Quote:
Originally Posted by TheCoolinator
Sodium Fluoride.
Why does it say it's a poison on the back of every tooth paste tube? And why has it been assigned a hazard class of 6.1 (Poison) according to the US Department of transportation hazardous material regulations?
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Actually, toothpaste contains Sodium Monofluorophosphate. And while you can't eat it straight, in toothpaste it has been clinically shown to reduce the incidence of tooth decay. By the way, that's why you've been told since you've been old enough to understand that you aren't supposed to eat toothpaste - you brush, rinse and spit. Same with fluoride rinses (ACT, Phos-flur, etc).
Sodium fluoride is used in fluoridation of water, and is present in such low doses so the beneficial effects (reduction of tooth decay) far outweigh any potential health effects (fluorosis, digestive issues).
As far as ingesting a "poison", well you'll most likely suffer some severe digestive consequences if you eat straight capsaicin, but that doesn't stop people from eating habañero peppers.