Posts Tagged ‘Triclosan’
What is Triclosan?
Triclosan is an ingredient included in a lot of products and it reduces or prevents bacterial contamination. It’s a common ingredient in antibacterial products, like soaps, body washes, and toothpastes, but has only been shown to be effective in reducing gingivitis in toothpaste. It’s not hazardous to people, according to the FDA, but it alters hormone regulation in some animals. Triclosan may be making bacteria resistant to antibiotics, which is one of the concerns of antibacterial soaps. As soaps kill off “weaker” bacteria, the stronger ones grow more resistant.
As a result of the animal studies, the FDA is reviewing the safety of triclosan and will report its results in 2011, but at the moment it is not shown to be hazardous.
To find out if your products include triclosan, review the Drug Facts box on the bottle, tube, or box. It will be listed as an active ingredient on these OTC drugs. For cosmetics, it’ll be listed in the ingredients on the label. You won’t be able to find out if it’s included in things like toys, clothing, etc. as they do not have drug labeling requirements.
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