Poisonous Toothpaste - Be careful what toothpaste do you use

Recalled Toxic Toothpaste Still Found In Stores

(CBS) MIAMI Weeks after the FDA recall was executed, some South Florida stores are still selling a poisonous, counterfeit brand of toothpaste.

"My mouth was feeling kind of tingly and my stomach was feeling kind of weird," said Serge Achille. "You don't think it's your toothpaste. That's the last thing you're going to think, that it's your toothpaste."

That's how Achille realized something might be wrong with the toothpaste he bought at a Broward discount store.

WFOR's David Sutta found it at a discount store in Dania Beach. At our request they took the product off store shelves.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned consumers to avoid using tubes of toothpaste labeled "made in China", because it might contain the poisonous chemical diethylene glycol (DEG). This ingredient is used in antifreeze and as a solvent. Consumers should examine toothpaste products for the labeling that says where the product is made. The FDA suggests that you examine your toothpaste and check the labeling to see if it's made in China or in South Africa. Out of an abundance of caution, FDA suggests that consumers throw away toothpaste with that labeling.

"The first thing I didn't notice is that it didn't say ADA [on the label]," said Achille.

So far there haven't been any reported poisonings in the U.S. as a result of the use of toothpaste, but the agency is concerned about the potential risks from chronic exposure to DEG in certain populations such as children and people with kidney or live disease.

What makes this situation so tricky for consumers is that it that a counterfeit make of Colgate toothpaste, made in South Africa, is under the recall list. Once again, consumers are urged to look at where the product was made and not use it if they are suspicious.

Remember, Colgate does not make toothpaste in these countries.

FDA has also identified the following brands of toothpaste from China that contain DEG and are included in the import alert:

Cooldent Fluoride; Cooldent Spearmint; Cooldent ICE; Dr. Cool, Everfresh Toothpaste; Superdent Toothpaste; Clean Rite Toothpaste; Oralmax Extreme; Oral Bright Fresh Spearmint Flavor; Bright Max Peppermint Flavor; ShiR Fresh Mint Fluoride Paste; DentaPro; DentaKleen; and DentaKleen Junior. Manufacturers of these products are: Goldcredit International Enterprises Limited; Goldcredit International Trading Company Limited; and Suzhou City Jinmao Daily Chemicals Company Limited. The products typically are sold at low-cost, "bargain" retail outlets.

If FDA identifies other brands of toothpaste products containing DEG, FDA will take appropriate actions, including adding products and their manufacturers to the import alert to prevent them from entering the United States.