A toothpaste is a blend of many components: actives, solvents, abrasives, preservatives, surfactants, and of course, thickeners.
There is no perfect thickener for all toothpaste.
Each thickener behaves differently and there are many thickeners on the market: xanthan gum, carboxymethylcellulose (cmc), smectite clay like LAPONITE, acryl acid polymers such as Carbopol® and many more. They all give their own type of gel structure, flow and stickiness.
Actives can diminish the thickening effect of the thickeners, but abrasives can increase the viscosity. The final feel of how the paste comes out of the tube and sit on the brush depends full on the total system and not just one ingredient.
Finding the right rheology is a balancing act, where Nequia can help. We help brands selecting the right thickeners for your formulation.
Which thickeners do you prefer working with?
The future of oral care starts now. Let’s formulate it together!