The Hidden Dangers of Everyday Items: What You Didn't Know Could Cause Cancer. Number 4 Surprised Us

It's now known that products like Teflon cookware, artificial sweeteners, air fresheners, and plastic bottles contain carcinogenic substances.

A list published by the 'American Cancer Prevention Coalition' (The Cancer Prevention Coalition - CPC) includes many products such as cleaning agents, shampoos and conditioners, talc (from Johnson & Johnson, also marketed locally), makeup, toothpaste from the Crest brand, air fresheners, and more.

In total, 12 products commonly found in every American household, some of which are even imported and marketed locally. So what can you do? Here are four dangers found in common household products and four tips on alternative solutions.

Four products from this list that contain carcinogens are:

1. Artificial sweeteners

2. Air fresheners

3. Toothpaste

4. Anti-dandruff shampoo

Artificial Sweeteners – The Danger and the Alternative

Although we tend to think we're being 'healthy' by replacing white sugar with substitutes like aspartame, sucralose, sorbitol, and acesulfame potassium, the opposite is true. While these substances may not cause short-term harm like sugar, in the long run, they contain artificial chemical compounds that may lead to cancer and other serious health issues.

Many studies link aspartame to skin cancer and sucralose to bladder cancer. Sorbitol, being only partially digestible in the intestines, can cause diarrhea, bloating, and gas.

So what alternatives can be used? Here's a respectable list:

Stevia, erythritol, agave syrup, and silan (the latter not recommended for diabetics).

Air Fresheners – The Danger and the Alternative

A recent study found that the gases released from air fresheners when used are considerably more dangerous than the damage from cigarette smoke. These gases cause respiratory diseases, hormonal disruptions, and contain a large amount of formaldehyde – a carcinogen directly linked to nasal and throat cancers.

You can use essential oils diluted in water to spread pleasant scents in the home. Some prefer jasmine or rosemary oil, which elevate mood and improve the functioning of the nervous system. The ratio should be 15 drops of essential oil for every half cup of distilled water.

Toothpaste – The Danger and the Alternative

Like artificial sweeteners, commercial toothpastes contain an artificial sweetener called saccharin, which is 350 times sweeter than sugar, and fluoride. Both of these ingredients have been found to be carcinogenic and not as harmless as they might seem.

Research on fluoride and its negative effects has revealed that beyond causing cavities, it may also severely damage the thyroid gland. The solution is to use coconut oil, which is an equally effective natural substitute (if not superior) to commercial toothpastes.

Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Anti-dandruff shampoos like Head and Shoulders contain a substance called methylchloroisothiazolinone. While the name might be long and uninteresting, its implications are certainly not. Based on numerous studies, this substance is carcinogenic and directly responsible for causing genetic mutations. Another dangerous compound in these shampoos is ammonium lauryl sulfate, which may cause severe eye irritation if it enters the eyes.

What should be used instead? A natural rosemary shampoo for eliminating dandruff, considered the winning formula so far.