It can be done naturally: COSSMA

Across the board, consumer demand for products with natural, sustainable, and eco-friendly credentials is at an all-time high – that also includes oral care. Tanja Budde highlights some of the most important drivers.

The collaboration with Mintel, an internationally renowned market research company, provides interesting insights into this exciting market, which offers great scope for innovation. Presenting at the forum “Healthy Bite 2020”, Mintel Group’s Global Associate Director for Beauty & Personal Care Andrew McDougall advised oral care manufacturers to meet natural demands, explore plant-based power and push boundaries in eco-friendly packaging. “Be transparent with plastic alternatives,” he said. Some brands are already turning to glass or metal packaging to counter plastic pollution concerns. For instance, “Georganics Natural Toothtablets” utilises glass packaging, while “Waken Mouthwash” comes in a stylish, endlessly recyclable aluminium bottle.

But it’s not just about how products are packaged. The desire for eco-friendliness and the search for sustainability extends to what’s inside products too.

figure 1: Share of global oral care NPD by fast growing natural and ethical claims 2016 vs. 2020. figures: Omya

Naturalness on trend

Mintel research shows that 63% of US oral care users have tried or are interested in trying natural oral care products, while more than half of Vietnamese adults (57%) have replaced a regular product with a natural/ organic one, and almost two out of three Chinese oral care users (60%) would choose a toothpaste with more natural ingredients, even if it had an unpleasant user experience¹.

And it’s evident that natural and ethical oral care NPD is growing (figure 1).

In the period 2016 to 2019, organic claims rose from 2% to 5%, while ethical/sustainable claims jumped from 3% to 10%. Interestingly, ‘vegan’ is also becoming a more and more popular attribute for oral care products. Sought after not just by consumers who follow an animal product-free lifestyle, vegan lines also appeal to the growing number of people taking a flexitarian approach to life. Jumping from 3% of claims in 2016, vegan/no animal ingredients claims were found on 10% of new products introduced in 2020, with European manufacturers

responding most actively to this trend (figure 2)².

With the percentages here still relatively low and consumer awareness of these issues rising, there is therefore huge scope for further development. It is vital, however, that when responding to these trends, brands don’t compromise on efficacy.

figure 2: Main oral health concerns of US consumers in 2019.figures: Omya

Choice of ingredients

With Covid-19 resulting in limited access to dental services, consumers are increasingly looking to take better care of their own oral health. They are particularly interested in products that offer simultaneous help for multiple problems, including cavities and decay, plaque, discolouration, loss of enamel, gum disease and tooth sensitivity³.

Natural calcium carbonate is an ingredient that allows manufacturers to address these concerns and satisfy demand for natural, sustainable, and eco-friendly products at the same time.

Omya has spent many years researching and developing natural minerals solutions for cosmetic and toiletry applications and to produce sustainably and under clean and controlled manufacturing conditions for a low carbon footprint and minimum waste. As well as regular calcium carbonate ingredients, the company also offers two highly functional ingredients⁴.

Both are obtained by a process of recrystallisation to create new mineral compositions and structures with high porosity and novel functionalities. In both cases, the particles have a core of calcium carbonate and a shell of hydroxyapatite – the main constituent of tooth enamel. This shell gives the particles exceptional affinity with the surface of the teeth, for better acid resistance and improved protection against attack from acidic food and drinks.

One is said to remineralise tooth enamel by repairing microscopic defects, resulting in a smoother and whiter tooth surface, while the second has been developed to treat sensitive teeth.

The Challenge with dental sensitivity

Dental sensitivity is a problem for a growing number of people. Characterised by sharp, short pain, it can be triggered by stimuli such as cold, heat and eating sugary foods. Causes include poor gum health, consumption of fizzy drinks, and tooth whitening procedures. Tooth sensitivity is effectively reduced by enclosing exposed dentinal tubules so that stimuli cannot cause pain. The porosity of the ingredient means that the natural flow of nutrients in the tubules is not impaired. Cosmos approved and Natrue certified, like many Omya products, both ingredients⁴ offer high chemical purity and controlled low microbiology. To promote valuable synergistic effects in oral care applications, there are also a variety of speciality ingredients including hydrocolloids/ rheology modifiers, fluorides and sweeteners. The company has also developed Bead Activated Carbon (BAC), which is made from mannitol, microcrystalline cellulose and carbon black, and can be added to toothpaste to help clean teeth in a totally natural and even vegan way.

References:

¹ Lightspeed/Mintel; KuRunData/Mintel: 35 market data Jul 2019. Base: US: 1,960 internet users aged 18+ who have used oral care products in the last 6 months; Vietnam: 1,000 internet users aged 18+; China: 3,000 internet users aged 20-49.
² Mintel GNPD
³ Lightspeed/Mintel. Base: US: 2,000 internet users aged 18+
⁴ Omyadent 100 and Omyadent 200