Toothpaste Tablets Are Gaining Popularity—Here’s Where Pharmacists Fit In

Toothpaste tablets are becoming a fast-growing segment of the oral care market. These solid, premeasured alternatives to traditional toothpaste are often marketed as plastic-free, travel-friendly, and "clean." The chewable tablets dissolve in the mouth to form a brushable slurry. While consumer interest is mostly caused by sustainability and convenience, the increasing use of toothpaste tablets poses questions about formulation quality, anticaries efficacy, and appropriate patient selection. Being the most accessible health care professionals with a preventive care role already established, pharmacists are positioned to help patients make evidence-based decisions as this category evolves.^1,2

Understanding Toothpaste Tablets as a Dosage Form

From a pharmacy point of view, toothpaste tablets mark the start of a trend towards unit-dose oral care products. Unlike traditional pastes that use water-based emulsions and preservatives, toothpaste tablets are solids that are compressed to achieve a balance between hardness and rapid disintegration.

A 2025 materials science study on toothpaste tablet formulations found that the mechanical strength, friability, foaming ability, and pH of the tablets can vary greatly depending on the ingredients and compression parameters.¹ These differences can have a significant impact on the user experience and, in general, oral health outcomes.

For pharmacists, this variability is a reminder of the necessity to instruct patients who may be unhappy with a tablet that "doesn't foam enough" or "crumbles in the container." These problems are not just cosmetic; they usually indicate formulation differences that can have an effect on adherence and correct use. Just like any other OTC product, pharmacists can assist patients in determining whether product performance issues are the result of incorrect use, selection, or a need to change formulations.

Fluoride, Hydroxyapatite, and Caries Prevention

One of the major clinical concerns regarding toothpaste tablets is whether they can provide adequate protection against dental caries. Fluoride toothpaste remains the best method of caries prevention and is strongly recommended by professional organizations for daily oral hygiene. However, many toothpaste tablets do not contain fluoride and use alternative remineralizing agents such as hydroxyapatite.³

In 2025, a microbial study was conducted on a dentifrice tablet containing 5% nanohydroxyapatite. The study showed that the tablet was able to achieve the same performance as a standard sodium fluoride toothpaste (1100 ppm fluoride) in preventing demineralization in controlled laboratory conditions.⁴ The evidence suggests the potential use of some non-fluoride formulations; however, the results should be taken with caution. Laboratory results seldom have a direct correlation with clinical effectiveness, and various factors such as patient behavior, diet, saliva flow, and baseline caries risk can influence the outcomes.⁴

A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of biomimetic hydroxyapatite also found evidence supporting its role in enamel remineralization and caries prevention; however, the quality of the evidence varied between different study designs and types of products. Pharmacists should take this as a reminder to tailor their advice instead of merely trusting marketing claims.

Brand Positioning and Consumer Marketing of Toothpaste Tablets

As toothpaste tablets make their way into the mainstream, brands are progressively concentrating on educating consumers, aligning with their lifestyle, and making the product user-friendly. For instance, ENML promotes its toothpaste tablets as premeasured, waterless, and eco-friendly alternatives that not only simplify the brushing routine but also lessen the packaging waste. The brand’s educational resources highlight an easy pop, chew, brush method, guiding consumers in recognizing how tablets fit into their regular oral hygiene habits.

Another recognizable brand in the toothpaste tablet category is Bite Toothpaste Bits, which offers both fluoride and fluoride-free options in chewable formats.⁵ Bite’s product line includes mint and berry flavors, available in recyclable glass jars or refill pouches, and features ingredients such as nano-hydroxyapatite (a mineral that supports enamel remineralization), xylitol, calcium carbonate, and surfactants that help tablets create foam when brushed. The company emphasizes ease of use, portability, and reduced toothpaste tube waste, positioning Bits as part of a broader oral care routine that also extends to mouthwash bits, toothbrushes, and floss.

Pharmacists as Oral Health Advisors

The literature is abundant with evidence that pharmacists should take part in oral health promotion. A community-based survey of pharmacists published in the British Dental Journal revealed that nearly all pharmacists recognized the role of pharmacists in oral health promotion. Most of them also expressed their willingness to be more involved if they were properly educated and collaboration was facilitated.⁷

The study highlighted pharmacists' frequent contacts with patients who sought advice for oral pain, hygiene products, and preventive care, emphasizing their accessibility and the extent of their influence in the community environment.⁷

As toothpaste tablets become more popular, pharmacists have a great chance to facilitate consumers making the right decision. By knowing the differences of formulations, interpreting the evidence of ingredients, and assessing the individual patient risk, pharmacists can guide patients to integrate toothpaste tablets into their oral hygiene routines based on evidence when it is appropriate. The increasing acknowledgment of the pharmacists' role in oral health promotion is a call to the importance of these conversations to ensure that innovation in oral care is accompanied by the right patient-centered guidance.

REFERENCES

1. Agata Blicharz-Kania, Kot J, Andrejko D. Physical and Functional Properties of Toothpaste Tablets. Materials. 2025;18(20):4804-4804. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18204804

2. ENML. How To Use. Published 2025. Accessed January 6, 2026. https://www.enml.com/pages/how-to-use

3. ADA. Toothpastes. Updated September 26, 2025. Accessed January 6, 2026. https://www.ada.org/resources/ada-library/oral-health-topics/toothpastes

4. Amaechi BT, Kanthaiah K, Farah R, et al. Evaluation of the Efficacy of a Dentifrice Tablet to Prevent Dental Caries: A Microbial Study. Dent J (Basel). 2025;13(5):201. Published 2025 Apr 30. doi:10.3390/dj13050201

5. Fluoride-Free Toothpaste - 4oz. Bite Toothpaste Bits. Updated 2026. Accessed January 6, 2026. https://bitetoothpastebits.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorbJHIeffm0sw_nxrBRVvhUY1vDbgaZuEGxPE7bNrZ9vLSJ8U59

6. Limeback H, Enax J, Meyer F. Biomimetic hydroxyapatite and caries prevention: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Can J Dent Hyg. 2021;55(3):148-159. Published 2021 Oct 1.

7. Mann RS, Marcenes W, Gillam DG. Is there a role for community pharmacists in promoting oral health? British Dental Journal. 2015;218(5):E10-E10. doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.2015.172