Toxic toothpaste is found on sale

The toothpaste is sold with a toothbrush

A toothpaste which contains a chemical usually found in car engine anti-freeze has been found in a shop in Lancashire.

The Smart Oral Cool Toothpaste, which is sold in a cardboard package and comes with a toothbrush, contains the ingredient Diethylene Glycol.

The box is labelled with Item no T009, an address in Lima, Peru, and is manufactured in China.

Lancashire Trading Standards said the product was bought at a shop in Preston but had since been removed from sale.

Potentially-harmful

This chemical Diethylene Glycol was found in contaminated fake Sensodyne toothpaste earlier this year.

It is sometimes used by unscrupulous manufacturers as a substitute for safe and more expensive ingredients, such as glycerin, in medicines, foods and cosmetics.

If swallowed, it could cause harm to the young, elderly and those with an impaired liver or kidney function.

County Councillor Jean Battle, Cabinet member for Community Planning and Partnerships, said anyone who had bought the toothpaste should contact trading standards.

"If consumers have purchased the contaminated toothpaste they should stop using it immediately," she said.

"Any retailers who have the toothpaste in stock should ensure that it is removed from sale and must not sell it."