Consumers have more opportunities than ever to customize their experiences and address their needs when it comes to dental care. Today’s newest options range from formulations with unique, natural ingredients to specialty pastes that promise to quell sensitivity or brighten (or do both at the same time). In addition, flavor profiles found in today’s multi-billion-dollar oral care market are more sophisticated as national brands offer riffs on mints and indie brands push the envelope. In the UK, for example, Curapox offers a gin and tonic flavor in its Be You range of toothpastes!

While American consumers may not be quite ready for that kind of eye-opener, they are spending more on toothpastes these days. For the 52 weeks ended June 17, 2018, toothpaste sales in US multi-outlets rose 1.99% to $3.16 billion, according to Information Resources, Chicago.


The Dark Side

One of the hottest ingredients in beauty, activated charcoal, has made its way into oral care; several brands are capitalizing on its benefits and popularity among consumers.


In March, The Natural Dentist rolled out Charcoal Whitening Fluoride-Free Toothpaste. Made with purified, activated charcoal plus therapeutic herbs and botanicals, the paste comes in a Cocomint flavor and boasts breath-freshening and tooth-whitening properties. The toothpaste works by clinging to the film on the tooth surface, allowing the toothbrush to safely remove stains and plaque. It binds to the bacteria in the mouth so it can rinsed away in the sink, according to the company.

The Natural Dentist says it uses activated charcoal that comes from coconut husks that have been burned, purified, activated, and ground into a fine powder with selectively sourced, natural ingredients like echinacea, goldenseal, calendula and aloe vera. There are no artificial sweeteners, flavors, dyes or SLS.

“As a brand, we are constantly evolving to meet the needs of our customers and  staying true to our mission of providing effective, natural oral care products,” Kelly Kaplan, president of Revive Personal Products Company and distributer of The Natural  Dentist, said in a press statement.

New London, CT-based Dr. Sheffield’s has also gone to the dark side, so to speak, by adding an activated charcoal SKU to its line of certified natural fluoride-free products. Highlighting the ingredient’s ability to absorb impurities and remove stains from culprits like coffee, tea and wine, Dr. Sheffield’s also notes that activated charcoal balances pH levels to help eliminate bacteria that causes bad breath. The formulation contains real peppermint flavor, coconut oil pectin from orange peels and aloe vera.

Schmidt’s Naturals—the fast-growing natural deodorant brand that is now owned by Unilever—also entered the oral care scene this year with toothpaste, including an activated charcoal variant. Schmidt’s Tooth + Mouth Pastes, which contain organic aloe leaf juice, tea tree and CoQ10, are also available in unique flavors like Vanilla Chai and Coconut + Lime.

Montclair, NJ-based indie oral care company Hello Products, which already markets a charcoal toothpaste, has added this trendy ingredient to mouthwash. Hello’s Activated Charcoal Extra Refreshing Mouthwash is a fluoride-free rinse that contains activated charcoal, made from sustainable bamboo, as well as coconut oil, tea tree oil, xylitol, mint, spearmint and peppermint.

Tom’s of Maine recently added to its mouthwash line, too, with its first mouthwash featuring six benefits in one. Tom’s of Maine Whole Care Mouthwash provides clinically proven cavity protection with no artificial colors, sweeteners, preservatives or animal ingredients. It is said to fight cavities, strengthen enamel, restore minerals, freshen breath and clean between teeth. The alcohol-free mouthwash which comes in fresh mint, provides clinically proven cavity protection with no artificial colors, sweeteners, preservatives or animal ingredients.

“Developing a mouthwash that offers so many benefits wasn’t easy. It took us many years to get it right, We listened to what people want and have created an effective rinse that provides a naturally clean mouth,” noted Lindsey Seavey, oral care brand manager at Tom’s of Maine, which suggests users pair the Whole Care Mouthwash with Tom’s of Maine Whole Care Toothpaste, which comes in Peppermint, Spearmint, Wintermint and Cinnamon Clove flavors.

Dental Dilemmas
Products for oral care problems like tooth sensitivity or bleeding gums are also sought by consumers.

Last year, GSK rolled out Parodontax, a daily toothpaste that is clinically proven to help control bleeding gums, to the US market. The venerable paste, developed in Germany in 1937, is contains stannous fluoride, and is 40% more effective at reducing bleeding gums than a sodium monofluorophosphate toothpaste, according to GSK. The toothpaste is said to foster smooth, pink gums that support a healthy smile. It also works to strengthen teeth and keep the seal between gums and teeth tight, helping to protect against gum disease. In addition, Parodontax delivers the same benefits as an everyday toothpaste—cavity prevention, tartar control, whitening and fresh breath—with twice daily brushing, noted GSK.

Bringing the brand stateside seems to be paying off. As reported in our International Top 30 Report which begins on p. 70 in this issue, GSK said Parodontax continued to grow strongly, reflecting double-digit performances in Europe and international markets, driven by a brand reset and increases in dentist recommendations, as well as the US launch in the first quarter.

GSK’s Sensodyne brand also saw some significant gains during the past year. US sales of Sensodyne Repair and Protect and Sensodyne Complete Protection toothpastes rose 59.43% and 15.22% to $45.7 and $45.8 million, respectively, according to IRI. And Sensodyne has also been expanded this year with Sensodyne Rapid Relief, a new clinically-proven formula that addresses sensitivity in as few as three days with twice daily brushing. GSK notes that sensitivity pain occurs when the dentin, the softer inner layer of the tooth, becomes exposed revealing small holes known as tubules. Consuming hot or cold foods and drinks can trigger the nerves inside the teeth when they reach the exposed dentin tubules, resulting in pain. In this new Sensodyne formulation, stannous fluoride starts to form a gel-like scaffold over exposed dental tubules, according to the company.

Not as Bright
While sales of regular toothpaste rose slightly, there has been a downturn in sales of tooth bleaching and whitening products like strips and powders, with sales dropping 4.28% to $296.4 million, according IRI. 

Faced with a slowdown, brands appear to be revitalizing their brightening products. Luster Premium White, for example, has revamped its packaging across its entire collection and added three new products. The new rollouts include Power White Pro Toothpaste, a clinically-proven, deep-stain-removing toothpaste that provides professional-grade peroxide teeth whitening and daily care benefits, and Luster AM/PM Whitening Toothpaste System, billed as a daily use option. Also new is the Power White Pro Sonic Whitening System, which includes an Advanced Sonic Toothbrush, Power White Pro Toothpaste and AcceleRinse and Stain Lifting Serum to whiten teeth above and below the surface.

Rembrandt expanded its 1 Week Whitening Kit by Rembrandt to nearly 4,500 Walgreens, Walmart and Target stores across the US. When using the strips, consumers can see 90% more stain removal than brushing alone in just one week, according to the company, which started the at-home whitening wave in the late 1980s. 

Whitening kits can be picked up in box stores and pharmacies, and now, consumers looking for brighter smiles can shop at a new venue: Macy’s. SmileDirectClub has partnered with Macy’s to offer a new retail-specific new smile kit in a first-of-its-kind nationwide partnership between a major retailer and an invisible aligner company.

In a key component of this partnership, SmileDirectClub says it has put a new spin on its classic patent-pending impression kit to suit the needs of the Macy’s in-store customer. Different from the original, the new smile kit will have small, medium and large recyclable sizing trays inside the kit to allow the customer to determine which tray is the right size for their mouth, as well as Bright On teeth whitening gel. Once the customer registers the kit at smiledirectclub.com, the customer will be overnighted his desired tray size, putty to make dental impressions and a Bright On LED accelerator light. The impressions will be used to create a new smile plan, which is overseen by an in-state-registered dentist or orthodontist. The new SmileDirectClub smile kits, priced at $79, are available at 100 Macy’s stores.

“By partnering with Macy’s, an iconic retailer with an incredible footprint across the United States, we are able to better achieve our company’s mission to give everyone a smile they love,” Jan Lombardo, vice president of retail partnerships at SmileDirectClub, said in a statement.

“We are so pleased to offer the new Smile Kit at Macy’s, bringing a fresh and unique category to our beauty floor,” noted Nata Dvir, Macy’s GBM of beauty. “Through our partnership with SmileDirectClub, we are able to give Macy’s customers another avenue toward achieving a holistic approach to beauty—and access to a better smile at an affordable price-point.”

Hopefully this new alliance can bring smiles all around.