Is triclosan in toothpaste safe for kids?

What's in the toothpaste

Triclosan is an antibacterial chemical that's still used in some toothpaste brands. The FDA banned it from hand soaps in 2016, but the toothpaste exemption remains because manufacturers argued it helps fight gum disease. Kids swallow a clear portion of the toothpaste they use, making their exposure much higher per pound of body weight than adults.

Triclosan absorbs through the gums and the gut lining. It crosses the placenta, so exposure can begin before a child is even born if the mother uses triclosan-containing products.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Archives of Toxicology investigated what happens when triclosan exposure starts in the womb and continues through life. The researchers found that this pattern of exposure caused liver fibrosis, which is scarring of the liver tissue.

Triclosan activated hepatic stellate cells, the cells responsible for producing scar tissue in the liver. It also triggered chronic inflammation through a chain reaction of immune signals. Over time, this repeated cycle of inflammation and scarring degraded liver function.

The damage was not from a single large dose. It came from continuous low-level exposure, the kind a child would get from brushing teeth twice daily with triclosan toothpaste from a young age.

How to reduce your exposure

Check your toothpaste ingredients for triclosan. Switch to a triclosan-free brand. Most major toothpaste brands have removed it, but some store brands and imported products still contain it. For kids, choose toothpastes specifically formulated for children, which typically skip antibacterial additives.