Hemp Oil Toothpaste: Healthy Smile or Just Another Wellness Trend?

Hemp seems to be turning up everywhere these days, in foods, skincare products, supplements and even toothpaste. 

But does brushing your teeth with hemp oil actually offer any advantages, or is it simply another way of making an everyday product sound more exciting?

Hemp oil toothpaste generally contains hemp seed oil, produced from the seeds of Cannabis sativa. 

Despite the association with cannabis, hemp seed oil doesn't produce a “high” and shouldn't be confused with products containing significant quantities of THC.

So what are the claimed benefits?

Hemp seed oil naturally contains fatty acids, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, along with other plant compounds. Manufacturers of hemp toothpastes sometimes suggest these ingredients can help soothe and moisturise the gums and contribute to a healthier oral environment.

Another frequently mentioned claim concerns inflammation. Hemp seed oil has attracted research interest for its potential anti-inflammatory properties, leading to suggestions that it could be beneficial for irritated or sensitive gums. 

However, evidence specifically demonstrating a meaningful dental benefit from hemp oil toothpaste remains limited.

Some hemp toothpastes also contain ingredients such as peppermint oil, activated charcoal, aloe vera or other botanical extracts. These may influence freshness, taste and how the toothpaste feels, but their presence doesn't necessarily make the toothpaste more effective at preventing tooth decay.

And that's where an important distinction needs to be made.

Don't Forget the Fluoride

For most people, one of the most important ingredients to look for in toothpaste remains fluoride. Fluoride has extensive evidence supporting its ability to strengthen tooth enamel and reduce tooth decay.

Some hemp and “natural” toothpastes are fluoride-free. That doesn't automatically make them bad products, but consumers shouldn't assume that hemp oil provides an equivalent alternative to fluoride for cavity protection. It doesn't.

Similarly, claims that hemp toothpaste can “detox” the mouth, dramatically whiten teeth or cure gum disease deserve considerable caution unless they're backed by good clinical evidence.

There may nevertheless be reasons why somebody enjoys using hemp oil toothpaste. Its formulation may feel pleasant on the gums, and people who enjoy botanical oral-care products may prefer its taste and texture. Most importantly, a toothpaste you actually enjoy using may encourage regular brushing.

For That’s Health, our view is that hemp oil toothpaste is an interesting addition to the increasingly crowded natural oral-care market, and some of its ingredients certainly warrant further research. 

But at present, the evidence doesn't justify treating hemp oil as a wonder ingredient for teeth and gums.

If you're tempted to try one, check the complete ingredients rather than simply looking for the word “hemp” on the packaging. Ideally, choose an appropriate fluoride toothpaste, brush thoroughly twice a day, clean between your teeth and keep up regular dental check-ups.

Hemp oil might make toothpaste more interesting, but good old-fashioned dental hygiene is still doing most of the important work.

As for myself? I use Arm and Hammer toothpaste and a hemp oil toothpaste as I'm trying to get the best of both worlds!

HSE campaign highlights dangers from metalworking fluids

Businesses and workshops are being warned to ensure their staff are safe when they are working with metalworking fluids or coolants.

It’s a highly technical, specialist field applying precision engineering, but can also cause harm to the lungs and skin.

Past inspections by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have uncovered poor performance around control of metalworking fluids in businesses that use computer numerical control (CNC) machines.  

Exposure to metalworking fluids, also referred to as ‘white water’ or Suds Oil, can cause harm to lungs and skin through inhalation or direct contact with unprotected skin; particularly the hands, forearms and face.

Breathing in the mist generated by machining can result in lung diseases like occupational asthma and occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

Manufacturing businesses must implement control measures and undertake health surveillance checks with qualified occupational health professionals.

More about the campaign, and tips on how to keep workers safe, can be found here https://tinyurl.com/2u3d69kk

Machinists and metalworking fluid - Work Right to keep Britain safe

Said HSE inspector Fiona McGarry: “Lung problems and irritated skin don’t have to be associated with working with metalworking fluid if you've  taken the correct precautions.

“It's vital control measures and fluid quality checks are in place to keep workers healthy. Health checks are essential to identify signs of ill-health early.”

To support the campaign, HSE will carry out inspections to look at how employers are ensuring workers are protected from exposure to fluid or mist generated by CNC machines across Great Britain.

Britain’s workplace regulator plans to carry out unannounced inspections between now and March 2024.

One business to have received such a visit was Nottingham-based engineering firm CNTL Ltd, earlier this year. Dane Rawson, the firm’s director, was apprehensive at first but soon saw the inspector was only there to help.

He said: “I’m new to this side of the business, I haven’t dealt with a health and safety inspection before. At first, I was cautious, but it didn’t take long for the inspector to make us feel comfortable. She wasn’t trying to catch us out.” 

The inspection showed the company had safe working practices in some areas, but it was asked to install local exhaust ventilation (LEV) on its CNC machines. 

Dane and the team have noticed the difference: “We have several high-tech machines that constantly use pressurised coolant – it’s bound to create a mist.

“It was something we were aware of and had explored the option of installing LEVs, however as a result of HSE’s visit we wanted to follow their advice and action this sooner.

“We’ve noticed now that the smell of coolant is no longer there and air quality is much improved. It’s definitely a cleaner and safer environment to work in. The staff feel like we’ve done the right thing for them and know their wellbeing is a priority of ours.” 

To reduce exposure, you must have control measures in place. Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) should be fitted on CNC machines to carry away any harmful metalworking fluid mist, which is difficult to see in normal lighting.

Fluid quality should be regularly checked focusing on concentration, pH, bacteria and contaminants. Fluid systems can become highly contaminated with harmful bacteria.

Where there is exposure to fluid or mist, it's a legal requirement to carry out health surveillance even when preventative controls are in place. You will need to involve an occupational health professional and workers should be encouraged to report any health symptoms that occur.

Regular fluid checks are a part of CNTL’s weekly routine. They outsource to a company that undertakes weekly coolant and dipslide checks.

The HSE inspection has had a positive impact on Dane, making him more interested in creating an environment that protects his team’s health as well as safety. He recently attended a trade fair in Germany, partly to understand the approach on the continent.

Dane’s message to any company that will be inspected is simple: “Don’t feel intimidated. They are only there to benefit you, your company and your staff."

(EDITOR: In the 1970s I worked as a technician in a grey cast iron foundry laboratory and we had a Denison Tensile Testing machine and we had a lathe for turning samples of cast iron to place in the Dension Tensile Testing Machine to pull them apart and register the breaking force required.

We used water-based Suds Oil to cool the metal when we or the machinist who usually operated the lathe were turning the cast iron sample pieces. There was no fume extraction of any kind for the Suds Oil fumes, although there was a window we could open. 

And there was a special allowance of one pint of milk a day for Bert, the machinist, to drink. Although there was no real explanation given as to why it was thought that machinists such as Bert required a pint of milk to drink a day, other than a vague idea of "helping to settle the dust." 

I am so pleased Health and Safety in the Workplace is taken much more seriously now than it was years ago.)

For general information and guidance on health and safety in the workplace in the UK please visit https://www.hse.gov.uk

(Image courtesy of Paul Reynolds from Pixabay)