production of bicarbonate based toothpaste has now been substantially improved by incorporation of a copper compound within the premix phase of the manufacture process . no longer is it necessary to hold the premix phase at temperatures above 110 ° f . to sterilize that phase and then cool the premix prior to the addition of bicarbonate to avoid thermal decomposition of the latter . the premix phase will normally have three essential components . these components are a polyol , a thickening agent and water . the polyols which serve as humectants may include glycerol , sorbitol , propylene glycol , lactitol , xylitol , polypropylene glycol , polyethylene glycol , hydrogenated corn syrup and mixtures thereof . particularly preferred is a mixture of sorbitol and glycerol . generally the amount of polyol will range from about 25 to 99 . 9 % by weight , preferably from about 70 to 95 % by weight of the premix phase . with respect to the finished bicarbonate product , the polyol will range in concentration from about 25 to 80 % by weight . the thickening agent employed in this invention will normally be present in an amount from 0 . 1 to 10 %, preferably about 0 . 5 to 5 % by weight of the premix phase . with respect to the finished product , the amount of thickening agent may range over a similar concentration . thickeners may include hydroxypropyl methylcellulose , hydroxyethyl cellulose , sodium carboxymethyl cellulose , xanthan gum , tragacanth gum , karaya gum , arabic gum , irish moss , starch , alginates and carrageenans . water is a further component of the premix phase and finished product . concentrations for either of the aforementioned may range from 1 to 50 %, preferably from 5 to 30 % by weight . copper compounds suitable for the present invention are those which will supply copper ions and are toxicologically harmless , compatible with mucous membranes and , to some extent , water - soluble . examples of suitable copper compounds are copper sulphate , copper halides and pseudohalides ( such as copper chloride ), copper nitrate , copper salts of carboxylic acids in the homologous series formic acid to decanoic acid , copper salts of polybasic acids in the series oxalic acid to suberic acid , and copper salts of hydroxycarboxylic acids , including glycolic , lactic , tartaric , malic and citric acids . further , specific examples include copper benzoate , copper gluconate , copper phytate , copper glycerophosphate , copper propionate , and copper salicylate . the amount of copper , calculated as the metal , which may be included in both premix and finished compositions according to the present invention , ranges from about 1 ppm to 2000 ppm , preferably 100 to 300 ppm , more preferably 150 ppm to 250 ppm . on an overall weight basis , the copper compound may range in amount from 0 . 01 to 5 %, preferably from 0 . 1 to 1 . 0 %. bicarbonate salts of the present invention will normally be salts of an alkali metal , such as sodium or potassium . advantageously , the bicarbonate is included in the composition in an amount sufficient to provide a neutral and basic ph when the composition is contacted with water , preferably a ph from about 7 . 0 to 9 . 5 , most preferably about 8 . 0 to 9 . 0 . typically , the concentration will range from about 0 . 5 to about 80 %, preferably from about 5 to 50 %, optimally between about 8 and 20 % by weight of the total finished toothpaste . according to the process of the invention , a reactor is charged with effective amounts of a polyol , a thickening agent , a copper compound and water . these components are blended together at a temperature no higher than about 110 ° f ., preferably no higher than 100 ° f ., optimally between 80 ° and 90 ° f . the lower temperature range is desirable because addition of sodium bicarbonate to the premix often causes an exotherm that can raise the temperature 10 ° to 15 ° f . heating and blending are continued until all bacterial action has been reduced to a pharmaceutically acceptable level . the ph is then adjusted to approximately 10 . temperature is maintained at above 80 ° f . but below 110 ° f . once all the premix components have been blended , the bicarbonate and other abrasives are added to the premix phase . thereafter , further components , such as surfactant , flavor and colorant may be incorporated . surfactants may be of the anionic , nonionic , cationic or amphoteric type . most preferred are sodium lauryl sulfate , sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate and sodium laurylsarcosinate . surfactants are usually present in an amount from about 0 . 5 to 5 % by weight . additional abrasives may be selected from water - insoluble alkali or alkaline earth metal salts of metaphosphate , carbonate , aluminate and silicate . especially preferred are silica , dicalcium phosphate and calcium carbonate . amounts of the abrasive will range from about 5 to about 80 % by weight . tartar control agents may be incorporated into compositions of this invention . especially effective will be agents containing phosphorous . inorganic phosphorous tartar control agents may include any of the water - soluble pyrophosphates such as disodium pyrophosphate , dipotassium pyrophosphate and mixtures of these with tetrapotassium pyrophosphates or tetrasodium pyrophosphates . organic phosphorous compounds that may serve as tarter control agents include polyphosphonates such as disodium ethane - 1 - hydroxy - 1 , 1 - diphosphonate ( ehdp ), methanediphosphonic acid , and 2 - phosphonobutane - 1 , 2 , 4 - tricarboxylic acid . for anti - caries protection , a source of fluoride ion will normally be present in the oral compositions . fluoride sources include sodium fluoride , potassium fluoride , calcium fluoride , stannous fluoride , stannous monofluorophosphate and sodium monofluorophosphate . these sources should release anywhere from 25 to 3500 ppm of fluoride ion . the anti - caries agent will be present in an amount from about 0 . 05 to about 3 % by weight , preferably 0 . 5 to 1 % by weight . flavors that are usually present in the oral compositions are those based on oils of spearmint and peppermint . examples of other flavoring materials include menthol , clove , wintergreen , eucalyptus and aniseed . flavors may range in concentration from 0 . 1 to 5 % by weight . sweetening agents such as saccharin , sodium cyclamate , aspartame , sucrose and the like may be included at levels from about 0 . 1 to 5 % by weight . other additives may also be incorporated into the oral compositions including preservatives , silicones , other synthetic or natural polymers such as gantrez s - 97 ®, and anti - gingivitis actives . the following examples will more fully illustrate the embodiments of this invention . all parts , percentages and proportions referred to herein and in the appended claims are by weight of the total composition unless otherwise stated . a typical formulation of the present invention is a toothpaste whose composition is outlined in the table below : table______________________________________ingredient wt . % ______________________________________premix phasepolyol ii ( sorbitol and other sugars ) 38 . 1140deionized water &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; 4 . 0000sodium saccharin 0 . 5000sodium fluoride 0 . 4600polyethylene glycol - 32 5 . 0000carboxymethyl cellulose gum 0 . 8000deionized water &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; 5 . 3080ammonia 1 . 3080copper sulphate 5 - hydrate 0 . 1600base pastesodium bicarbonate , coarse granular 15 . 0000sylox 15x ( thickening silica ) 4 . 2500syloid 63xx ( abrasive silica ) 7 . 5000ttanium dioxide 0 . 3000flavor packagepolyol ii 9 . 1830sodum lauryl sulphate 2 . 9790sda 38b alcohol 2 . 8380flavor 1 . 9000menthol 0 . 6000color 0 . 0050total 100 . 7000______________________________________ polyol and deionized water &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; were mixed together in a vessel to which was added sodium saccharin and sodium fluoride . the gum ( cmc in this case ) was dispersed in molten ( 160 ° f .) polyethylene glycol and then added to the above mixture . this was mixed for about one hour to allow the gum to hydrate . copper sulfate was dissolved in deionized water &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; followed by the addition of ammonia solution containing 27 to 30 % ammonia . mixing continued until a uniform solution was achieved ( about 30 minutes ). premix was prepared in a separate mixer and when complete , was charged into the main vessel to produce paste base . premix was prepared in quantities adequate for production of several base paste batches . this stage was where the actual toothpaste was formed . optimal use of this mixer increases production efficiency . this is exemplified by semi - continuous processing ( as described here ) where separate submixes ( such as premix and flavor package ) were produced in separate mixers . this reduced the main mixer &# 39 ; s batch cycle time allowing it to be used only in the steps where it was necessary , in this case , powder incorporation . after the premix was charged into the main mixer , the ingredients for the base paste were added in the order described above and mixed until uniform . a solution was formed of polyol ii , sodium lauryl sulfate and alcohol ( in a separate mixer ). this was charged into a flavor package mixer with the remaining ingredients added in the order described above . the flavor package was either added to the base paste in the main mixer or added via in - line mixing during transfer to a holding tank . the microbiological stability of toothpaste premix was assessed with a single insult challenge test . in this test premix was insulted with a range of organisms ( including bacteria , yeast and mold ), then held at various temperatures over a set period of time . the microbial content of the premix was determined initially and at appropriate times thereafter to determine microbial stability . the premix will either pass ( microbially stable ) or fail the test based on predetermined limits . microbiological challenge testing indicated that in order for the premix without copper to be held for a useful amount of time , it must be kept at temperatures greater than 110 ° f . as a safety margin , premixes should actually be held at temperatures in excess of 125 ° f . addition of copper produced a premix with excellent microbiological stability , even though it was prepared at no higher than room temperature . ______________________________________premix rt 90 ° f . 100 ° f . 105 ° f . 110 ° f . ______________________________________no copper n / t n / t fail fail failwith copper pass pass pass n / t n / t______________________________________ note : n / t = not tested the foregoing description and examples illustrated selected embodiments of the present invention . in light thereof , various modifications will be suggested to one skilled in the art , all of which are within the spirit and purview of this invention .
the invention provides a process for microbiologically stabilizing a premix phase intended to receive bicarbonate in the manufacture of toothpaste . the process includes blending together in the premix phase a polyol , a thickening agent , a copper compound and water . the premix phase is maintained at a temperature no higher than 110 ° f . for a time sufficient to destroy bacteria . thereafter the bicarbonate is incorporated into the premix phase without cool - down of the premix phase . there is also disclosed an oral composition that includes a combination of humectant , thickening agent , copper , bicarbonate and water .