Toothpaste was used as long ago as 500 B.C. in both China and India. However, modern toothpastes were only developed in the 1800s. In 1896, Colgate Dental Cream was packaged in collapsible tubes. Advancements in synthetic detergents made after World War II, allowed for the replacement of the soap used in toothpaste with emulsifying agents such as Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and Sodium Ricinoleate. A few years later, Colgate started to add fluoride, believed to strengthen teeth and gums, to toothpaste.
