In modern society, great importance is attached to personal hygiene, because it affects the state of he alth, appearance and relationships in the team. It is sometimes difficult to maintain a close relationship with a person who constantly smells from the mouth. Or, for example, a situation that characterizes a person badly is when he has frequent problems with his stomach as a result of the lack of the habit of washing his hands before eating. For better and easier disposal of dirt, mankind has invented various antibacterial agents. One of the components of such funds is triclosan. What it is, how it affects the body as a whole, in what products it can be found, we will talk in this article.
Substance triclosan
Triclosan is a substance first obtained in laboratories in Switzerland. After synthesis, it began to be used as an antibacterial component in toothpastes, creams and washing powders. Then its bacteria-killing property was used in American fields. It got there as a pesticide and was usedlong time triclosan. What it is, at the moment is well known. Most doctors are inclined to believe that it should not be used as a daily oral care or skin cleanser. However, we have seen advertisements more than once that say that triclosan in soap, paste and cream is very good, correct and safe. So why are doctors against the use of this substance? Worth looking into.
The effect of triclosan on hormonal levels
For half a century since the discovery of triclosan, all kinds of research and experiments have been carried out. One of these experiments showed that in mice that were injected with this substance, various tumors and neoplasms were observed more often than in other individuals that did not participate in the experiment. It has been observed that triclosan mimics estrogen in the body and thereby disrupts the hormonal balance, leading to various cancers. However, for domestic use in concentrations used in soaps and various pastes, it is practically not absorbed. Of great concern to doctors is another of its properties - to form the resistance of bacteria to antibiotics.
Antibacterial effect of triclosan
Triclosan's ability to kill many bacteria was initially received very well by medical professionals. It was used everywhere. Triclosan in soap was needed for hand disinfection, various solutions based on it served to disinfect wounds, it was even used to treatteeth before exposure to tooth enamel. It became so common that it was used daily. This was the impetus for the fact that bacteria that had previously died from the effects of triclosan began to adapt and form resistant forms not only to it, but also to other antibacterial agents. When a doctor prescribed an antibiotic to treat an infection, the patient did not feel the desired effect, and the drug had to be re-selected in order to achieve a satisfactory result. This property is not unique to triclosan. It manifests itself in all antibacterial agents used systemically in low concentrations.
Triclosan in toothpaste
The positive effect of triclosan in toothpaste is due to its antibacterial properties. It prevents plaque, fights tartar and freshens breath. However, in a person's mouth there are not only dangerous bacteria, but also bacteria that make up the natural microflora. Since the triclosan in the toothpaste affects all bacteria indiscriminately, the normal acidic environment changes, resulting in a hard-to-treat mucosal fungus. If the dentist believes that the use of a toothpaste with an antibacterial agent is justified, then indeed, you can brush her teeth for a short time. And the self-appointment of such toothpaste is undesirable.
Triclosan in cream
In addition to toothpaste, triclosan can also be found in various creams. They are mainly intended for foot care or for the treatmentacne. Cream with triclosan, due to its antibacterial properties, helps to get rid of the smell and suppress the growth of bacteria in the foci of inflammation. The price of such funds is low and accessible to almost everyone. As with toothpaste, it is best not to use triclosan creams for a long time.
What else is triclosan dangerous for?
According to scientists, the substance affects the muscles, namely their contraction. Muscle fibers after exposure to this substance stopped working properly, reacting to stimuli. Studies were conducted on various groups of animals and fish, as a result of which the muscle activity of the experimental subjects decreased markedly after interaction with triclosan. For a person whose main muscle is the heart, such an effect is harmful - it can seriously affect he alth and life expectancy.
Since prolonged exposure to triclosan disrupts the hormonal background, this leads to thyroid problems, hormonal and oncological diseases. Therefore, the popular triclosan paste is most likely not as useful as advertised. When buying any product, it is important to realistically assess the benefits and risks of using it.
Triclosan Ban
The EU Chemical Agency, designed to control the content of harmful substances in goods supplied to Europe, has published a list of banned chemical compounds. Triclosan is also included in this list. What is it and why is itharmful, we discussed above, and all this is quite enough to recognize the substance as harmful to human he alth. American activists are also pushing for it to be included on the list of banned ingredients, but so far only the state of Minnesota plans to do so in 2017. In Russia, triclosan products are currently freely available.
What can replace triclosan?
After numerous studies convincingly proving that the use of this substance in everyday care is inappropriate, the question arose of what can replace triclosan. The instruction to him says that the list of bacteria that it affects is extensive, but it does not include all microorganisms. As an alternative means, you can use substances that act not only on bacteria, but also on many other microbes without developing sensitivity to them. This, for example, chlorhexidine or miramistin. At the moment, it is chlorhexidine that is the component of most antibacterial wipes. It has been used for a long time, its safety and effectiveness are confirmed by practice and numerous studies.
Triclosan-carbamide dreams
Probably, many are familiar with the song with such an interesting phrase. If we already know about the substance triclosan, what is it, then what is urea? Carbamide is an organic substance, a well-known urea, widely used in agriculture as a nitrogen fertilizer. It was opened in 1773. And in 1828 it was synthesizedWehler. This was the first experiment in which an organic substance was obtained from an inorganic one. The substance triclosan-carbamide does not exist in nature. The author of the song - Maxim Leonidov - simply came up with it, thereby putting a certain character into it.
Conclusion
Having considered triclosan (what it is, why it is useful, why it is dangerous, and also by what means it should be replaced), we can conclude that this substance is not suitable for daily use. Its use is possible only for a short time, on the recommendation of a doctor. And although it does not have a noticeable effect on he alth when applied externally in low concentrations, in the long term, its long-term use can lead to serious consequences.
