Water is present in toothpaste as a diluting agent.

M_r = 18 g.mol^-1

Sorbitol is essentially an emulsifying agent. It enhances foaming and imparts viscosity, giving good consistency and plasticity. Other functions are to prevent drying and to enhance the cooling effect of the paste.

Synonyms: Clucitol; Sorbite; D-Glucitol; D-Sorbitol; D-Sorbit; L-gulitol; Glucitol; Gulitol; D-galactitol.

Solid calcium carbonate acts as an abrasive and cleaning agent for removing stains and plaque.

M_r = 100 g.mol^-1

PEG-6 is an abbreviation for a polyethylene glycol.

Like sorbitol, PEG-6 is employed as a emulsifying agent and a plasticiser.

The monomer is (C₂H₆O₂)_n and has a molecular weight of 62 g.mol^-1.

These are used as thickening and binding agents. The compounds have very complex structures based on the SiO₄^2- tetrahedron.

This is used as a strong detergent to help remove stains and foaming agent.

M_r = 265 g.mol^-1.

Synonyms: Dodecyl sodium sulfate; Lauryl Sodium Sulfate; Sodium Laurylsulfate; Sulfuric acid monododecyl ester sodium salt; SDS; dodecyl alcohol, hydrogen sulfate, sodium salt; akyposal sds; aquarex me; aquarex methyl; avirol 101; avirol 118; berol 452; carsonol sls; carsonol sls paste b; carsonol sls special; conco sulfate wa; conco sulfate wa-1200; conco sulfate wa-1245; conco sulfate wag; conco sulfate wan; conco sulfate was; conco sulfate wn; cycloryl 21; cycloryl 31; cycloryl 580; cycloryl 585n; dehag sulfate gl emulsion; detergent 66; n-dodecyl sulfate sodium; Dreft; duponal waqe;

dupanal; duponol; duponol c; duponol me; duponol methyl; duponol qx; duponol wa; duponol waq; duponol waqa; duponol waqm; Emal o; emal 10; emersal 6400; empicol lpz; empicol ls 30; empicol lx 28; emulsifier no. 104; finasol osr (sub 2); gardinol; hexamol sls; Irium; lanette wax-s; maprofix 563; maprofix lk; maprofix neu; maprofix wac; maprofix wac-la; melanol cl; melanol cl 30; monododecyl sodium sulfate; monogen y 100; montopol la paste; neutrazyme; nikkol sls; odoripon al 95; orvus wa paste; p and g emulsifier 104; perlandrol l; product no. 75; product no. 161; quolac ex-ub; rewopol nls 30; richonol a; richonol af; richonol c; sinnopon ls 95; sinnopon ls 100; sintapon l; sipex op; sipex sb; sipex sd; sipex sp; sipex ub; sipon ls; sipon ls 100; sipon lsb; sipon pd; sipon wd; SLS; sodium monolauryl sulfate; solsol needles; standapol 112; steinapol nls 90; stepanol me; sterling wa paste; sulfetal l 95; sulfopon wa 1; sulfotex wa; swascol 3l; syntapon; tarapon k 12; texapon DL; trepenol wa; tvm 474; ultra sulfate sl-1; WAQE; Sodium dodecanesulfate.

This is the favouring agent of the toothpaste. The exact compounds used are unknown.

This is used in conjunction with the silicates as a thickening agent.

Synonyms: Cellulose, carboxy methyl ether; Almolose; Cm Cellulose; Carboxymethyl cellulose ether; CMC; Carmellose; Croscarmellose; Carboxymethyl Cellulose.

Sodium monofluorophosphate is a major active ingredient in the product. It acts as a source of fluorine, and hence as an anticaries agent.

M_r = 144 g.mol^-1.

Synonyms: Disodium monofluorophosphate; Phosphorofluoridic acid, disodium salt; Sodium fluorophosphate.

Sodium saccharin is present as an artificial sweetener. This is used in place of sucrose, as it is less harmful to teeth.

M_r = 205 g.mol^-1

Synonyms: Saccharin soluble; Sodium saccharin; 1,2-Benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one 1,1-dioxide, sodium salt; artificial sweetening substance gendorf 450; crystallose; dagutan; madhurin; Saxin; sodium 1,2-benzisothiasolin-3-one-1,1-dioxide; sodium o-benzosulfimide; sodium benzosulfimide; sodium saccharide; sodium saccharinate; soluble saccharin; soluble gluside; succaril; Sucra; o-sulfobenzoic acid imide sodium salt; sulfobenzoic imide, sodium salt; sweeta; sykose; willosetten; 1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one, 1,1-dioxide, sodium salt; Sodium 1,2-benzothiazol-3-on-2-ide 1,1-dioxide; o-Benzoic sulfimide sodium salt dihydrate.

M_r = 210

Synonyms: 1,2,3-Propanetriol, mono(dihydrogen phosphate), calcium salt (1:1).

Sodium hydroxide acts as a base, to neutralise the low pH conditions produced by plaque bacteria and to enable their easy removal.

Synonyms: Caustic soda; Sodium hydrate; soda lye; Lye; White Caustic; lye, caustic; Augus Hot Rod.

Sodium fluoride is another active ingredient. Like sodium monofluorophosphate it acts as a source of fluorine, and hence as an anticaries agent.

M_r = 42 g.mol^-1

These compounds have unknown structure, but are assumed to be colouring agents, to provide the distinctive stripy paste.

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