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Microplastics in Oral Care Products: Presence, Human Exposure, and Health Effects — A Scoping Review Protocol
Summary
Toothpaste and other oral care products may contain tiny plastic particles called microplastics, and since kids often swallow some toothpaste while brushing, they could be getting a regular dose of it without anyone realizing. This paper doesn't test products itself, instead, it's a plan for a future review that will gather and organize everything scientists already know about microplastics in oral care items, how much people (especially children) might be swallowing, and whether it could affect health. The goal is to figure out what we actually know versus what's still a gap, particularly in countries like Bangladesh where this issue hasn't been well studied.
Recent findings of microplastics in most toothpaste brands sold in Bangladesh, including products marketed for children, have raised concern about what consumers — particularly children, who swallow a share of toothpaste while brushing — may be ingesting. This scoping review will systematically map the global evidence on microplastics in oral care products: the types, morphology, polymer composition and concentrations reported; the analytical methods used to detect them; what is known about resulting human exposure and ingestion, including among children; associated or potential health effects via the oral–gastrointestinal route; and any regulatory or policy responses. Conducted per JBI scoping-review methodology and reported using PRISMA-ScR, the review will establish the evidence base for a wider study on children’s ingestion exposure and identify gaps relevant to Bangladesh and other low- and middle-income countries. This registration documents the a priori protocol.