Chlorodont® is the name of the first toothpaste produced in Germany. The word is composed of the terms chloros (Greek “green”) and odon (Greek “tooth”). In this context, the colour green stands for freshness and peppermint flavour.
What is Chlorodont®?
Chlorodont® is the first toothpaste to be industrially produced and packaged in metal tubes. Chlorodont® was invented in 1907 by the pharmacist Ottmar Heinsius von Mayenburg. He was the founder of the so-called Leonwerke, which were sold after reunification.
Chlorodont® was so successful because it was the first dental care product that sold well through appealing advertising. The inventor did educational work and was able to convince people that their teeth could only remain healthy if they received regular care. His advertising slogan was “The tooth lives. Think about it and act accordingly. “The ingredients were frequently tried and tested, so that the pasta would still do well on the toothpaste market today.
The toothpaste
Chlorodont® was sold in metal tubes, which could be easily recognized by their blue-green checkered stripes. In 1969 the decision was made to change the design. The ingredients of the toothpaste were pumice powder, calcium carbonate, soap, glycerine, potassium chlorate and peppermint.
The latter was used to improve the taste. Calcium carbonate and pumice powder were the cleaning agents of the toothpaste, which provided the cleaning effect. Calcium carbonates are still used for this purpose today, but pumice powder is no longer used.
Glycerine acted as a humectant so that the toothpaste did not dry out. Soap is the sodium or potassium salt of fatty acids and was used as a surfactant in Chlorodont®, as it still is today. It reduces the surface tension of the toothpaste-saliva mixture and has a foaming effect.
Potassium chlorate was the disinfecting ingredient, but is no longer used for this purpose today. The main requirements for a toothpaste were the same then as now. Chlorodont® promised to provide dazzling white teeth, eliminate unpleasant bad breath and act against plaque and discoloration. The toothpaste was offered in combination with a Chlorodont® toothbrush and Chlorodont® mouthwash. This promised the best care of the teeth and comprehensive protection against bacteria.
How does Chlorodont® work?
Due to the different ingredients of the toothpaste, Chlorodont® was able to remove various types of dirt. The soap was considered a simple cleaning agent. It acted like a detergent and removed grease and other substances from the tooth.
Small micelles were formed, i.e. small spherical groups that trapped the dirt inside. Pumice powder and calcium carbonate had an abrasive effect. Like the small cleaning balls that are still contained in toothpastes today, they rubbed the fresh plaque off the tooth.
According to advertisements, the powder was supposed to make the teeth whiter. The calcium content in calcium carbonate and calcium chlorate had a certain remineralising effect on the enamel. Today we know that the enamel needs phosphorus and fluorine in addition to another calcium preparation.
Calcium chlorate also has a disinfecting effect. The advantage of this substance was that it was odourless and tasted sweetish. Peppermint also provided the taste. Glycerine was only contained to ensure the moisture of the toothpaste in the tube and to prevent it from drying out too quickly. This might also interest you: fluoridation of the teeth
