Toothpastes Formulation, development, claims and regulatory strategy

The oral care segment, in which toothpastes play a leading role, is a dynamic market driven by numerous new products and innovations. In addition to successful innovations in growth segments such as therapeutics and cosmetics, brands have invested heavily in communication to stimulate this market. According to Euromonitor, sales generated by toothpastes in France in 2015 totaled 565 million euros, with a clear advantage for supermarkets and hypermarkets.

The formulation and development of a toothpaste follows classic stages, with variations to be taken into account at the design stage. In addition, the claims made in the marketing strategy determine the regulatory status of the future product (drug, medical device, cosmetic, etc.), which has important consequences for its composition, as well as for the key components of product development: cost, lead time and quality. The pre-design phase must draw on marketing, scientific and regulatory knowledge, in order to put in place a real strategy for the development and marketing of the future product. When it comes to regulations on product status, the boundaries are sometimes blurred.

The aim of this article is to illustrate the implementation of a genuine development strategy upstream of toothpaste design. To do so, we first present the ingredients commonly used in toothpastes, as well as their formulation in all its forms, notably paste and gel, the differences being mainly in the organoleptic qualities of the product (texture, transparency, perception during brushing, etc.). Next, the different regulatory statuses and possible claims for toothpaste in Europe are discussed. Finally, we look at how companies can optimize the development of new toothpastes.

As is customary in the industry, unless otherwise specified, the percentages given are by mass.