Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

The unseen perils of oral-care products generated micro/nanoplastics on human health

This review reveals that everyday oral care products like toothpaste, toothbrushes, and dental materials release micro and nanoplastics into the mouth through normal use. These tiny particles are generated by mechanical friction, pH changes, and temperature shifts during brushing and dental procedures. Since the mouth is a direct entry point to the digestive system, this overlooked source of microplastic exposure could have significant implications for human health.

2024 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Occurrence and risk assessment of microplastics from various toothpastes

Researchers found microplastic particles in multiple commercial toothpaste products and conducted risk assessments, determining that microbeads and other plastic additives in toothpastes represent a source of microplastic release to aquatic environments and potential human oral exposure.

2019 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 83 citations
Article Tier 2

Extraction, identification, and environmental risk assessment of microplastics in commercial toothpaste

Microplastics were extracted from ten commercial toothpaste brands sold in India and characterized by size and polymer type, with polyethylene being the most common material found. The study identifies toothpaste as a source of microplastic exposure through oral ingestion and wastewater discharge, adding to evidence on personal care products as plastic pollution sources.

2022 Chemosphere 75 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification and Characterization of Microplastics in Five Popular Indian Toothpaste Brands - A Comprehensive Analysis

Researchers analyzed five popular Indian toothpaste brands for microplastic contamination and found significant variations in concentration and polymer types across brands. One brand contained the highest microplastic concentration at 0.248 grams per gram of toothpaste, with particles up to 30 micrometers including PET, polypropylene, and PTFE. The study highlights that personal care products remain a direct source of microplastic exposure and suggests that regulatory oversight of microplastic ingredients in toothpaste is needed.

2025 International Journal of Current Science Research and Review 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in oral healthcare products (OHPs) and their environmental health risks and mitigation measures

Scientists tested common oral healthcare products sold across India, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, and dental floss, and found microplastic contamination in all of them. Toothbrushes released the most particles (30 to 120 per brush), with polyethylene and polyamide being the most common plastic types. This means people are regularly putting microplastics directly into their mouths through everyday dental hygiene products, creating a direct route of exposure.

2023 Environmental Pollution 42 citations
Article Tier 2

What every dentist needs to know about microplastics and dental materials.

This review outlined how common dental products — including toothpastes, composites, orthodontic appliances, and floss — contain or generate microplastics through degradation and use, and summarized the health risks from exposure via ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact.

2026 General dentistry
Article Tier 2

Microplastic chip occurrence at toothbrush bristle tips: an optical microscopy investigation

Researchers investigated whether microplastic chips were present at the bristle tips of commercially available toothbrushes sold in South Korea, examining 12 toothbrushes (four domestic, eight imported) using optical microscopy after sampling bristle tips with tape and scalpel preparation. They found microplastic chips at toothbrush bristle tips, raising concerns about potential oral exposure to microplastics during routine tooth brushing.

2024 Journal of Korean Academy of Oral Health 1 citations
Article Tier 2

What every dentist needs to know about microplastics and dental materials.

This review examines the sources and potential health risks of microplastics originating from dental products, including toothpastes, dental composites, aligners, and other clinical materials. Researchers found that dental products can release microplastic particles during use and degradation, contributing to both patient exposure and environmental contamination. The study calls for greater awareness among dental professionals about microplastic risks and the development of safer alternative materials.

2026 PubMed
Article Tier 2

Micro and nanoplastics in dentistry: emerging sources, health implications, and mitigation pathways: a narrative review.

This review of existing research found that common dental materials and oral care products like toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental fillings can release tiny plastic particles called microplastics into your mouth. Lab studies suggest these particles might cause inflammation and cell damage when they build up in mouth tissues, though scientists haven't yet proven they cause actual health problems in people. The good news is that dentists and patients can reduce exposure by using better suction systems during procedures and choosing oral care products that shed fewer plastic particles.

2026 The Saudi dental journal
Article Tier 2

Release of microplastics during dental procedures and denture wear: Impact on dental personnel and patients

Researchers found that common dental procedures like grinding and cleaning dentures release significant amounts of microplastics into the air and surroundings. Both dental workers and patients are exposed to these particles through inhalation and ingestion during routine dental care. This study identifies dental clinics as a previously unrecognized source of microplastic exposure for both healthcare workers and the general public.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 7 citations
Article Tier 2

The oral–systemic interface of micro- and nanoplastics

Researchers reviewed the oral cavity as an underexplored entry point for micro- and nanoplastics from dental products, toothbrushes, restorations, and implants, finding evidence linking local particle exposure to oral diseases including periodontitis and oral cancer, and noting that particles crossing oral barriers can disseminate systemically to worsen inflammatory and metabolic conditions.

2026 Advances in Colloid and Interface Science
Article Tier 2

微纳米塑料在典型日用塑料制品使用过程中的释放规律及机制

This Chinese study investigated the release of micro- and nanoplastics from everyday plastic products including food containers, tableware, and clothing during normal use, characterizing release rates and mechanisms and estimating daily human exposure from common household items.

2024 Chinese Science Bulletin (Chinese Version)
Article Tier 2

Emission of primary microplastics in mainland China: Invisible but not negligible

This study estimated primary microplastic emissions in mainland China from daily plastic product use, including personal care products, industrial pellets, and textiles, finding that significant quantities enter the environment even though these sources are invisible compared to secondary fragmentation of plastic waste. Quantifying primary microplastic emissions is essential for designing targeted reduction strategies.

2019 Water Research 275 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Microplastic content of over-the-counter toothpastes - a systematic review

This systematic review confirms that microplastic particles are present in many common toothpaste brands, including polyethylene and polypropylene beads used as abrasives. Since toothpaste is used daily and can be swallowed, this represents a direct and repeated route of microplastic exposure for consumers.

2023 F1000Research 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Toothpaste Consumption: Implications for Health and Sustainability in Oral Care

This paper is not about microplastics; it is a dental study measuring how much toothpaste people use when brushing with manual versus electric toothbrushes, finding that electric toothbrush users consumed significantly less toothpaste per session.

2023 European Journal of General Dentistry 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the discharge characteristics of personal care behaviors for high precision estimation of microplastic emission

Researchers developed a bottom-up micro-simulation method combining multinomial logit modeling with categorized emission coefficients to quantify microplastic emissions from personal care and cosmetic product behaviors in China, finding annual emissions of 2,931.8 trillion particles nationally with teeth brushing, face washing, and bathing each contributing roughly a third.

2022 Journal of Environmental Management 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthetic polymers in personal care and cosmetics products (PCCPs) as a source of microplastic (MP) pollution

A market survey and consumer questionnaire study in Sri Lanka identified toothpaste as the personal care product with the highest content of synthetic polymer microplastics, and found that consumer awareness of MPs in cosmetics was low. The authors estimated substantial theoretical emissions of primary MPs from personal care products into the environment based on per-product polymer content.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 78 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Release from Dental Materials: Environmental and Biological Implications

This review examines how dental materials—composites, adhesives, denture bases, and orthodontic appliances—degrade under mechanical, thermal, enzymatic, and chemical stressors to release microplastics, contributing to both direct patient exposure and environmental contamination.

2025 Journal of international oral health
Article Tier 2

Detection and Identification of Various Microplastics in Different Orthodontic Adhesives

Researchers found microplastics in four different brands of orthodontic adhesives used by dentists to attach braces. The microplastics were identified as fibers, fragments, and pellets containing various plastic polymers. While the amount is small compared to other plastic pollution sources, this study shows that dental materials can introduce microplastic particles into patients' mouths and eventually into the environment.

2024 Cureus 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic content of over-the-counter toothpastes from India: an in-vitro study

Researchers analyzed 20 popular over-the-counter toothpastes from the Indian market and found microplastic compounds present in all samples. Using infrared spectroscopy, they identified polyamides, polyethylene, and polypropylene across all tested brands, highlighting a potential daily exposure route to microplastics through routine oral hygiene products.

2025 International Journal of Environmental Health Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Raman imaging to identify microplastics released from toothbrushes: algorithms and particle analysis

Researchers used Raman imaging to identify and analyze microplastic particles released from toothbrushes during simulated brushing. They found that toothbrushes shed detectable plastic fragments, including nylon and other polymer types, confirming that oral hygiene products can be a direct source of microplastic exposure. The study developed improved algorithms for identifying these particles, which could help standardize microplastic detection in consumer product testing.

2023 Environmental Pollution 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Profusion of microplastics in dental healthcare units; morphological, polymer, and seasonal trends with hazardous consequences for humans

This study measured microplastic contamination in dental clinics during routine procedures and found thousands of particles in the air, with dental professionals inhaling significant amounts daily. Female dental workers faced slightly higher inhalation risks than male workers. The findings highlight that people working in healthcare settings with extensive plastic use face elevated microplastic exposure that could affect their respiratory health over time.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 15 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastics in Dentistry: A Review of Health and Environmental Risks

This narrative review examined the sources and health implications of microplastics in dental settings, identifying dental materials, procedures, and equipment as underrecognized sources of patient and clinician exposure. The review calls for greater awareness and standardized safety protocols in dentistry.

2025 Oral Sciences Reports
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Orthodontics

This paper reviews how microplastics can leach from dental and orthodontic materials such as toothpaste, retainers, aligners, and adhesives, with the oral cavity being a direct route for microplastic ingestion. As orthodontic treatments become more common, especially clear aligner therapy, understanding the extent of microplastic release from these devices is important for assessing patient exposure.

2023 International Journal of Contemporary Dental Research 1 citations