Concerned over unregulated use of fluorides in tooth paste and tooth powder, which is leading to lot of health complications among the people, the Disease Management Association of India (DMAI) has approached the Union ministry of health urging it to bring regulatory control to monitor the use of the harmful chemicals by the companies.

The association in its representation to the ministry has demanded an early intervention in this matter as it has been found that many reputed companies like Colgate Palmolive, Hindustan Unilever, The Himalaya Drug, GlaxoSmithKline etc. have been ignoring basic requirements when it comes to use of fluorides and marketing of their products. In fact, DMAI pointed out that it is surprising how medical associations like Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Indian Dental Association (IDA) have been endorsing some of these products when it has been proved that excess use of fluorides may lead to serious health concerns.

According to an annual report released by the health ministry in 2012, excess intake of fluoride over a long period of time leads to major health disorders like dental fluorosis, skeletal fluorosis and non-skeletal fluorosis besides inducing ageing. These harmful effects are permanent and irreversible in nature. Based on this report, the government had recently started a National Programme for Prevention and Control of Fluorosis (NPPF).

However, Rajendra Pratap Gupta, president and director of DMAI pointed out that in spite of the NPPF programme, the companies are blatantly flouting the norms by not only using high content of fluorides in their products but also by failing to display properly, important information related to potentially poisonous effects of toothpastes and tooth powder on children.

Gupta stressed, “We have come across a glaring lapse in the manner in which important information related to quantity of toothpaste or tooth powder to be used by children is not displayed, as over use could be detrimental to health. It is evident that brushing of teeth daily twice is a message blasted on various media platforms, but the message using the right quantity and the potential poisonous effects on the health of children if used more than the size of a pea, which should ideally be put as a warning is completely ignored in these media blasts. This is a grievous crime and steps should be taken to damage control the situation at the earliest, by bringing in effective monitoring mechanism to regulate the use of fluorides and by creating a public campaign to generate awareness about the possible risks involved in overusing fluoride based products. Companies should also take steps to self regulate by issuing immediate warnings on radio, newspapers and television about the quantity of tooth paste to be used by children and about its harmful or poisonous side effects.”

He further pointed out that considering the diverse nature of this country, mentioning this warning prominently and highlighting it in local language in red colour on the packing and the toothpaste tube is a must for required impact. He also suggested withdrawing the old stocks from the market and replacing them with the new stocks with proper warning.