Dental Microplastics Are Neurotoxic, Review Finds
NonToxCo Research
Science & Safety Team · 4/6/2026
The plastic in your dental fillings, retainers, and mouth guards is shedding microplastic particles that may be toxic to your brain.
What the Review Found
A 2026 systematic review in PeerJ examined human data on dental microplastics as emerging neurotoxicants. Dental composites, aligners, retainers, and other oral devices release microplastic particles into saliva. Those particles are swallowed and absorbed.
The review found evidence linking these dental-origin microplastics to neurotoxic effects. The mouth is a uniquely efficient absorption site because of the warm, acidic, mechanically stressed environment that accelerates plastic breakdown.
What Makes Dental Plastics Different
Unlike food packaging you can avoid, dental devices sit in your mouth for hours or years. Fillings are permanent. Retainers are worn nightly. The exposure is continuous, intimate, and unavoidable once the device is in place.
What You Can Do
Ask your dentist about BPA-free and low-particle-shedding composite materials. If you wear a retainer or aligner, keep it clean and replace it on schedule. Discuss alternative materials with your orthodontist.
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