Group Wants Triclosan Banned from Toothpaste

FDA should ban the use of triclosan in toothpaste, as it did in hand soaps earlier this month, according to the Cornucopia Institute. In a 9/29 letter to FDA, the group says FDA should take this action because triclosan is an endocrine disruptor. “Specifically, it disrupts thyroid, testosterone, and estrogen regulation, which can result in a host of issues including early puberty, poor sperm quality, infertility, obesity, and cancer,” the letter says.

Triclosan was approved in 1997 as safe and effective for treating gingivitis, but studies have now cast doubt on its safety, the group says. “Exposure can lead to impaired learning and memory, exacerbate allergies, and weaken muscle function,” it says. “The impacts of prolonged exposure during fetal development, infancy, and childhood can be particularly severe, resulting in permanent damage.”