Are Microplastics Causing Upticks in Dementia? (opens in new tab)

(earthday.org)

32 pointsthecoser422y ago20 comments

20 comments

19 comments · 5 top-level

gravitronic2y ago· 8 in thread

I'm getting worried about the retainer I wear at night to prevent teeth clenching related problems. It's old and starting to decay.. time for a new one but what's worse? grinding my teeth at night or slowly degrading this plastic retainer and ingesting the wee bits?

Reason0772y ago

Those "wee bits" will still be relatively big and you're probably pooping most of them out again. Assuming the plastic itself is fairly benign and non-toxic I wouldn't be overly concerned about swallowing a little bit of it.

I'd be more worried about all the tiny micro-plastic fibres you're breathing in every day that are going in your lungs, blood, and other organs.

UltimateEdge2y ago

If it's decaying, then presumably you're clenching your teeth and damaging it over time. So the retainer is working and protecting you from the certain (as opposed to hypothetical/not-yet-proven) harm of tooth degradation.

christophilus2y ago

I’ve been thinking about this, too. I have a few caps due to me grinding my teeth for so many years, so for me, the choice is between plastic from a retainer and little bits of whatever the caps are made of.

Reason0772y ago

Older composite tooth fillings and sealants etc do contain BPA, which is an endocrine disruptor that you probably don't want to be grinding down. Recent filling materials have moved to BPA-free alternatives, though. If your caps (crowns?) are made of composite resin, then I'd be concerned if you're grinding them. Many crowns are made of porcelain now days, though.

wil4212y ago

I’d bet you swallow more from your toothpaste, face wash, or other microplastic sources.

baz002y ago

Depends if your partner strangles you or not.

(this is why I gave up mechanical keyboards)

tremon2y ago

You're worried about the microplastics seeping from your mechanical keyboard?

permo-w2y ago

get one made out of rubber

fasteddie310032y ago· 3 in thread

There are other upticks in conditions which are potentially caused by microplastics that are a little more politically controversial to have discussions about.

Cthulhu_2y ago

The fact you don't actually say what you're thinking of implies it's not a strong or defensible position.

Ancalagon2y ago

Autism is what you're getting at?

Truth be told I don't even know where to begin having a conversation about this. There's so much conflicting information and so many knee-jerk reactions (see other comments).

hydrok92y ago

Transgenders

hettygreen2y ago· 2 in thread

Do microplastics accumulate in blood, and does donating blood reduce this amount?

stvltvs2y ago

I don't like where this line of questioning is going, but yes they've been found in human blood.

trafficante2y ago

Can’t speak for the grandparent poster, but I’ve heard/read enough casual claims of “donating plasma reduces microplastic load in the blood” that it’s been somewhere in the far back of my mind to research further. I already donate blood regularly and would immediately hop on the plasma train if these sorts of claims panned out.

Particularly since I have extended family members who have seen great results from a round of apheresis treatment to reduce their LDL. And apparently some long covid sufferers have also found relief from this type of “blood cleansing” treatment.

1 more reply

throwanem2y ago· 1 in thread

It was easy to take lead out of gas compared to this.

api2y ago

The low hanging fruit is to get them out of products where there's no really good reason for them to be there in the first place, especially if those products are used on the body or ingested.

I'm thinking of toothpaste, face wash, shampoo, etc.

thecoser42OP2y ago

Emerging scientific research is uncovering indications of microplastics penetrating deep into our physiological systems

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

20 comments

19 comments · 5 top-level

gravitronic2y ago· 8 in thread

Reason0772y ago

I'd be more worried about all the tiny micro-plastic fibres you're breathing in every day that are going in your lungs, blood, and other organs.

UltimateEdge2y ago

christophilus2y ago

Reason0772y ago

wil4212y ago

I’d bet you swallow more from your toothpaste, face wash, or other microplastic sources.

baz002y ago

Depends if your partner strangles you or not.

(this is why I gave up mechanical keyboards)

tremon2y ago

You're worried about the microplastics seeping from your mechanical keyboard?

permo-w2y ago

get one made out of rubber

fasteddie310032y ago· 3 in thread

There are other upticks in conditions which are potentially caused by microplastics that are a little more politically controversial to have discussions about.

Cthulhu_2y ago

The fact you don't actually say what you're thinking of implies it's not a strong or defensible position.

Ancalagon2y ago

Autism is what you're getting at?

Truth be told I don't even know where to begin having a conversation about this. There's so much conflicting information and so many knee-jerk reactions (see other comments).

hydrok92y ago

Transgenders

hettygreen2y ago· 2 in thread

Do microplastics accumulate in blood, and does donating blood reduce this amount?

stvltvs2y ago

I don't like where this line of questioning is going, but yes they've been found in human blood.

trafficante2y ago

1 more reply

throwanem2y ago· 1 in thread

It was easy to take lead out of gas compared to this.

api2y ago

The low hanging fruit is to get them out of products where there's no really good reason for them to be there in the first place, especially if those products are used on the body or ingested.

I'm thinking of toothpaste, face wash, shampoo, etc.

thecoser42OP2y ago

Emerging scientific research is uncovering indications of microplastics penetrating deep into our physiological systems

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse