What Is Calcium pyrophosphate?

Learn about the abrasive, light stabilizer, and oral care characteristics of Calcium pyrophosphate and its usage in personal care products.

What Is Calcium pyrophosphate? Brandon Jones / IngredientReviewer

Last Updated: October 2, 2024

Written by Brandon Jones

What Is Calcium pyrophosphate?

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Calcium pyrophosphate is a type of fine, white powder that doesn't smell that can be used in cosmetics as an abrasive and for oral care. It is also used in foods to help with pH control and provide additional nutrients. Sometimes, there can be issues with how the body handles calcium pyrophosphate in certain diseases like hypophosphatasia and pseudogout.

What is the purpose of Calcium pyrophosphate in personal care products? It is used for its abrasive, light stabilizer, and oral care characteristics. Calcium pyrophosphate physically removes unwanted substances, shields ingredients from damage caused by light exposure, and improve oral hygiene and health.

Names and identifiers that we found for this substance include: Calcium pyrophosphate, Dicalcium diphosphate, Calcium diphosphate (Ca2P2O7), Calcium pyrophosphate (Ca2P2O7), "Diphosphoric acid, calcium salt (1:2)", C 54-80, NP 970-10, CALCIUMPYROPHOSPHAT(2:1), and Calcium metaphosphate oxide (Ca0.67(PO3)0.66O0.34).

What Are Abrasive Ingredients?

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Calcium pyrophosphate has abrasive characteristics.

Abrasive ingredients are commonly found in exfoliating cosmetic products, which are designed to remove dead skin cells and impurities from the surface of your skin. These ingredients work by physically scrubbing away the top layer of your skin, revealing the fresh, new skin underneath. These ingredients can come in the form of powders, beads, or granules. Exfoliating helps to improve the texture and tone of your skin, leaving it looking brighter, smoother, and more radiant. It can also help unclog pores, prevent acne breakouts, and increase the effectiveness of other skincare products.

Abrasives are also commonly used in toothpaste and other dental cleaning products to help remove surface stains and plaque from teeth. Abrasives work by physically scrubbing the surface of the teeth to remove debris and stains.

Abrasive ingredients, in general, physically scrub and scour surfaces to remove dirt, grime, and other unwanted materials. When you use a cleaning product with abrasive ingredients, you'll often feel a gritty texture as you apply it. This texture is what allows the product to work effectively. As you scrub, the abrasive particles work to break down and dislodge dirt, grease, and other materials from the surface you're cleaning.

What Are Light Stabilizer Ingredients?

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Calcium pyrophosphate has light stabilizer characteristics.

Light stabilizer ingredients are commonly added to cosmetic products to protect them from light's damaging effects. These ingredients work by preventing light from breaking down the active ingredients in the cosmetic product, which can lead to the ingredients becoming less effective or even causing harm to the skin.

When a cosmetic product is exposed to light, the energy from light can cause chemical reactions to occur within the product. These reactions can break down the active ingredients, causing them to become less effective. In addition, these reactions can create new compounds that may harm the skin. Light stabilizer ingredients prevent these reactions from occurring by absorbing the energy from the light and dissipating it as heat. This process protects the active ingredients in the product and prevents the formation of harmful compounds.

Light stabilizer ingredients are essential in skincare products that contain active ingredients such as retinoids, vitamin C, and alpha hydroxy acids. These ingredients are known to be particularly sensitive to light, and their effectiveness can be significantly reduced if they are not protected.

In addition to protecting the active ingredients in the product, light stabilizer ingredients can also help maintain the product's appearance and texture. Light exposure can cause cosmetic products to change color, become cloudy, or separate. Light stabilizer ingredients prevent these changes from occurring, ensuring that the product remains stable and effective.

What Are Oral Care Ingredients?

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Calcium pyrophosphate has oral care characteristics.

Oral care ingredients in cosmetic products serve different purposes in the mouth. Firstly, they provide cleansing effects by removing plaque, tartar, and stains from teeth and gum lines. These ingredients include abrasives such as silica, calcium carbonate, or baking soda, which act as gentle scrubs to remove surface debris.

Oral care ingredients can also help deodorize the mouth by fighting bad breath caused by bacteria. Antibacterial agents such as cetylpyridinium chloride can control bacterial growth in the mouth, reducing bad odor and creating a refreshing sensation. Additionally, protecting ingredients like fluoride can help protect against cavities by strengthening the tooth enamel, which can help prevent tooth decay.

Safety

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Remember, always read and follow the instructions provided on product labels carefully. If you have any questions or concerns about using a product containing various ingredients, consult with your doctor or healthcare provider before use.