Toothpastes are a highly complex cosmetic product. The cleaning bodies are an essential part of the function. There are a variety of cleaning bodies that can be used. However, the focus is on calcium-containing compounds and silica-based cleaning bodies. In the case of silica plasters in particular, it should be borne in mind that these can be specifically adapted through different synthesis conditions.

The different cleaning bodies vary primarily in hardness and size. A mechanical characterization is only possible indirectly and is essentially based on in-vitro methods (so-called RDA value). However, these measurements are not necessarily to be regarded as meaningful, which is why an exact RDA value should not be specified on the packaging of dental care products. In principle, a tendency with regard to abrasiveness and cleaning performance can be assumed, but other important factors such as the type of toothbrush and the pressure when brushing teeth cannot be simulated in the laboratory. These are individually different.

The cleaning bodies in dental care products have developed steadily over the past few years. Modern cleaning bodies can be both gentle on the tooth and have a good cleaning performance.