Toothpaste plays a crucial role in maintaining dental health and preventing dental diseases. However, choosing the right toothpaste can be challenging, with numerous brands promoting various benefits like freshness, sensitivity, and whitening. Consumer VOICE conducted a detailed evaluation of popular toothpaste brands to assess their safety and quality across several parameters.
Testing Methodology and Safety Standards
Consumer VOICE tested eight toothpaste brands against specifications outlined in Indian Standard 6356:2001 (with amendments for fluoridated and non-fluoridated toothpaste). The tests, conducted in an NABL-accredited laboratory, included the following parameters:
| Rank | Total Score out of 100 (rounded off) | Brand | Variant | Type | Quantity (gm) | MRP (Rs) | Price per 100 gm | Best before (months) | Manufactured/Mar keted by |
| 1 | 97 | Colgate | Strong teeth | Fluoridated | 800 (buy 3, get 1 free) | 264 | 44.00 | 23 | Colgate Palmolive Ltd |
| 1 | 97 | Closeup | Ever fresh | Foaming, fluoridated | 150 + 150 | 144 | 48.00 | 24 | HUL Ltd |
| 2 | 94 | Pepsodent | Cavity protection | Foaming, fluoridated | 150+150 (toothbrush worth Rs 30 free) | 118 | 39.33 | 24 | HUL Ltd |
| 2 | 94 | Sensodyne | Fresh mint (for sensi- tive teeth) | Foaming, fluori- dated | 150 | 160 | 106.0 | 24 | GSK Asia Pvt. Ltd |
| 3 | 92 | Himalaya | Complete care | Foaming, fluori- dated | 150 | 76 | 50.66 | 36 | Himalaya Drugs Co. |
Non-Fluoridated
| 1 | 97 | Meswak | Complete oral care | Foaming, non-fluoridated | 200 | 96 | 48.00 | 24 | Dabur India Ltd |
| 2 | 95 | Babool | Cavity protection | Foaming, non-fluoridated | 175+175 (two tooth- brushes worth Rs 30 free) | 88 | 25.14 | 24 | Dabur India Ltd |
| 3 | 93 | Himalaya | Sparkling white | Non-fluoridated | 150+150+80 free | 170 | 56.66 | 36 | Himalaya Drugs Co. |
Source | Consumer VOICE
Score Rating: >90: very good*****, 71–90: good****, 51–70: fair***, 31–50: average**, up to 30: poor*
CV Recommendations | Top Performers
| Fluoridated | Fluoridated |
| Colgate | Closeup | Meswak |
Value for Money
| Fluoridated | Fluoridated |
| Pepsodent | Babool |
TEST RESULTS
For physicochemical parameters
Nicotine | Heavy Metals | Microbiological Contamination | Fineness | Fluoride Ion | Stability | Foaming Power | pH | Dispensing | Inertness | Gritty Matter
- Presence of nicotine and heavy metals
- Microbiological contamination
- Fluoride ion content
- Fineness, foaming power, stability, and dispensing
- pH value, gritty matter, and inertness
Key Findings
- Nicotine Content
Nicotine in toothpaste can be harmful and addictive. None of the tested brands contained nicotine, ensuring their safety in this regard. - Heavy Metals
The permissible limits for lead and arsenic are 20 ppm and 2 ppm, respectively. Traces of these metals were found in Babool, Sensodyne, and Meswak, but all remained well below the permissible levels, ensuring compliance with safety standards. - Fluoride Ion Content
Fluoridated toothpastes must not exceed 1,000 ppm of fluoride ions, while non-fluoridated ones are limited to 50 ppm. All brands met the required specifications. Colgate and Closeup scored highest in this category. - Fineness (Particle Size)
Toothpastes were tested for particles retained on sieves of 150 and 75 microns. All brands were within the permissible limits, ensuring smoothness and user safety. - Stability
Toothpastes must remain stable without physical deterioration under normal storage conditions. All brands passed this test. - Foaming Power
A minimum foam height of 50 ml is required. All brands exceeded this, with Pepsodent generating the highest foam (190 ml), followed by Colgate (188 ml). - pH Value
The required pH range is 5.5–10.5 to ensure the toothpaste is neither too acidic nor too alkaline. All brands fell within this range, with some approaching the neutral pH of 7. - Gritty Matter
Toothpastes were rubbed on butter paper to detect coarse particles. All brands passed this test, ensuring no abrasiveness during use.
| Fluoridated | Fluoridated |
| Parameter | Weightage (%) | Colgate | Closeup | Pepsodent | Sensodyne | Himalaya Complete Care | Meswak | Babool | Himalaya Sparkling White |
| Nicotine | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Heavy metals | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8.70 | 10 | 9.60 | 8 | 10 |
| Microbiological contamination | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Fineness | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Fluoride ion | 10 | 9.76 | 9.87 | 7.06 | 8.33 | 7.19 | 9.65 | 9.82 | 7.16 |
| Stability | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Foaming Power | 8 | 7.42 | 7.04 | 7.52 | 6.56 | 5.98 | 7.04 | 7.33 | 6.56 |
| pH | 8 | 6.03 | 6.18 | 5.68 | 6.64 | 5.22 | 6.64 | 6.50 | 5.11 |
| Dispensing | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Gritty matter | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
General Qualities
Marking/Labeling
Toothpaste packs must display details such as the product name, manufacturer information, net weight, batch number, manufacturing and expiry dates, fluoride content (if applicable), key ingredients, vegetarian status (indicated by a green dot), and maximum retail price.
While most brands met these criteria, Meswak and Babool did not provide usage directions.
Each pack should feature the following details about the product:
- Name and type of toothpaste
- Name and address of manufacturer/marketer
- Net mass or volume of material in tube
- Batch number
- Month and year of manufacturing
- Expiry date or ‘best before’
- Fluoride ion content in ppm on fluoridated toothpaste
- Foaming/Non-foaming
- List of key ingredients
- Green dot for vegetarian status
- MRP
Packaging
Toothpaste tubes must be collapsible and made of food-grade materials. All brands complied, with tubes packed in printed cardboard boxes.
- All brands were in collapsible tubes and packed in printed cardboard boxes.
Net Weight
Net weight should not be less than the declared quantity and shall be within the permitted limits of Legal Metrology Rules. Permissible error for 50–100 gm is 4.5 gm and for 100–200 gm it is 4.5 per cent of the quantity declared.
Net weight in all the brands is either as per declaration as or higher than the declared value.
Performance Highlights
Top Performers
- Fluoridated category: Colgate and Closeup
- Non-fluoridated category: Babool
Value for Money
- Fluoridated category: Pepsodent
- Non-fluoridated category: Babool
Additional Insights
- No nicotine detected in any brand.
- All brands passed heavy metal and microbiological contamination tests.
- Pepsodent had the highest foaming power.
- Quality parameters such as fluoride ion content, pH, stability, fineness, and dispensing were consistently met across all brands.
Conclusion
Based on comprehensive testing, all evaluated toothpaste brands adhered to the safety and quality requirements outlined in Indian Standard 6356:2001. While Colgate and Closeup emerged as top performers in the fluoridated category, Babool stood out in the non-fluoridated segment. Consumers can confidently choose from these tested brands, knowing they meet essential health and safety standards.
Written & Edited By: Dr. Mohammed Morshed Alam, Assistant professor, Dept. of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. Head of Dept. Dental Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Dental Unit. Chittagong Medical College. Email:morshedalam045973@gmail.com Mobile: 01717 045973
