Photo © sanja gjenero

First tainted pet food and now tainted toothpaste. That’s right, tainted toothpaste! The maker of a Chinese toothpaste is under investigation for adding diethylene glycol to its toothpaste. Diethylene glycol is also the chemical that is blamed for taking the lives of at least 51 Central Americans after it was found mixed with cough syrup last October.

The Chinese made toothpaste called “Mr. Cool" and "Excel" was said to be illegally imported from Panama into the Dominican Republic. According to this press release, the toothpaste was removed from shelves after a customer noticed that diethylene glycol was listed under the ingredients.

If you live in the United States, always make sure that the toothpaste you purchase has the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance (ADA). This means that it has been tested and deemed safe by the American Dental Association.

When brushing your teeth, always rinse and spit the toothpaste out. A bad habit that children generally pick up is using too much toothpaste and swallowing a lot of it. Be sure to monitor young children closely while they are brushing their teeth.