My dentist told me to not rinse fluoride containing toothpaste out of my mouthe but to just spitl Thereafter I suffered from mouth sores. Four years ago my lips and tongue would swell about once a month. Gradually the interval between swellings became shorter and shorter until after a year it was daily. (On one occasion the swelling necessitated a visit to a hospital emergency ward for an anaphylactic reaction.) By keeping a record of everything I ate I discovered the swelling was mainly due to sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in my toothpaste.
I confirmed this discovery by testing with ultra pure SLS from a chemical supply house - Spectrum s1331 ($35/25 grams). I applied a one- percent solution of SLS with a q-tip to a single small spot on my lower lip. Unexpectedly the solution migrated to my tongue and caused it to swell which can be dangerous. I immediately drove to my allergist to display my swollen tongue. He kicked me out and said to never again darken his doorway because I was a nut to experiment on myself. I drove home downcast after being rejected so. But there was some consolation – For $35 my test had revealed the source of my allergy - sodium lauryl sulfate. I had spent over $1500.00 of medical insurance money in doctor's allergy tests and discovered nothing.
My three allergists had complained to me that there seemed to be an epidemic of these swelling tongues and lips the cause of which they have not been able to discover. They do allergy tests in their office on your arm, which takes less than a half-hour. I have discovered that my reaction usually takes several hours after exposure to SLS before swelling occurs on my lips or tongue. It appears to me that allergy doctors are not able to deal with this type of chemical sensitivity. It would probably require a medical technician following the patient for 2 to 24 hours to discover if they were possessed this type of allergy.
My mouth sores are gone but I still have occasional minor swelling which seem to be diminishing.. I am guessing that I had developed the sensitivity to SLS due to its’ accumulation in my body and thus continue to react to unknown sources of SLS in my environment. With time most of the SLS has probably left my body and I am thus probably less sensitive to SLS. Most toothpaste, hand soaps, shampoos, and liquid dish soaps contain SLS. Liquid soaps containing SLS are used to wipe tables, chairs, toilets, etc.. the traces of which would be impractical to rinse or wipe away.
I use liquid lye soap (which I make myself) for washing and salt for toothpaste. The recipe for soap requires only sodium hydroxide (lye, be careful), water and oil and no troublesome surfactants like SLS. See Internet for recipes.