, recall the health scare Trish Walraven raised and remember to check your toothpaste for plastic.
