Toothpaste widely contaminated with lead and other metals, US research finds

Heavy Metals, Hypertension, and Chelation Therapy

• One participant links idiopathic hypertension to cumulative heavy metal exposure and reports self-directed chelation and supplementation (e.g., selenium) improving blood pressure.
• Others strongly warn that chelation is risky, should be reserved for confirmed poisoning, and is often pushed by “quack” practitioners as a cure-all.
• There is disagreement over mainstream medicine: some see doctors as overly dogmatic, others emphasize the need for evidence and hospital-based expertise before using chelation.
• A more technical commenter notes that blood tests may miss metals stored in tissues, and mentions protocols involving enzymes and EDTA, but this remains anecdotal and controversial in the thread.

How Contaminated Is Toothpaste, and Does It Matter?

• Commenters highlight that most tested toothpastes were below current FDA lead limits (10,000 ppb for children’s products; 20,000 ppb for adults) but often above much lower proposed or state-level limits (e.g., 2–5 ppb in proposed baby-food standards; 1,000 ppb in Washington state).
• Debate centers on whether “no safe level of lead” in principle means any detectable amount in toothpaste is unacceptable, versus a more risk-based view that small doses from a non-swallowed product are insignificant compared with other exposures.
• Some stress bioaccumulation and total lifetime dose across all foods, water, supplements, and consumer products, arguing current standards don’t account for cumulative, multi-source exposure.

Credibility of the Testing and Potential Conflicts

• Several comments scrutinize the blogger-led testing (Lead Safe Mama), noting:
  • Single source, activist orientation, and affiliate links to “safe” products as potential conflicts of interest.
  • Unclear methodological details and possible misuse or limitations of ICP‑MS in complex consumer products.
• Others counter that independent testing must be funded somehow, affiliate links are common (e.g., Consumer Reports), and government isn’t filling this role.

Fluoride, Toothpaste Use, and Alternatives

• Some users report avoiding toothpaste entirely, citing research that brushing itself provides most plaque removal; fresh toothbrushes are emphasized as more important than paste choice.
• Others defend fluoride as beneficial and safe at typical levels and note that some low- or zero-metal toothpastes lack fluoride.
• Pediatric concerns arise: children often swallow toothpaste, and newer guidance to avoid rinsing after brushing increases contact time, which makes lead findings feel more relevant to some parents.