Be Careful! THIS Common Ingredient Found In Toothpaste Can Lead To Gum Inflammation

Triclosan is a common ingredient found in toothpaste that can trigger inflammation in your gut. Here's how it can wreak havoc in your gut.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term that refers to a range of conditions in which the intestines become inflamed. It's commonly assumed to be an autoimmune disease, but a new study reveals that persistent inflammation isn't caused by the immune system fighting the body. Instead, it occurs when the immune system attacks a harmless virus, bacterium, or food in the gut, resulting in inflammation and intestinal damage.

While there are many factors such as your diet, high-stress levels, etc. that can lead to gut inflammation. But a new study has found that a common ingredient found in your toothpaste could also lead to gut inflammation.

This Ingredient In Your Toothpaste Can Lead To Gut Inflammation

A study published in Nature Communications found that there is an antimicrobial ingredient in your toothpaste that can trigger gut inflammation. The team of researchers found that triclosan, an antibacterial ingredient found in toothpaste, has been shown to promote gut inflammation.

The study led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Hong Kong Baptist University helped scientists identify the bacteria and enzymes that may activate the harmful effects of the common ingredient also used in toys and several other products triclosan. According to the findings, bacterial enzymes can be stopped from causing intestinal harm. By identifying the causative bacteria, study author Matthew Redinbo believes that new techniques for diagnosing, preventing, and treating inflammatory bowel illnesses could be developed.

Here's How Triclosan May Wreak Havoc In Your Gut

The researchers used gut microbial enzymes such as gut microbial beta-glucuronidase (GUS) proteins to link to Triclosan and show how it induces inflammation in the intestine. They used a microbiome-targeted inhibitor to stop Triclosan from being processed in the gut because they knew which bacterial proteins were responsible.

The researchers averted damage to the colon and symptoms of colitis, which is a type of inflammatory bowel disease, in mice by stopping the process (IBD). The findings are significant because they provide insight into how IBD can be managed in the growing number of people who have been diagnosed with it. The authors of the study stated that a greater knowledge of the impact of environmental toxins on gut health is critical and it would help in the diagnosis and treatment of the condition.

FDA Banned The Use Of Triclosan In Some Products In 2016

The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) ordered its removal from human and hospital handwashing products in 2016. Triclosan is still used to prevent bacterial contamination in cosmetics, yoga mats, sporting clothing, and gear. Because Triclosan has been demonstrated to prevent gingivitis, a disease that causes gum inflammation, the FDA has allowed its use in toothpaste.

Triclosan appears to be easily absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, according to the study's authors. They cautioned that due to the potential for intestinal harm, the safety of Triclosan and related chemicals should be reassessed.

(With inputs from agencies)