A daily habit most people barely think about is under fresh scrutiny in Bangladesh after researchers found microplastics in most of the toothpaste samples they tested.
Testing carried out by the Environment and Social Development Organization over a 12-month period found microplastics in 26 of the 34 toothpaste samples it examined in Bangladesh, or 76.5% of the total.
According to The Business Standard, the products were collected from supershops, retail shops, and wholesale markets between July 2025 and June 2026.
The highest share of detections appeared in domestically made products, with 22 of 25 Bangladesh-made samples testing positive.
Microplastics were also found in both samples from Vietnam, as well as in one of two from Thailand and one of five from India.
Detected levels ranged from 20 to 320 particles per 100 grams of toothpaste.
Mediplus Fluoride Gel had the highest count at 320, and four of the six children's toothpastes included in the study also contained microplastics, with results ranging from 20 to 140 particles per 100 grams.
According to Esdo, toothpaste can release these particles into the environment, where they may later return to people through food and drinking water.
The organization also pointed to international studies suggesting possible effects on the respiratory, digestive, immune, cardiovascular, nervous, and reproductive systems, while noting that more research is still needed.
Esdo said none of the packaging disclosed the presence of microplastics or the synthetic polymers used. That gives shoppers little practical information to compare products or make informed choices.
A consumer survey by Esdo suggested awareness remains low, with 41.9% of respondents saying they had never heard of microplastics in toothpaste.
Md Monzurul Karim, deputy director for chemistry at the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution, said current national standards approve 40 toothpaste ingredients and include particle-size limits.
He also said some manufacturers may be using microplastics as a cheap way to add product weight, calling that undesirable.
Karim said BSTI has been examining the matter since 2019 and could revisit toothpaste standards after updating those for facewash and facepack products.
Esdo says Bangladesh still has no national standards, allowable limits, testing methods, or mandatory labeling rules for microplastics in toothpaste.
The study also identified several products with no detectable microplastics in the tested samples, though one round of testing is not a permanent guarantee.
Esdo Chairperson Syed Marghub Murshed said the findings could help advance stricter toothpaste standards, improve oversight, and better protect consumers and the environment.
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