CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION 1.1 Preamble Toothpaste is a substance in molten form used with a toothbrush as an accessory to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is a personal hygiene product used on daily basis by children and adults. The chemical composition of toothpaste varies from one brand to another and even among several presentation of the same brand. They are composed of substances which act as abrasive, pigment, foam inducer, humectants, thickener, stabilizer, solvent, sweetener, therapeutic agent and enamel hardener. The primary purpose of brushing the teeth with a dentifrice (toothpaste) is to clean the accessible tooth surface of dental plaque, stains and food debris. Tooth cleaning with dentifrices dates back over 2000 years, while cleaning of teeth with toothpicks and brushes is an older practice. Abrasive dentifrice materials came to be used when it was found that brushes while facilating the cleaning of soft deposit from teeth, were inadequate for the removal of harder deposits and stains. Dentifrices have been prepared in several forms such as powder, paste and gels. The most popular forms are the pastes and gels with over 5 billion tubes used worldwide each year (Eric, 1994). Several studies have shown that toothpaste has a key role in helping to remove dental plaque, the major cause of dental caries and periodontal diseases (Forward, 1991). Apart from aiding cleaning of teeth directly, tooth paste has a role in encouraging people to clean their teeth. Modern developments in toothpaste formulation have led to the addition 2 of agents to provide therapeutic, as well as cosmetic benefits. Frequently used modern toothpaste can help prevent dental caries and limit the re growth of dental plaque.