Sir, oral health care is a major concern for the general public and people are happy to spend extra dollars on oral hygiene. Toothpaste is a major consumer product for oral health and is used by all of us regularly.

However, there is a debate between fluoride and non-fluoride toothpaste with the market for fluoride-free toothpaste growing quickly.1,2 A friend recently asked me an interesting question, being a consumer of natural toothpaste: 'why are natural toothpastes more expensive than fluoride based ones?'

I researched the market prices of natural/organic toothpaste, finding that that prices range from NZ$4.99-9.99 per 100 g, which is expensive for daily consumption. Further investigation showed that all of them have common ingredients in the formulation such as calcium carbonate, glycerol, menthol, xylitol, sodium bicarbonate, lauryl glucoside, carrageen, essential oils, xanthan gum and stevia, with few minor variances. As an experienced pharmacist and researcher, I decided to formulate my own natural toothpaste using the same ingredients to evaluate costing. This formulated toothpaste was around NZ$1.50 (0.76 GBP) per 100 g including packaging cost. Considering a 50% profit margin for the company with other expenses, the product price should stay at NZ$3.00 (1.50 GBP) per 100 g.

In summary, the purpose was not only to save a few dollars per tube but also to make dental professionals aware of the ridiculously high profit margins on natural oral care products of this type, so that they can pass on this useful information.