Oral care market: How safe is your toothpaste?

In the olden days, adults, particularly those who were not educated, used chewing sticks derived from medicinal plants to clean their teeth on a daily basis. While some had white teeth, a large number of them developed dental issues using chewing sticks.

In the past, chewing stick, charcoal, caustic-ash and toothpaste in squeezable tubes, were considered effective teeth cleaners that could clean the human teeth efficiently. These products were used for a long period until manufacturers aggressively changed the behaviour of the Nigerian consumers to prefer their products. Little wonder youths regard the use of traditional tooth cleaners as old-fashioned.

Toothpaste (also known as dentifrice) is essential to your daily oral hygiene routine. Toothpaste(s) – pastes, gels or powders – help remove plaque, a film of bacteria that forms on teeth and gums. However, toothpaste improves the mechanical brushing and cleaning power of a toothbrush.

Nigeria is one of Africa’s most populous countries, thus suggesting a sizeable market that should attract attention of consumer goods producers, marketers and researchers. Lots of competitive activities among domestic players occurred with foreign brands becoming less significant in the market. There has been variety of new product development over the review period, up to the end of 2011.

Manufacturers intensified advertising of their new brands with herbal toothpaste(s) becoming more prevalent. These moves, industry players believe, were aimed at trying to offer a clear market brand from others.

Major toothpaste brands, which have very visible shelf presence in Nigeria, include Close-Up, manufactured by Unilever; Macleans produced by GlaxoSmithKline; Dabur, a herbal toothpaste made by Dabur International Limited; Daily Need from Daily Need Industries, and Colgate, an imported brand.

Others include Acquafresh, from GlaxoSmithKline; Flourish and Minta, produced by PZ; Whisper, an imported brand from Asia; Olive on the stable of Classic Soap Industries Ltd, and MyMy from the stable of Deraju Industries Ltd. Latest brands to enter the market are Sensodyne, also from GSK, Oral -B and the re-entry of Pepsodent from Unilever.

Competitive landscape

In 2012, the leading company in oral care was Unilever Nigeria plc, with a value share of 33 percent. Its Close-Up toothpaste is the leading brand in the category, with a longstanding presence in the market that has given it high brand awareness among consumers.

According to Euromonitor International, it benefited from a brief absence of the Macleans brand, which was previously the market leader, building market share over this period before Macleans could return.

In addition to the toothpaste brand, the company’s Close-Up brand is also present in toothbrushes, unlike its nearest competitor GSK Nigeria plc. The Close-Up brand benefits from a wide range of variants and is supported by very strong advertising by Unilever. It also has national penetration as it is distributed through Unilever’s distribution network and by independent distributors.

Harmful substances in toothpaste(s)

Most consumers purchase toothpaste products and even other items without bothering to read the list of ingredients making it up, trusting manufacturers to have the customer’s best interest at heart. Though it can be a costly mistake, toothpaste(s) contain several potentially harmful ingredients, including some that can lead to serious long-term health problems.

Sodium fluoride

Dentists have praised the virtues of fluoride for years, claiming it’s the best defence against tooth decay. Fluoride supposedly builds strong, healthy teeth. In reality, sodium fluoride, a by-product of aluminium manufacturing, can also be found in rat poisons and industrial pesticides.

Latest report by Akron Regional Poison Centre shows that ingesting 1/10 of an ounce of fluoride can kill a 100-lb. adult. Ingesting even a small amount of sodium fluoride may cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Yet, despite its dangers, sodium fluoride continues to be a staple in all leading brands of toothpaste.

Triclosan

Found often in anti-bacterial products, triclosan supplements many toothpaste brands. Intriguingly, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies triclosan as a pesticide, stating it poses a risk to both human health and the environment. Scientists categorise triclosan as a chlorophenol, which is a type of chemical suspected of causing cancer in humans.

Sodium lauryl sulfate

Added as a detergent and cleansing agent, sodium laurel sulfate and its cousin sodium laureth sulfate pose a wide range of potential health risks. On its own, sodium laurel sulfate can damage eyes, irritate skin and lead to laIn boured breathing.

The American College of Toxicology reveals that sodium laurel sulfate may stay within the body for up to five days, accumulating in the heart, liver, lungs and brain. When combined with certain other chemicals, sodium laurel sulfate transforms into nitrosamines, a class of powerful carcinogens that cause the body to absorb harmful nitrates.

Propylene glycol

An active component in antifreeze, propylene glycol acts as a wetting agent and surfactant in toothpaste(s). The Material Safety Data Sheets for propylene glycol warn that the chemical can be rapidly absorbed through the skin, with prolonged contact leading to brain, liver and kidney abnormalities. The EPA won’t allow its workers to handle propylene glycol without wearing rubber gloves, yet it doesn’t stop the chemical from being used in common healthcare products.

DEA

Consumers find diethanolamine (DEA) in products that foam, including toothpaste. DEA disrupts hormones and forms cancer-causing nitrates. Repeated skin exposure to DEA can lead to increased risk of liver and kidney cancers, Samuel Epstein, professor of environmental health at University of Illinois, USA, said.

ANNE AGBAJE