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Les ingrédients black-listés pour un dentifrice pour enfants selon nous

Black-listened ingredients for children's toothpaste in our opinion

Black-listened ingredients for children's toothpaste in our opinion

As a cosmetologist, raw materials and cosmetic ingredients are comparable to tools or colors on the palette of a painter. To create a beautiful work, it takes several, and I do not wish to discriminate them ... However, recently, I started to examine more closely the raw materials used in the composition of certain products, and it bristles me hair. This is particularly true for "clean" care products, especially toothpaste, and more specifically when it comes to toothpasters intended for children. In this blog, we will provide you with a detailed description of the ingredients that we have decided to exclude from our 100 % natural formulation of children's toothpaste. In addition, we will explain why we have made these choices and how it contributes to the safety and well-being of children.

What ingredients have we prohibited from our child toothpaste?

Without clay (Illite, kaolinite, montmorillonite)

Clay is often used in cosmetic products due to its absorbent and purifying properties. However, it has drawbacks when used in children for children, especially in toothpaste.

ANSM agrees with us

Even the National Health and Medicines Agency (ANSM) warns against the use of clay -based product in young children under two years of age. The harmful effects of lead and other heavy metals on the health of children are well known, and it is therefore essential to limit their exposure as much as possible.

Ans-Secta-Adangers-Argile

Article link

It is undoubtedly not necessary to remind you of the harmful effects of heavy metals and lead on the health of children.

What does the police do?

Today, European Union regulations prohibit the voluntary add -in addition in cosmetics, but traces of heavy metals are authorized if they are inevitable and present in raw materials. However, the limits clearly established for these traces in regulatory legislation are not fixed.

On the other hand, traces of heavy metals are authorized if they are inevitable (contained in raw materials) and for these traces there are no limits clearly established in regulatory legislation.

Fortunately, the German government is stricter with regard to the traces of heavy metal authorized. The limits set by the German government are 2 ppm for care, 5 ppm for makeup, 0.5 ppm for toothpaste and 0.2 ppm in the food. This shows the importance of taking measures to guarantee the safety of products for children.

Why is clay dangerous for children?

Children, due to their increased vulnerability, are more likely to be affected by lead and other heavy metals. To guarantee their safety, some of our toxicologists recommend an even more cautious approach, using a safety margin of 50, or even 100. This means that they multiply the safety limit recommended by 50 or 100 in order to take additional precautions. For example, when it comes to children's toothpaste, the lead content should not exceed 0.01 ppm, which is extremely low to minimize potential risks.

Only, the content of heavy metals in clays is very variable. For example, see below a study on the clays of Nigeria:

Heavy metal content in clay

Study link

Not to mention the dose of arsenic, cadmium which are fortunately subject to the regulatory food limits.

To summarize:

The dose of lead in kaolin (white clay) is 0.347 ppm. According to our calculation, in order to guarantee the safety of a children's toothpaste containing kaolin, we cannot add more than 3 %.

Knowing that heavy metals accumulate in the body over the exhibitions, would you like to take the risk?

The clay is widely considered as a problematic ingredient when it comes to formulating products. But not only because of the presence of heavy metals, because of its porous structure, it hosts a lot of microbes too ... Once in contact with water, or even simply humidity, the amount of microbes contained in the product is not at all mastered.

Unfortunately, with the growing popularity of DIY cosmetics (Do It Yourself), there is an increasingly frequent use of clay, especially in oral care products.

In summary, due to the potential risks linked to the heavy metal content such as lead, clays are considered a problematic ingredient in the formulation of oral care products for children. It is important to take these risks into account and opt for safer alternatives adapted to the needs of children.

Without calcium bicarbonate

We have seen many brands claim the use of grandmother remedies and homemade products. These remedies can indeed be excellent natural remedies when we have no other choice.

Did you know that the most abundant mineral on earth is calcium? It is found in chalk, limestone ...

However, in children's toothpaste, we will not use it for two reasons.

Abrasiveness is not controllable

Indeed, baking soda is a salt, with humidity, it tends to agglomerate and therefore increase the size of the "grains" contained in toothpaste. This increases the size of the particles and therefore the abrasiveness of the toothpaste over time. In the long term, this can be dangerous for the enamel of small teeth.

Be careful not to swallow too much calcium

In the event of repetitive overdose, it presents a risk for very young children: the syndrome of milk drinker.

Milk drum syndrome is characterized by the triad:

  • hypercalcemia
  • Metabolic alkalosis
  • renal failure

This syndrome occurs after the start of a milk and alkaline diet, or after prolonged consumption of calcium carbonate (4 to 5 grams/d) See less if other factors are present.

A toothpaste rich in calcium bicarbonate is not at all advised in young children also consuming a lot of milk.

Milk drum

Without Pentylene Glycol

With the trend of natural cosmetics and clean beauty, this family of molecule was rather used for its antimicrobial power, as a 100 % of natural origin. Hydrating, anti-microbial, it seems to be the perfect family of molecules, but we explain why we do not use them.

A little violent for oral mucous membranes:

Compared to other conventional conservatives, the antimicrobial power of Pentylene Glycol is low. Indeed, it must be used at a concentration between 3 and 5 % to be effective, which poses a problem for us ...

For example, at 5 %, Pentylene Glycol has an anti-cancer action in vitro. This means that cancer cells cannot support this 5 %ingredient, which is however used as an effective conservation agent. We let you imagine the consequences of its use in the mouth of a young child ...

Action Pentylene Glycol

It stings

We have already tasted the Pentylene glycol in the lab, it stings the tongue. The irritation tests on the gingival epithelium (the gums) are not optimal.

Obviously, using it in a oral product seems to us to be an uncontrolled risk of canker sores or even oral ulcer for small mouths.

Bravo to Inci Beauty who classifies Pentylene Glycol in “weak penalty”.

Pentylene Yellow Glycol on Inci

Without benzoate sodium

Well, you start to know our opinion on the benzoate sodium

Only, we will not stop our fight against the excessive use of benzoate sodium in organic children's products.

Indeed, there is more and more evidence connecting hyperactivity, attention disturbances with the exposure of young children to benzoate sodium.

All the same, we will specify the specifics of the benzoate sodium which makes it unusable in a toothpaste in our eyes.

Know that this preservative is effective in the acid pH, benzoate sodium turns into benzoic acid.

However, acidity and teeth enamel do not mix in time, which is why (in addition to all its other faults) we prefer to avoid it.

Colorless

Not to mention the color "white than white" obtained with titanium oxide in toothpaste (a real crime in our eyes, especially when it is intended for children). Besides, it is still not prohibited in, incomprehensible.

There are also other dyes, such as iron oxide for pink color. However, the iron oxide comes from minerals, so it has defects similar to those of clay: a risk of exposure to heavy metals, "just" for a color ...

In addition, when the child begins to learn to brush their teeth with a pink or red toothpaste, he can feel a little destabilized later when he will have to use a toothpaste "for the big ones" which is not colored ( Or that may be bleached ...).

Really useless in our eyes.

Without Stevia Rebaudiana Extract

The extract from Stevia Rebaudiana was approved by the European Union as an enclosure from 2011.

Indeed, the sweetening power of this sweetener is around 300. For comparison, polyols, sorbitol xylitol etc., have a sweetening power located between 0.5 - 1, the famous aspartame has a sweetening power of 200.

This sweetening of natural origin is suitable for diabetic people, wishing to lose weight and is non -cariogenic.

Even the big Coca-Cola uses it for its natural and dietetic image by integrating it into its Coca-Cola "Life".

Stevia in toothpaste?

Yes, we have noticed that Stevia Rebaudiana extract is often used in children's dental care to add a touch of naturalness to the formula.

Only, this extract mainly contains rebaudioside A, a terpenoid called "Steviol glycoside".

So you will tell me? This worries us, because the structure of this molecule is very similar to that of sex hormones, look at this image:

Stevia molecule similar to sex hormones

Have you noticed this "tricycle" form (highlighted in orange)?

It is possible that the hormonal receptors of our body react to this substance, which would imply a phytooestrogenic effect of Stevia's extract on the body of children. Because indeed, their small body is much more sensitive to hormones than that of an adult ...

Is this effect proven?

Obviously, as with any information we transmit, we have done research to check. And found 3 articles (dating from 1968, 1999 and 2016) on studies in vivo and in vitro endocrine potential of this molecule in mammals.

First article:
  • Studies of 1968 **** Mazzei-Planas G, KUC J. Contractive Properties of Stevia Rebaudiana. Science. 1968;162(3857):1007.

Result :

Stevia's decoction has a contraceptive effect in female mice. It was administered for 10 ml of extract from Stevia concentrated at 5 % per day). At the end of the study, this effect still lasts 50 to 60 days. (see image below)

Study of the contraceptive effects of Stevia

Second article:
  • 1999 study, Melis ms. Effects of Chronic Administration of Stevia Rebaudiana on Fertility in Rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 1999;67:157–61.

Result :

For 60 days, male rats received a dose of decoction from Stevia, at the end of this period, there is a decrease in testosterone levels, the concentration of spermatozoa as well as the definition of the sexual glands.

Third and last article:

. 2016 studies Maeeve Shanon et al. In vitro Bioassay Investigations of the Endocrine Disrupting Potential of Steviol Glycosides and Their Metabolite Steviol, Components of the Natural Sweetener Stevia. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology Volume 427, 15 May 2016, pages 65-72

This study was not carried out on animals, but in vitro, on hormonal receptor proteins. The results once again demonstrate a potential effect on endocrine receptors.

Why is Stevia still used?

Despite the fact that the health authorities consider that the 4mg/kg dose should not be exceeded and per day there is no particular precaution to take.

However, toxicological studies are evolving, we all remember the aspartame scandal.(WHO article)

Without forgetting the strength of lobbying, it is a precious ingredient that has a very superior sweet ingredient power, so it is a very economical ingredient.

For all these reasons and risks, we blacklist Stevia's extract for our oral products for children.

To replace it, we use polyols, which have a very simple and non-active chemical structure. Although they are much more expensive (because 300 times less successful) we prefer to take no risk to respect the small bodies of children.

Unfortunately, some naturopaths promote products containing Stevia extract, while polyols are much safer to use.

How did we formulate our child toothpaste?

As you know, we have worked a lot on this 100 % natural toothpaste for children in order to offer you the best for their oral hygiene.

We detail all the ingredients (and their roles) in a future article, stay connected!

If you have any questions, a remark, an opinion, do not hesitate. To write to us, on coucou@lilikiwi.fr Or by DM on our networks!

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