Öko-Test has given many toothpaste brands bad marks. Above all, the testers criticized the use of the whitening agent titanium dioxide. Many natural products, on the other hand, do without a protective agent.
Toothpaste should protect the teeth against caries, but should also not contain any harmful ingredients. However, many toothpastes fail to meet these two requirements, according to a current study by . Of 48 toothpastes tested, only eleven received the grade “good” or “very good”. The testers, on the other hand, evaluated 17 products “insufficient”two more are “inadequate”.
The biggest point of criticism from Öko-Test is the use of the whitening agent titanium dioxide. The substance is suspected of damaging the human genome and causing cancer. It has therefore been banned in food since last year. The EU is currently examining whether the ban will also be extended to toothpaste because it can also be swallowed.
In the current test, 21 out of 48 toothpastes still contain the controversial titanium dioxide. “However, many manufacturers reported back to us that they had already changed their formulations or would change them in the near future”, writes Öko-Test. A development that the testers expressly welcome.
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Öko-Test: Fluoride is indispensable in toothpaste
In addition to titanium dioxide, Öko-Test also criticizes other questionable ingredients. For example, 14 toothpastes contained the surfactant sodium lauryl sulfate, which creates a nice foam but irritates the mucous membranes. Ten products also contained questionable PEG or PEG derivatives. However, some of the organic toothpastes examined were contaminated with lead.
Many certified natural cosmetic toothpastes also have another problem: they do not contain the protective active ingredient fluoride, although dentists recommend it for daily tooth decay prevention. Toothpastes without fluoride therefore fail the Öko-Test.
Test winners and test losers
The test losers also include numerous well-known branded products such as Aronal, Blend-A-Med or Colgate. The classic from Elmex, on the other hand, is “good”which led Öko-Test to write the headline in a modification of the well-known advertising slogan: “Elmex in the evening, no Aronal in the morning”. Nine products that do even better than Elmex do “very good” are rated.
The test winners include the organic brands Alverde 5 in 1 natural mint toothpaste (DM), Bioturm organic mint toothpaste with fluoride and Happy Brush Natural Superfresh. Also “very good” are the conventional universal toothpastes Bevola herbal toothpaste (Kaufland), Dentalux triple protection freshness gel (Lidl), Diadent Fluor Fresh toothpaste (Netto/Budni), Dontodent herbal toothpaste (DM), Elkos Denta Max Fluor Fresh toothpaste (Edeka) and Eurodent Toothpaste Coolfresh (Aldi).
All test results can be found on the
Source: Stern
I’m Caroline, a journalist and author for 24 Hours Worlds. I specialize in health-related news and stories, bringing real-world impact to readers across the globe. With my experience in journalism and writing in both print and online formats, I strive to provide reliable information that resonates with audiences from all walks of life.
