--- title: Triclosan is Allowed in Toothpaste and Accumulates Over Time description: A new study shows that triclosan from toothpaste can accumulate in toothbrushes. canonical: https://time.com/4995690/triclosan-toothpaste/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-10-25T19:51:34.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:54:03.076Z article:section: Health og:title: Triclosan Is Still Allowed In Toothpaste. Here's What You Should Know og:description: A new study shows that triclosan from toothpaste can accumulate in toothbrushes og:url: https://time.com/4995690/triclosan-toothpaste/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6c0a2806a53e4dd9/6988e350bc6cfc0de03e3af8/toothbrushes.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5263 og:image:height: 2960 og:image:alt: electric and handle toothbrush for brushing teeth og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Triclosan Is Still Allowed In Toothpaste. Here's What You Should Know twitter:description: A new study shows that triclosan from toothpaste can accumulate in toothbrushes twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6c0a2806a53e4dd9/6988e350bc6cfc0de03e3af8/toothbrushes.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Triclosan Is Still Allowed In Toothpaste. 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It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's weekday health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free weekday newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=8cb4aa85-ed28-422c-b943-67c768678098&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Do you really need to floss? [Watch (HLS stream): Do you really need to floss?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/oyTGcZ6V.m3u8) (0:48)  _Published 2016-08-02. The evidence for flossing is "weak, very unreliable," of "very low" quality, and carries "a moderate to large potential for bias"_ by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Oct 25, 2017 7:51 PM UTC  dental cartoon vector flat style for design, green electric and handle toothbrush for brushing teeth isolated on background dental cartoon vector flat style for design, green electric and handle toothbrush for brushing teeth isolated on background Getty Images/iStockphoto by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Oct 25, 2017 7:51 PM UTC The chemicals in your toothpaste can accumulate on your toothbrush — and even after you change to a different brand, the original chemicals can stick around, a new study found. Researchers examined the antibacterial compound [triclosan,](http://time.com/4339866/triclosan-antibacterial-soap-safety/) which federal authorities [banned](https://www.fda.gov/newsevents/newsroom/pressannouncements/ucm517478.htm) in over-the-counter products like antibacterial soaps and gels in 2016 after manufacturers were unable to prove it was safe for long-term use or more effective at preventing infection spread than soap and water. Exposure to high doses of triclosan has been linked to health issues like [bacteria resistance](http://time.com/4114345/antibiotic-resistance-common-myths/), hormone issues and gut health disruption. However, the compound is still available in some toothpastes, and researchers of a new study released on Wednesday have shown that it can accumulate in the bristles of toothbrushes and other parts of the toothbrush head. If people switch their toothpaste to a type that does not contain the compound, the study suggests the triclosan inside the toothbrush could still release into their mouths in small amounts. The researchers say that the FDA does not consider mouth exposure to triclosan toothpastes to be a health risk, but that consumers may want to know if they are getting any unwanted exposure when they switch to a brand that does not contain the chemical. Triclosan is found in toothpastes that are marketed as antibacterial, and Colgate is currently the only brand that makes toothpaste that contains triclosan. **MORE:** [The Case Against Antibacterial Soap Is Getting Stronger](http://time.com/4339866/triclosan-antibacterial-soap-safety/) In the [study, published in the journal ](http://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.7b02839)[_Environmental Science & Technology_](http://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.7b02839), the researchers built a brushing simulator that helped re-create a recommended brushing routine: two minutes, twice a day, over three months. They tested 22 of the best selling toothbrushes, including four children’s varieties. They used different toothpastes: six types with triclosan and some types without. They found that after a simulated brushing, more than a third of the toothbrushes accumulated substantial amounts of triclosan in their bristles, which the researchers say could be released into the mouths of people who use them, even if they change their toothpaste to one that doesn’t include the compound. The brushes accumulated about seven to 12.5 times the amount of triclosan a person comes in contact with while brushing. The triclosan also stayed in the bristles of the toothbrushes for about two weeks after switching to a non-triclosan toothpaste, they found. If people want to avoid triclosan while brushing their teeth, the researchers recommend changing to a toothpaste without triclosan and buying a new toothbrush. “People are not aware that triclosan could release from their toothbrush back into their mouth,” says study author Jie Han, a postdoctoral research scientist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The researchers also suggest that disposed toothbrushes could be a source of triclosan in the environment. In response to the study findings, Colgate sent TIME a comment: --- > “” --- The researchers also found that the toothbrushes can accumulate other chemicals from toothpaste. However if it’s unknown what harms they could cause. They also point out that other personal care items, like bath sponges, for instance, could also absorb and hold on to chemicals. Overall, the researchers—who are continuing to study how consumer products absorb chemicals—say their study raises larger questions about how these products are designed. “We want scientists and consumers and designers and take a step back, look at their products and look at the chemicals they have contact with,” says study author Wei Qiu, a research associate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. “Does absorption or release happen during regular use?” ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4995690/triclosan-toothpaste/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4995690/triclosan-toothpaste/"},"headline":"Triclosan Is Still Allowed In Toothpaste. 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