Myth or Miracle: Is Toothpaste an Effective Acne Treatment?

Toothpastes and soaps used to have an antibacterial ingredient called triclosan.

​The most common skin condition affecting Americans is acne. That’s probably not surprising to hear. I mean, we’ve pretty much all had acne. More than 85% of us experienced acne as teens. If you’ve perhaps sold your soul to be a member of the other 15% then this blog isn’t likely for you (though you might find my FDA rant useful).

​For a significant number of people acne unfortunately doesn’t end with the teen years. Many continue to suffer the effects of acne well into adulthood. If you're suffering from adult acne it's important to know that it is treatable and you are not the only one. It affects nearly one in six people in the United States. While adult acne in women is more common, adult acne in men tends to be worse.

“Acne is the most common skin condition affecting nearly one of every six Americans.”

Unfortunately, left untreated acne outbreaks can lead to scarring. Scarring can be treated and improved but it's ultimately best to treat the acne before scarring occurs,  if possible. Treatments can vary from OTC products for mild cases to prescriptions and laser treatments for severe acne. 

One ‘hack’ that still manages to make the rounds (thanks to social media) is applying toothpaste to zits. The root of this comes (mostly) from the past. Toothpastes and soaps used to have an antibacterial ingredient called triclosan that was effective at preventing plaque and gingivitis. Triclosan was likely effective in reducing mild acne caused by bacteria. However, as it turns out, triclosan is probably not safe and for the most part no longer used in toothpaste. I say ‘probably not safe’ because it was banned for use in soaps but not toothpaste. 

​That’s a bit of a head scratcher, innit? Here’s why the FDA would ban something in soaps yet claim it’s safe to put in your mouth and likely swallow some of it: The FDA doesn’t do its own testing. The FDA relies on the corporations making fistfuls of money selling dangerous products to provide them with evidence that their products aren’t dangerous. Spoiler alert - The corporations weigh how much money they can make against how much the lawsuits will cost them, rather than by how many people will be harmed by unsafe products. Fun fact! It took more than 80 years from the time we knew that asbestos, mercury and lead were harmful until they were banned. In this case the FDA asked Colgate to prove that a chemical that isn’t safe for external use is safe for internal use, and *feigned shock!* they did. Ok, getting off my soapbox now.

“Fun fact! It took more than 80 years from the time we knew that asbestos, lead, and mercury were harmful until they were banned. ”

With the exception of one brand of toothpaste, triclosan no longer is used in toothpaste. Triclosan was likely the only real benefit of putting toothpaste on acne. Unless you are using that one brand of toothpaste you aren’t likely to get that benefit.

There are, however, many other reasons not to use toothpaste on acne. Most toothpastes contain either alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or baking soda. Though good for cleaning your teeth they can cause your skin to be dry, red and flakey. Thankfully, there are many very effective options for treating acne today and we don’t need to rely on wive’s tales or hacks.