Not brushing your teeth may have always been a health hazard but now brushing your teeth could be one, too if consumers ignore a "made in China" label.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers that toothpaste imported from China could contain diethylene glycol (DEG), the same substance used as a solvent in antifreeze. The Administration advises that any toothpaste with the label be thrown away because excess exposure to DEG could be harmful.
There have not yet been any reported cases of problems from Chinese-made toothpaste in the United States, but deaths and injuries have been reported in other countries as a result of consumption of DEG through cough syrups and acetaminophen syrup.
The FDA is particularly concerned that if children and those with liver disease within the U.S. consume too much of the substance, injury could result.
Brands of toothpaste from China that contain DEG are:
Cooldent Fluoride, Cooldent Spearmint, Cooldent ICE, Dr. Cool, Everfresh Toothpaste, Superdent Toothpaste, Clean Rite Toothpaste, Oralmax Extreme, Oral Bright Fresh Spearmint Flavor, Bright Max Peppermint Flavor and ShiR Fresh Mint Fluoride Paste.
Manufacturers of these toothpaste products are:
Goldcredit International Enterprises Limited, Goldcredit International Trading Company Limited and Suzhou City Jinmao Daily Chemicals Company Limited.
Reports from other countries such as Panama regarding DEG contamination in toothpaste manufactured in China prompted the FDA to examine toothpaste and other dental products exported to the United States. They confiscated one shipment of toothpaste at the U.S. border and tested toothpaste products from China located at a distribution center and a retail store.
This is not the first time, however, that the FDA has warned against DEG contamination in the United States. They recently warned pharmaceutical manufactures that the substance could be present in glycerin, a sweetener commonly used worldwide in liquid over-the-counter and prescription drug products.
The FDA is continuing to look for DEG in other toothpaste products and will add them to their import alerts should DEG be found. Adverse reactions or problems resulting from Chinese made toothpaste can be reported to the FDA?s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program at
www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm or (800) 332-1088.
Replies
17Beach Fanatic
:sick: :sick: :sick: :sick: :sick: :sick: :sick: :sick: :sick: :puke:
Wonder if Aquafresh is okay?
Wonder if Aquafresh is okay?
SoWal ExpertAuthor
SK, the reportedly complete list of brands is in the article above. I highlighted them in bold.
Skunky
They all sound like brands you might find at a Dollar Tree type store...I have heard of none of them:confused:
SoWal ExpertAuthor
I haven't heard of them either. With the pet food, and now toothpastes problems coming from cheap contracts in China, it makes me wonder just how vulnerable we are as a country. I guess this is just one more reason to eat locally grown foods when possible. As we send more contracts to China, we are putting ourselves at risk for attack, if China decides to turn against us. We think we are at the mercy of the middle east with oil, but I think we are at greater risk, being reliant upon China for so much of our daily products we purchase.
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.com
Unfortunately, SJ, imo we have created this situation! America's persuit of cheap products and cheap labor has created a precarious problem. We are dependant on products from China, which obviously have no quality control, and have driven good american companies out of business. The greedy companies have gone overseas to produce thier products in order to save themselves a buck...thus Americans end up being victims. "We" have created quite a market...have we not?:idontno:
In the words of Hermie
"We can become independent together". I wish America would become independent once again, in every sense of the word.
In the words of Hermie
"We can become independent together". I wish America would become independent once again, in every sense of the word.
SoWal Insider
Unfortunately, SJ, imo we have created this situation! America's persuit of cheap products and cheap labor has created a precarious problem. We are dependant on products from China, which obviously have no quality control, and have driven good american companies out of business. The greedy companies have gone overseas to produce thier products in order to save themselves a buck...thus Americans end up being victims. "We" have created quite a market...have we not?:idontno:
In the words of Hermie
"We can become independent together". I wish America would become independent once again, in every sense of the word.
Absolutely! It's not just the greedy companies--it's the greedy Americans that got us where we are today.
China has slowly and systematically taken over the industrial world [Flip over your computer mouse, keyboard, or coffee mug and see where it is manufactured.] China has been able to produce a multitude of consumer items more cheaply than anyone else in the world--this keeps inflation in check and gives the people of the US the illusion that they are "richer" even though wages haven't increased in many, many years.
China holds over $420 Billion, or almost 20% of outstanding foreign-owned US Treasury debt (T-Bills, notes, etc) (Debt that allows US citizens to buy vacation homes, Hummers, Plasma TVs, and assorted Bling.)
China recently invested $3 Billion--a 10% stake--in the US hedge fund Blackstone Group and has been rumored to be starting a $300 Billion investment fund of its own.
Because it has opened itself up to the rest of the world over the last couple decades, China has pretty much become financially, militarily, technologically, industrially, and agriculturally self-sufficient.
In the 6th Century B.C., Sun Tzu wrote a military treatise entitled "The Art of War." One excerpt from the book reads: "One hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the most skillful. Seizing the enemy without fighting is the most skillful."
If China decides to slam the bamboo curtain shut again....would they win the war without a fight?
/
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.com
In the 6th Century B.C., Sun Tzu wrote a military treatise entitled "The Art of War." One excerpt from the book reads: "One hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the most skillful. Seizing the enemy without fighting is the most skillful."Now, this is plain scary....:shock:
/
margarita brocolia
Now, this is plain scary....:shock:
Where's 6thgen? :blink:
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SoWal ExpertAuthor
Unfortunately, SJ, imo we have created this situation!
I agree completely with this statement.
Beach Fanatic
Very interesting stuff...Isn't China known for sweat shops and pollution too :(
SoWal ExpertAuthor
Very interesting stuff...Isn't China known for sweat shops and pollution too :(Yes, and they are also known for stealing the very product brands and producing identical products, brand labels included, for selling on the black market at a huge price reduction. Got a contract to make some Ping golf clubs? Why not run a couple hundred thousand extra through the assembly line and make good money?
FunnChef - AlisonCooks.com
Where's 6thgen? :blink:SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH....;-)
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SoWal Insider
Very interesting stuff...Isn't China known for sweat shops and pollution too :(
Exactly....it was the same in the U.S. during our own Industrial Revolution in the mid-1800's/early-1900s.
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Edited
Beach Fanatic
Maybe we should dig up W.C. Hawley and Reed Smoot, since their idea worked so well the first time around. I never thought I'd see the day when this board lined up with Pat Buchanan and against Paul Krugman. On a side note, has anyone else noticed how much Krugman's jaw makes him look like a puppet?
Edited
SoWal Expert
It's not just China, though they have been in the news lately. This is what happens when companies are constantly outsourcing for cost reasons. They lose their quality control on ingredients and a tainted source has widespread effects. Toothpaste, pet food, laptop batteries, vegetables, are the most recent problems, but there will be many more incidents.
needs to get out more
When we no longer really produce anything, we can only accept the quality of those who do.
Beach Fanatic
It's not just China, though they have been in the news lately. This is what happens when companies are constantly outsourcing for cost reasons. They lose their quality control on ingredients and a tainted source has widespread effects. Toothpaste, pet food, laptop batteries, vegetables, are the most recent problems, but there will be many more incidents.
They only lose their quality control if they choose to. This will serve as a lesson to closely monitor suppliers for companies that should be doing it anyway.
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