History of Toothpaste

The development of toothpaste began as long ago as 300/500BC in China and India.
According to Chinese history, a learned man, Huang-Ti, studied the care of teeth and
claimed different types of pain felt in the mouth could be cured by sticking gold and
silver needles into different parts of the jaw and gum. It was theories such as these
that led to the development of dental cream.
First attempts at tooth cleaning included using abrasives such as crushed bone,
crushed egg and oyster shells, which were used to clean debris from teeth. Tooth
powders were the first noticeable advance and were made up of elements like
powdered charcoal, powdered bark and some flavouring agents. This would be
applied to teeth using a simple stick.

Toothpowder or dentifrice was first available in Britain in the late eighteenth century.
It came in a ceramic pot and was available either as a powder or paste. The rich
applied it with brushes and the poor with their fingers.

Modern toothpastes were developed in the 1800s. A dentist called Peabody was the
first to add soap to toothpaste in 1824. Chalk was first added to toothpaste by John
Harris in the 1850s. In 1873, toothpaste was first mass-produced into nice smelling
toothpaste in a jar. In 1892, Dr. Washington Sheffield of Connecticut was the first to
put toothpaste into a collapsible tube. Sheffield's toothpaste was called Dr.
Sheffield's Creme Dentifrice. Advancements in synthetic detergents (after World War
II) replaced the soap used in toothpaste with emulsifying agents such as Sodium
Lauryl Sulphate and Sodium Ricinoleate.

The 1960's saw the introduction of fluoride into toothpaste. This development was
followed in the 1980's with the addition of soluble calcium fluoride to fluoride
toothpastes. It is therefore within the last thirty years that toothpastes contains the
two ingredients - calcium and fluoride. Nowadays, there are controversial views on
the effectiveness and safety of fluoride toothpaste. For those who are safety
concious, the use of natural toothpaste might be a better choice.
 Introduction to Toothpaste

We found the most authoritative toothpaste recommendations at Consumer Reports, where editors test 41
toothpastes for stain removal, abrasiveness and fluoride content. Choice.com.au, the Australian equivalent
to Consumer Reports, compares toothpastes only for their whitening ability. Much more informal comparison
reviews at Grist and Slate magazines evaluate toothpastes mostly for taste, texture and the way the mouth
feels after brushing - as do most consumer-written reviews published at sites such as Drugstore.com and
Amazon.com. We also found good information from dentists who post articles and recommendations to
blogs and oral-health websites.

Reading toothpaste reviews quickly reveals that consumers and dentists seem to have different priorities
when choosing toothpaste. Most people look for good flavor, thickness (neither too runny nor too hard) and
pleasant texture. People also want the mouth to feel clean after brushing, with sweet breath, and for teeth to
look not only unstained, but as white as possible.

Dentists, on the other hand, say the best toothpaste is the one that protects teeth from cavities, softened
enamel and plaque. If not removed at least every 24 hours, plaque hardens into tartar, which builds up and
makes teeth and gums even more susceptible to decay - resulting in a negative cycle that can cause first
gingivitis, then serious periodontal disease. In turn, quite a few experts believe that periodontal disease may
cause systemic problems, including heart problems.

Where dentists and consumers do agree is that the best toothpaste should do no harm. We found quite a
few complaints from sufferers with sensitive teeth, canker sores or problems with the soft tissues of the
mouth. Just because a toothpaste prevents cavities does not mean it won't irritate your teeth, gums or the
lining of your mouth. Crest Pro-Health toothpaste (*Est. $5/7.8 oz.), designed to control tartar, gets an
especially high number of complaints from users. Some complain that the stannous fluoride stains their
teeth, while others are sensitive to its tartar-control ingredient, sodium hexametaphosphate.

Quite a few dentists recommend avoiding tartar-control toothpastes since they can contribute to oral
problems. In most mouths, tartar only builds up if plaque is left on the teeth for 24 hours or longer, so as long
as you brush often enough with a fluoride toothpaste to control plaque, tartar should not accumulate.

Dentists and comparison reviews are skeptical of toothpastes that claim to whiten teeth. Furthermore, oral-
health experts say that "whitening" toothpastes don't do anything extra for dental health, and most don't
remove stains any better than regular fluoride toothpastes. Experts insist that no toothpaste can change the
color of your teeth -- they can only work to remove stains so that your natural tooth color shows through.
Neither the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nor the American Dental Association (ADA) defines what
"whitening" means, so any manufacturer can use the term on product labels. The only way to substantially
whiten teeth is to see your dentist and receive a professional whitening treatment or try an over-the-counter
whitening kit. (We have a separate report on teeth whitening.)
Xylitol is the latest toothpaste ingredient that's attracting scrutiny. Clinical studies confirm that this natural
sugar aids in preventing cavities and gingivitis, rather than feeding harmful bacteria the way most sugars do.
Studies show that xylitol plus fluoride is an especially beneficial combination.

However, most experts say that any toothpaste that contains fluoride is effective when used often and well
enough. Although water fluoridation is still somewhat controversial, fluoride in toothpaste is considered not
only safe, but essential. We discovered several sources that tell consumers that any toothpaste will do as
long as it contains fluoride, especially if it has the ADA seal of approval.

Introduction to Toothpaste

China, Egypt and India used toothpaste long ago as 300/500 BC. They used
abrasives, which contains crushed bones ,crushed egg, and oyster shells in
toothpaste. Later toothpowders were used in toothpaste. Toothpowder
contains powdered charcoal, powdered bark, and flavoring agents. By the
early 1900's fluoride was added to toothpaste. By the 1980's calcium and
triclosan was put in toothpaste. Fluoride and calcium were the most
important ingredients in toothpaste. Fluoride and calcium help protect and
strengthen teeth.
 Procedures of toothpaste

Raw Materials

Every toothpaste contains the following ingredients: binders, abrasives, sudsers, humectants,
flavors (unique additives), sweeteners, fluorides, tooth whiteners, a preservative, and water.
Binders thicken toothpastes. They prevent separation of the solid and liquid components,
especially during storage. They also affect the speed and volume of foam production, the rate of
flavor release and product dispersal, the appearance of the toothpaste ribbon on the toothbrush,
and the rinsibility from the toothbrush. Some binders are karaya gum, bentonite, sodium
alginate, methylcellulose, carrageenan, and magnesium aluminum silicate.

Abrasives scrub the outside of the teeth to get rid of plaque and loosen particles on teeth.
Abrasives also contribute to the degree of opacity of the paste or gel. Abrasives may affect the
paste's consistency, cost, and taste. Some abrasives are more

harsh than others, sometimes resulting in unnecessary damage to the tooth enamel.

The most commonly used abrasives are hydrated silica (softened silica), calcium carbonate (also
known as chalk), and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). Other abrasives include dibasic calcium
phosphate, calcium sulfate, tricalcium phosphate, and sodium metaphosphate hydrated alumina.
Each abrasive also has slightly different cleaning properties, and a combination of them might be
used in the final product.

Sudsers, also known as foaming agents, are surfactants. They lower the surface tension of water
so that bubbles are formed. Multiple bubbles together make foam. Sudsers help in removing
particles from teeth. Sudsers are usually a combination of an organic alcohol or a fatty acid with
an alkali metal. Common sudsers are sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfoacetate, dioctyl
sodium sulfosuccinate, sulfolaurate, sodium lauryl sarcosinate, sodium stearyl fumarate, and
sodium stearyl lactate.

Humectants retain water to maintain the paste in toothpaste. Humectants keep the solid and
liquid phases of toothpaste together. They also can add a coolness and/or sweetness to the
toothpaste; this makes toothpaste feel pleasant in the mouth when used. Most toothpastes use
sorbitol or glycerin as humectants. Propylene glycol can also be used as a humecant.

Toothpastes have flavors to make them more palatable. Mint is the most common flavor used
because it imparts a feeling of freshness. This feeling of freshness is the result of long term
conditioning by the toothpaste industry. The American public associates mint with freshness.
There may be a basis for this in fact; mint flavors contain oils that volatize in the mouth's warm
environment. This volatizing action imparts a cooling sensation in the mouth. The most common
toothpaste flavors are spearmint, peppermint, wintergreen, and cinnamon. Some of the more
exotic toothpaste flavors include bourbon, rye, anise, clove, caraway, coriander, eucalyptus,
nutmeg, and thyme.

In addition to flavors, toothpastes contain sweeteners to make it pleasant to the palate because of
humecants. The most commonly used humectants (sorbitol and glycerin) have a sweetness level
about 60% of table sugar. They require an artificial flavor to make the toothpaste palatable.
Saccharin is the most common sweetener used, though some toothpastes contain ammoniated
diglyzzherizins and/or aspartame.

Fluorides reduce decay by increasing the strength of teeth. Sodium fluoride is the most commonly
used fluoride. Sodium perborate is used as a tooth whitening ingredient. Most toothpastes
contain the preservative p-hydrozybenzoate. Water is also used for dilution purposes.
The Manufacturing
Process

Weighing and mixing

• 1 After transporting the raw materials into the factory, the ingredients are both manually
and mechanically weighed. This ensures accuracy in the ingredients' proportions. Then
the ingredients are mixed together. Usually, the glycerin-water mixture is done first.
• 2 All the ingredients are mixed together in the mixing vat. The temperature and humidity
of vat are watched closely. This is important to ensuring that the mix comes together
correctly. A commonly used vat in the toothpaste industry mixes a batch that is the
equivalent of 10,000 four-ounce (118 ml) tubes.

Filling the tubes

• 3 Before tubes are filled with toothpaste, the tube itself passes under a blower and a
vacuum to ensure cleanliness. Dust and particles are blown out in this step. The tube is
capped, and the opposite end is opened so the filling machine can load the paste.
• 4 After the ingredients are mixed together, the tubes are filled by the filling machine. To
make sure the tube is aligned correctly, an optical device rotates the tube. Then the tube is
filled by a descending pump. After it is filled, the end is sealed (or crimped) closed. The
tube also gets a code stamped on it indicating where and when it was manufactured.

Packaging and shipment

• 5 After tubes are filled, they are inserted into open paperboard boxes. Some companies do
this by hand.
• 6 The boxes are cased and shipped to warehouses and stores.

Quality Control

Each batch of ingredients is tested for quality as it is brought into the factory. The testing
lab also checks samples of final product.

Procedures of toothpaste
Here is how I made my homemade toothpaste:
2 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons baking soda
1/2 small packet of stevia powder
20-25 drops of peppermint oil*
1. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl, using a fork.
*Add about half of the amount of peppermint oil to start, and test the toothpaste to see how
much you want/like. I used NOW brand peppermint oil, and ended up stopping at 25 drops
which is still not as strong as I am used to, though it does taste nice and minty! Julie noted in
her instructions that using part spearmint oil will make the toothpaste not as "hot" as using all
peppermint oil.

I also made a cinnamon variation. Instead of using peppermint oil, I added a teaspoon of
ground cinnamon and a few drops of clove oil. This did turn out a little bit hot for the children,
and I'm not sure if I like the ground cinnamon the paste -- cinnamon oil might be a better
choice, but I don't own any. :)
This toothpaste recipe is very easy to experiment with as far as flavoring, and I'm thinking of
making up some with cayenne pepper in it, which is supposed to be good for the gums!
This is what the finished toothpaste looks like:

The peppermint one is snowy-white! It looks and feels (to the fingers) just like store-bought
toothpaste. The coconut oil is really a fabulous base for the toothpaste.
It tastes good, too. The stevia gives a sweet taste (which most toothpastes have). The baking
soda taste isn't over-powering, but it is there -- and the toothpaste definitely works well! It
doesn't foam, of course, but I actually like it that way.
Since coconut oil melts at 76 degrees, the toothpaste becomes liquid when you brush, and
coats the teeth well. The oil is very runny, though, and doesn't leave the mouth feeling greasy
in the least. It will, however, stick to your bathroom sink if you use cold water to rinse. I
definitely recommend using warm water with this toothpaste! (It was only when I used the
cinnamon one that I saw where the toothpaste actually ended up/stayed!)

Our bathroom toothpastes: Containers of homemade, and a half-tube of fluoride-free Nature's

Gate. The Nature's Gate is rather hot-tasting, so I may finish that one for the children. ;) And, I
won't be buying more! :)
Since the homemade toothpaste was so inexpensive to make, I won't have to watch quite so
closely when they brush, to make sure they only use a small amount. (I usually brush their
teeth at night, and they brush themselves during the day.)

The Conclusion

Toothpaste was made long ago. The most important ingredient in toothpaste is
fluoride. There are lots of chemicals in toothpaste. The texture, fragrance, and color helps
the toothpaste, because without these things toothpaste wouldn't be as pleasing. If we
didn't have toothpaste, we would have bacteria and plaque. Our teeth would not be as
strong and teeth would decay. So, you should be thankful because without toothpaste our
breath wouldn't be as fresh as it is now.