Continued from Is Toothpaste Toxic? Page 1

WHAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE ON TOOTHPASTE?

Dental carries (cavities) are the most common disease worldwide -- and fluoride is the most effective preventive public health measure against them.

• using fluoridated toothpaste is not dangerous
• neither is using toothpaste with SLS, triclosan, or zinc chloride
• even the colored, sweetened kids' toothpastes that seem so counter-intuitive (how can something so artificial looking and tasting actually clean my kids' teeth?!) are not awful for you
• but their safety and effectiveness relies upon the fact that we spit them out -- toothpastes are not meant to be eaten, so this is why recommendations and formulations vary for children

If you want a toothpaste with fewer additives that works just as well as the big brand name, choose Tom's of Maine, the only company currently offering fluoride-containing toothpaste that is both "natural" and ADA-endorsed.

Dr. Cara Natterson, author of Your Toddler: Head To Toe, is a pediatrician and mother of 2. To buy a copy, click here. She is currently working on the forthcoming book entitled Dangerous or Safe?