Crest vs Colgate: The Ownership Story Behind Your Toothpaste

Two Brands, Two Very Different Corporations

Crest and Colgate. They sit side by side on virtually every toothpaste shelf in America, competing for space, attention, and your dental hygiene dollar. Together, they control approximately 60% of the global toothpaste market. But the corporations behind these familiar tubes have very different histories, portfolios, and strategies.

Crest is owned by Procter & Gamble, a $400 billion diversified consumer goods giant with 65 brands across laundry, baby care, beauty, grooming, and health. Colgate is owned by Colgate-Palmolive, a more focused company that derives over 40% of its revenue from oral care alone.

This comparison explores the ownership behind your toothpaste and what it reveals about how consumer goods markets really work.

The Ownership Breakdown

Crest: The P&G Brand

Parent company: Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) P&G revenue: ~$84 billion (FY 2025) Oral care revenue: ~$7 billion (Health Care segment, includes Oral-B) Oral care as % of P&G revenue: ~8%

Crest is one brand within P&G's massive Health Care division. P&G also owns Oral-B (toothbrushes, including electric), Scope (mouthwash), and Fixodent (denture adhesive). Together, Crest and Oral-B give P&G a comprehensive oral care portfolio.

But oral care is a relatively small part of P&G's business. When you buy Crest, you are supporting the same corporation that makes Tide detergent, Gillette razors, Olay skincare, Pampers diapers, Bounty paper towels, and Charmin toilet paper.

Colgate: The Colgate-Palmolive Brand

Parent company: Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL) C-P revenue: ~$20 billion (2024) Oral care revenue: ~$9 billion Oral care as % of C-P revenue: ~45%

Colgate is the centerpiece of Colgate-Palmolive's business. The company is far more dependent on oral care than P&G. Beyond toothpaste, Colgate-Palmolive's oral care portfolio includes Colgate toothbrushes, Colgate mouthwash, and Meridol (a European dental brand).

• Palmolive (dish soap, body wash)
• [Ajax](/brands/ajax) (cleaning products)
• Speed Stick (deodorant)
• Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet (premium pet food)
• Sanex (European personal care)
• Tom's of Maine (natural personal care)
• hello (natural oral care)

Interestingly, Colgate-Palmolive's second-largest business is pet nutrition (Hill's), not personal care.

Market Share Battle

The Crest vs Colgate battle has seesawed over seven decades:

1950s-1960s: Crest gained a decisive advantage in 1960 when it became the first toothpaste to receive the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of approval for its fluoride formula. This endorsement propelled Crest to market leadership in the United States.

1970s-1990s: Colgate fought back globally while Crest maintained U.S. dominance. Colgate became the clear global leader, particularly strong in Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

1997: Colgate launched Total (now Colgate Total), a breakthrough formulation that provided 12-hour antibacterial protection. Colgate Total overtook Crest as the best-selling toothpaste in the United States.

2000s-2010s: Crest responded with Crest 3D White and Crest Pro-Health. The two brands traded market share back and forth. Crest Whitestrips (teeth whitening strips) created an entirely new category that Colgate has not matched.

2020s: Colgate maintains global leadership with approximately 40% worldwide market share. Crest holds approximately 20% globally but remains highly competitive in the U.S. Colgate-Palmolive was named a top Wall Street pick for 2026, with analysts expecting sales growth recovery.

Product Portfolio Comparison

P&G's advantage is Oral-B, particularly its electric toothbrush line. Oral-B is the most recommended electric toothbrush brand by dentists and generates significant revenue from replacement brush heads (a recurring revenue model). Colgate-Palmolive's Hum electric toothbrush has not matched Oral-B's market share.

Colgate-Palmolive's advantage is in natural/specialty oral care through its acquisitions of Tom's of Maine (2006, ~$100 million) and hello (2020). These brands appeal to consumers seeking natural or sustainable alternatives.

Why Ownership Matters in Oral Care

For P&G: Oral Care Is One of Many Priorities

P&G's oral care division competes internally for resources with Tide, Gillette, Olay, and Pampers. While P&G invests significantly in Crest and Oral-B, these brands are not existential to P&G's business. If oral care margins declined, P&G could redirect resources to higher-growth categories.

For Colgate-Palmolive: Oral Care Is the Company

Colgate-Palmolive cannot afford to lose ground in oral care. With 45% of revenue coming from the category, any market share loss directly threatens the company's overall performance. This concentration creates intense focus but also vulnerability. Colgate-Palmolive must win in oral care because it has no equivalent fallback.

This dynamic explains why Colgate-Palmolive has been more aggressive in oral care innovation and global expansion, while P&G's oral care strategy benefits from the financial cushion of a much larger, more diversified corporation.

The Global Picture

While the U.S. market gets the most attention, oral care is a truly global business:

• #1 toothpaste brand in Latin America, Africa, and much of Asia
• Over 40% global market share
• Sold in over 200 countries
• Often the only recognizable toothpaste brand in developing markets

• Strong in North America, Western Europe, and China
• Oral-B electric toothbrushes have global reach
• P&G's distribution infrastructure supports multiple categories simultaneously

The Rise of Challengers

Both Crest and Colgate face growing competition from:

• Sensodyne (Haleon/GSK): The leading sensitivity toothpaste, growing rapidly
• Native and natural brands: Consumer interest in fluoride-free and natural formulations
• D2C brands: Online-first oral care brands like Quip, Bite, and Boka
• Private label: Store-brand toothpaste (often manufactured by the same companies) gaining share

Despite these challengers, Crest and Colgate together still control the majority of the toothpaste market in most countries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who makes Crest toothpaste?

Crest is manufactured by Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG), the world's largest consumer goods company by market capitalization. P&G also owns Oral-B toothbrushes and Scope mouthwash.

Who makes Colgate toothpaste?

Colgate is manufactured by Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL). Colgate-Palmolive derives approximately 45% of its total revenue from oral care, making it the company's most important category.

Is Crest or Colgate more popular?

Globally, Colgate is more popular with approximately 40% market share versus Crest's approximately 20%. In the United States, the two brands are more closely competitive, with market leadership fluctuating over the years.

Are Crest and Colgate made by the same company?

No. Crest is a P&G brand and Colgate is a Colgate-Palmolive brand. They are genuine competitors owned by separate, publicly traded corporations.

Does P&G own Colgate?

No. P&G and Colgate-Palmolive are completely separate companies. P&G owns Crest and Oral-B. Colgate-Palmolive owns Colgate, Tom's of Maine, and hello.

The Bottom Line

The Crest vs Colgate rivalry is one of the longest-running brand battles in consumer goods history. Both brands deliver quality oral care products. The key difference is corporate context: Crest is a small part of P&G's vast empire, while Colgate is the heart and soul of Colgate-Palmolive's business. This ownership dynamic shapes how each company invests, innovates, and competes in the oral care aisle.

Compare brand ownership across categories on WhoBrands or explore P&G's brands and Colgate-Palmolive's brands.

Explore Related Brands

• Oral-B - P&G's toothbrush brand, sister to Crest
• Gillette - P&G's razor brand
• Dove - Unilever competitor to P&G in personal care
• Ajax - Colgate-Palmolive cleaning brand

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Sources

1. Colgate-Palmolive Annual Report 2024. colgatepalmolive.com/investors 2. Procter & Gamble Annual Report 2025. us.pg.com/investors 3. Investopedia. "Colgate-Palmolive: Wall Street Top Pick for 2026." January 2026. 4. Markets and Markets. "Oral Care Market Analysis." 2025. 5. American Dental Association. "ADA Seal of Acceptance History."

All brand ownership data verified through WhoBrands.com's research methodology. Last updated: February 5, 2026.