Toothpaste, also known as dental cream, enhances the effect of mechanical tooth cleaning. It is a soft paste or a gel and often contains fluorides to combat caries and periodontitis. We design and supply vacuum homogenising mixers for batch manufacturing. More on this under Cosmetics.
Ingredients
The main components of a toothpaste are:
Batch manufacturing step by step
Toothpaste is produced in batches or continuously. In the batch process, a plant with a scraper agitator, homogeniser and vacuum system usually works as follows:
- 1Initial chargeFirst, the humectants glycerine and sorbitol go into the mixer.
- 2Drawing in bindersThe plant then draws in binders such as sodium carboxymethylcellulose in stages below the liquid level, while stirring and homogenising in circulation.
- 3Completing the solutionDemineralised water, saccharin, preservatives and other additives follow one after the other.
- 4Allowing to swellFurther stirring and homogenising support the swelling of the binders.
- 5Drawing in solidsAbrasives such as chalk, fumed silica and finally the surfactant are then added in portions under vacuum. This prevents foam from disrupting the process.
- 6DeaerationUnder vacuum, the mass is deaerated, until it is smooth and supple.
- 7Flavour and releaseFinally, the plant draws in the flavour oils. After laboratory release, the mixer is discharged.
Important: the flavourings must not volatilise during deaeration.
What matters in the design
- Powerful scraper agitator with very good vertical mixing and reversible direction of rotation
- Powerful homogeniser with good pumping capacity even in vacuum operation
- Rotor-stator system with wear protection
- Carefully designed feed of powders and flavourings
- GMP-compliant design without corners, edges and dead zones
- GMP-compliant CIP cleaning, for example with rotating jet cleaners
Are you planning a plant for toothpaste or tooth gel? We will be happy to advise you, including on used homogenising mixers.
FAQ: Manufacturing toothpaste
What is toothpaste made of?
Abrasives (e.g. silica, chalk), humectants (glycerine, sorbitol), binders (e.g. carboxymethylcellulose), surfactant (usually sodium lauryl sulphate), flavourings, sweetener, preservatives and active ingredients such as fluorides.
How is toothpaste manufactured in batches?
Charge the humectants, draw in the binders under vacuum and allow them to swell, add water and additives, draw in abrasives and silica in portions, finally add surfactant and flavour, deaerate and discharge after laboratory release.
Why is the surfactant only added at the end?
So that foaming does not disrupt the previous process steps and the mass can be deaerated easily.
Which machine is suitable for toothpaste?
Vacuum homogenising mixers with a powerful scraper agitator, a high-capacity homogeniser with wear protection, powder induction below the liquid level and GMP-compliant CIP cleaning.
Does SEEFRIED supply plants for toothpaste?
Yes, we design batch and continuous toothpaste plants and offer inspected used homogenising mixers.