Ingredient in Colgate toothpaste raises cancer concerns

Colgate-Palmolive recently stopped incorporating a chemical called triclosan in its soap products due to human health concerns, but the compound of questionable safety remains in Colgate Total toothpaste.

by John Tyburski

Copyright © Daily Digest News, KPR Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

First published at Daily Digest News on August 12, 2014

One would think that if a chemical is not safe for hands, then it is not safe for teeth and gums. However, an ingredient in Colgate Total toothpaste called triclosan was removed a few years ago from hand soaps following questions raised about its safety.

Colgate-Palmolive, the maker of the toothpaste, stopped including triclosan in its soap products, citing “changing consumer preferences.” However, some have suggested that the move came on the heels of increasing safety concerns regarding the chemical raised by consumer advocacy groups and Congressional leaders.

Several studies on the safety of triclosan conducted in rats and mice discovered adverse health effects when administered in high concentrations. These included reduced fertility and increased risk for certain cancers. Animal studies involving very high concentrations serve as routine foundational exercises in toxicity testing before a chemical can be approved for human use.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the federal government’s regulatory agency for such decisions. However, the FDA relies on the results on safety testing conducted by the companies seeking approval, not from independent, third-party laboratories.

A Bloomberg News investigative report reveals that there may be some safety-related “red flags” among 35 pages of toxicology data accompanying the approval application for Colgate Total. Results from one animal model study indicate the presence of “fetal bone malformations in mice and rats.”

While evidence from direct observation of triclosan exposure in humans is lacking, the website for Colgate Total states that the safety of the chemical in toothpaste is supported by over 80 scientific studies involving some 19,000 people. Moreover, according to the site, “Colgate Total is clinically proven to work better than other toothpastes to reduce these germs that can cause the gum disease gingivitis.”

Colgate has been eager to cite practical, real-world consumer-based evidence. Said Thomas DiPiazza, Colgate spokesperson, to Bloomberg: “In the nearly 18 years that Colgate Total has been on the market in the U.S., there has been no signal of a safety issue from adverse-event reports.”

The FDA is expected to announce a ruling on whether triclosan is safe for any human use in 2016.