Indigenous tooth powders = covert lead poisoning?

Abstract

Aim: The present study aimed to measure the concentration of lead in various indigenous preparations of tooth powders available and used locally in and around Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.

Materials and methods: Seven different brands of tooth powders manufactured and/or marketed locally were obtained from stores all over Udaipur city. Some home-made powders commonly used for cleaning teeth were also collected. The tooth powders were analyzed for lead content by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Results: All tooth powders tested were found to contain high levels of lead ranging from 21 ppm to 82 ppm, above the maximum permissible level of 20 ppm prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards.

Conclusion: Indigenous tooth powders contain high levels of lead and thus may be a source of lead poisoning that is often overlooked.