Safety is one of the things people should always prioritize when it comes to purchasing any products. This is very important if you live with toddlers or kids too. It’s simply a must to check the toxicity of a product so that you know how to be careful when using it.
The thing is, unintentional poisonings kill around 355,000 people each year. This happens worldwide and two-thirds of these deaths usually occur in developing countries. Unintentional poisoning is usually associated with excessive exposure to toxins and the inappropriate use of toxic chemicals.
This is why it’s very important to know how toxic a product is. What many do not really know is that plenty of the products that they use can be very toxic to humans and even pets when not used properly. Here are three products that are commonly used on a daily basis that can be very toxic when not used correctly.
#3 Toothpaste
This may come as a surprise but the toothpaste that you use multiple times a day can do you harm eventually. Toothpaste is generally considered as a medicinal product, but it’s mainly advertised as a hygiene beauty must-have.
Toothpaste has ingredients that can be very harmful to one’s health when constantly ingested. This is mainly we’re never instructed to swallow toothpaste. What a lot knows is that it could be toxic for toddlers for kids and so most brands of this that are made for kids are fluoride-free.
Fluoride never really seemed harmful to adults, but in recent years, there are more and more medical cases that have been reported because of this. Ingesting fluoride can cause permanent tooth discoloration, skin rashes, stomach pain, and impairment of glucose metabolism.
In the US, toothpaste companies are required to place a warning label on every tube of toothpaste to make sure that people don’t ingest the product. It most likely won’t get banned as they say fluoride really helps clean your teeth and almost a hundred percent of toothpaste products sold in the US have this.
Then is it just fluoride that could be harmful and toxic? The answer is a big no. There are other ingredients in toothpaste that can make it very toxic to humans. An example is triclosan. This is an ingredient that the FDA has banned from being used in soaps.
Triclosan is actually a pesticide that can act as an antibacterial ingredient and this is why it’s found in toothpaste. It is also said that it can fight plaque and gingivitis. This can be very toxic as it could cause cancer, weakened heart function, and bone deformation.
Because of its toxicity, only a few brands in the US still use this as a toothpaste ingredient. Be sure to be on the lookout for this. Other toothpaste ingredients that can be very toxic and can be linked to medical issues like cancer and intestinal problems are Saccharin, Aspartame, Carrageenan, and Parabens.
Now, there’s no need to think that you need to ditch toothpaste products. There are actually many healthy toothpaste alternatives available on the market. Many organic toothpaste products are the best option, so go check up on those.
#2 Plastic
The world seems to think that plastic is a necessity. In fact, about one trillion single-use plastic bags are used worldwide. When you calculate the odds, it just means that every two minutes, a new plastic bag is being used.
You can see plastic everywhere and each household most likely has products that are placed in plastics. Even many food and beverages are placed in plastic. On a day-to-day basis, people use plastic straws, cups, and bottles that contain drinks.
Cleaning products are also typically packaged in plastics. Even fruits and vegetables are sometimes wrapped in plastic. It’s just really everywhere and so sometimes, it’s just really unavoidable. The thing is, plastic can be toxic not only to humans but also to animals and the environment.
Plastic typically contains toxic chemicals like bisphenols, phthalates, and flame retardants. All those are poisonous and using plastic on food is just really harmful. However, it’s still true that this is hard to avoid.
What you can do instead is to use safe plastics. There are now BPA-free food containers, and these are the kind of plastic containers that you should use when storing food. This won’t have a harmful chemical that could cause cancer and other endocrinal problems.
#1 Cosmetics
Nowadays, cosmetics are used by both men and women. Many people use this on a daily basis, but this can actually cause problems too. Many cosmetics contain ingredients that are found toxic. Many makeup products contain parabens, artificial fragrances, and Phthalates.
There could even be over three harmful chemicals that can be found in a makeup product like lipstick, foundation, and eyeshadows. All these chemicals can cause serious infections, and some are even linked to cancer.
This is why it’s important that you know which chemicals are harmful so that you can check them out on the ingredients list of a cosmetic product when you go shopping. Always keep in mind that cosmetics can be absorbed by your body. Lipsticks, in particular, can be unintentionally ingested.
Make sure that you go for cosmetic products that are natural, vegan and paraben-free. Now, even if these products claim that they are unharmful and natural, make sure that you check how long you can use a product.
For example, lipsticks can only be used within 12 to 24 months and mascaras are only ideal to use for 6 months. The product should have a label on how long you can use it after opening. Bacteria accumulation is common to this product so make sure to check on that.
