How COLGATE TOOTH PASTE is MADE🦷 | Inside COLGATE Factory

How is Toothpaste Made?

Overview of Toothpaste Production

• Every year, billions of tubes of toothpaste are produced globally, primarily made from abrasive substances that clean teeth.

• Colgate, a leading toothpaste brand, helps prevent cavities and bad breath and is sold in over 150 countries. Its history dates back to 1806 when William Colgate founded the company.

Historical Context

• The first toothpaste in a tube was launched in 1873, revolutionizing personal dental hygiene by making it more accessible compared to jars.

• Throughout the 20th century, Colgate focused on scientific research and innovation, introducing fluoride toothpaste as a significant advancement against cavities.

Manufacturing Process

• The manufacturing process begins with combining abrasive materials like rock and sand at factories such as Colgate's plant near London.

• This factory produces approximately one million tubes daily; ingredients arrive via trucks to meet global demand.

Ingredient Preparation

• Key components include sodium fluoride for cavity prevention and abrasives like silica. Other additives include flavorings, colorants, foaming agents, binders, pH regulators, moisturizers, and preservatives.

• Precise measurements of these chemicals are crucial for quality control; some ingredients are measured in tons while others in kilograms.

Mixing and Cooking Process

• Ingredients are combined using high-capacity mixers that can handle large quantities quickly. These machines ensure uniform mixing at high speeds.

• After mixing into a dough-like substance, the mixture is heated in aluminum pots to avoid unwanted chemical reactions.

Finalization Steps

• Once mixed correctly without lumps affecting quality, the paste moves through pipelines to be packaged into tubes.

• To create stripes in the toothpaste without staining the white base paste requires careful viscosity testing by experts.

Flavoring and Aesthetics

• Various flavors like mint are added using essential oils; chemists can recreate numerous flavors by adjusting oil combinations for consumer preference.

Toothpaste Production Process

Flavor Testing and Quality Control

• A dedicated testing department rigorously tests new flavors, emphasizing the importance of viscosity checks to prevent catastrophic variations in the product.

• The meticulous work culminates in confirming that each batch meets viscosity standards before proceeding to the next phase.

Tube Filling Mechanism

• The process involves inserting colored stripes into tubes using separate dispensers, ensuring precise placement without interference.

• Toothpaste is pumped through pipelines to a filling machine capable of filling 100,000 tubes per minute with different colors entering through distinct pipelines.

Injection and Sealing Process

• The machine injects three types of paste side by side without mixing due to their varying viscosities; each tube receives 70 grams of toothpaste.

• After filling, tubes are sealed tightly to maintain freshness and protect against external contamination.

Cleaning Mechanisms of Toothpaste

• Toothpaste cleans teeth through two methods: chemical reactions that break down bacteria and dirt, and mechanical scrubbing from tiny solid particles during brushing.

Packaging for Distribution

• Tubes are placed on a conveyor belt in groups of 15; correct positioning is crucial before sealing.

• Sealed tubes are grouped into boxes for shipping; each box must weigh just over 1350 grams to ensure it contains the correct number of tubes.