Who Owns the Toothpaste Market

Open any bathroom cabinet and there is a near-certain probability you are looking at a product owned by one of four companies. Colgate-Palmolive, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, and Haleon (the consumer health spinoff from GSK and Pfizer) collectively hold the vast majority of the global toothpaste market. A handful of independent and private label brands account for the remainder.

This post maps the complete ownership structure of the toothpaste market: which companies own which brands, how the market became so concentrated, and what the independent alternatives look like. For a related read on how the same pattern plays out in personal care, see our post on who owns the shampoo market.

The Four Companies That Dominate Toothpaste

Colgate-Palmolive

Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL) is the global leader in oral care and the dominant toothpaste company by market share. Headquartered in New York City and founded in 1806 by William Colgate, the company generates approximately 45-50% of its global revenue from oral care products. Colgate is the best-selling toothpaste brand in most markets globally, with particularly strong positions in Asia, Latin America, and Africa.

[Colgate](/brands/colgate) is the flagship brand. The Colgate Total, Colgate Optic White, Colgate Sensitive, and Colgate Max Fresh lines represent the brand's key product tiers. Colgate Total launched in 1997 and was the first toothpaste to receive FDA approval for a broad-spectrum anti-microbial claim. In markets where Colgate is not the leader by name, the company typically holds strong market positions through local or regional sub-brands.

[Close-Up](/brands/close-up) is a Colgate-Palmolive toothpaste brand positioned as a gel formula with a flavor-forward profile targeting younger consumers. Close-Up was introduced in 1967 and was one of the first gel toothpastes on the market. It is sold primarily in the United States, Latin America, and Asia.

Darlie (formerly Darkie) is Colgate-Palmolive's major brand in Asia, particularly popular in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia, where it is the best-selling toothpaste. Colgate acquired a 50% stake in Hawley & Hazel, the owner of Darlie, in 1985. The brand faced controversy in Western markets over its historical mascot, leading to a name change from Darkie to Darlie in 1989. Hawley & Hazel retains co-ownership through a joint venture with Colgate.

Colgate-Palmolive's oral care portfolio also includes dental rinses (Colgate Total), floss (Colgate Total Floss), whitening strips (Colgate Optic White), and power toothbrushes (Colgate hum, developed in-house). For the company's complete brand picture, see our Colgate-Palmolive company page.

Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) is the world's largest consumer goods company by revenue, and its Crest brand is the leading toothpaste in the United States by market share, competing closely with Colgate for the top position.

[Crest](/brands/crest) was introduced in 1955 as the first toothpaste with fluoride to receive the American Dental Association's Seal of Acceptance. That endorsement, obtained in 1960, transformed Crest into the dominant US toothpaste through the 1960s. Crest has maintained a near co-leadership position with Colgate in the US ever since. The Crest 3D White line, introduced in the early 2000s, was one of the most successful toothpaste innovations in the modern era, making whitening toothpaste mainstream.

The Crest brand family includes Crest 3D White (whitening), Crest Pro-Health (multi-benefit), Crest Sensitivity, and Crest Complete. P&G also sells Crest-branded whitening strips and power toothbrushes under the Oral-B brand.

Oral-B is P&G's electric toothbrush and associated oral care brand, a global leader in power toothbrushes. While electric toothbrushes are adjacent to toothpaste rather than part of it, Oral-B toothpastes are sold in some international markets. P&G acquired Oral-B (from Braun, which P&G had also acquired) in 2006 as part of the Gillette acquisition, and the brand generates significant revenue globally.

Unilever

Unilever (LSE/NYSE: ULVR/UL) is the third major player in global toothpaste, with brands that hold strong positions in specific markets and demographics.

Signal is Unilever's primary toothpaste brand in Western Europe and certain international markets. Signal has been manufactured since the 1950s and competes in mainstream oral care segments. It is not heavily distributed in the United States.

[Pepsodent](/brands/pepsodent) is Unilever's major brand in Asia and Africa, particularly in South and Southeast Asia where it holds leading market positions in several countries. Pepsodent was originally an American brand (introduced 1915) that Unilever acquired in various markets over decades.

[Close-Up](/brands/close-up) was historically associated with Unilever in several markets before Colgate acquired the global brand rights in stages. In some regions the brand was sold simultaneously by both companies under different ownership arrangements for geographic markets, a legacy of the complex acquisition history.

[Arm & Hammer](/brands/arm-and-hammer) toothpaste products are licensed by Church & Dwight under the Arm & Hammer trademark, which has been used in oral care for decades. Church & Dwight (NYSE: CHD) is a distinct company from Unilever and holds the Arm & Hammer brand as its flagship. Arm & Hammer toothpaste is a top-selling brand in the US value and natural segments due to its baking soda positioning.

Haleon (formerly GSK Consumer Healthcare)

Haleon (LSE/NYSE: HLN) was spun off from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Pfizer's consumer healthcare joint venture in July 2022, creating the world's largest standalone consumer health company. Haleon's oral care portfolio is led by Sensodyne, which is the world's leading toothpaste brand for sensitive teeth.

[Sensodyne](/brands/sensodyne) was launched in 1961 in the United States and has grown into one of the world's best-selling toothpaste brands overall, particularly dominant in the sensitivity segment. Sensodyne's growth has been driven by increasing consumer awareness of tooth sensitivity and the professional recommendation it receives from dentists. The brand holds market leadership in sensitivity toothpaste in most major global markets. Sensodyne Pronamel, launched in 2006, targets enamel protection alongside sensitivity.

[Aquafresh](/brands/aquafresh) is Haleon's three-stripe striped toothpaste brand introduced in 1973 in the UK. It was originally a Beecham product, passing to SmithKline Beecham and then to GSK Consumer Healthcare before arriving at Haleon. Aquafresh competes in the mainstream fluoride toothpaste segment and is sold primarily in the UK, US, and European markets.

parodontax is Haleon's brand for gum health, positioned as a specialist product for people with bleeding gums.

Biotène is Haleon's brand for dry mouth relief, covering toothpaste, mouthwash, and gum. It targets patients who experience dry mouth as a side effect of medications or medical conditions.

Independent and Growing Challenger Brands

Church & Dwight / Arm & Hammer: Church & Dwight is a significant mid-sized consumer goods company whose Arm & Hammer toothpaste uses baking soda as a differentiating ingredient. Church & Dwight also owns the Waterpik water flosser brand and SpinBrush power toothbrush brand. Arm & Hammer toothpaste is among the top-ten best-selling toothpaste brands in the United States.

Himalaya Drug Company: An Indian company with a significant natural/herbal toothpaste portfolio, particularly dominant in India and Southeast Asia with its Himalaya Herbals line.

Tom's of Maine (Colgate-Palmolive): Tom's of Maine is an independent-seeming natural oral care brand that is actually wholly owned by Colgate-Palmolive, which acquired it in 2006 for approximately $100 million. Tom's of Maine is often purchased by consumers seeking natural alternatives to mainstream brands without realizing it is a Colgate subsidiary.

Hello Products: A direct-to-consumer natural toothpaste brand founded in 2013, using natural ingredients and avoiding SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate). Hello was acquired by Church & Dwight in 2019.

Market Share Overview

Why Toothpaste Is So Concentrated

Oral care is among the most concentrated consumer goods categories in the world. Several structural factors explain this:

Regulatory approval and clinical testing. Fluoride toothpastes in the United States are classified as over-the-counter drugs, not just cosmetics, which means they require FDA monograph compliance. This creates a technical barrier that disadvantages small entrants. Professional endorsements from dentists and dental associations are enormously important in the category, and large companies have invested decades in professional outreach programs that smaller competitors cannot replicate.

Advertising intensity. The toothpaste category has historically been one of the highest TV advertising spenders per dollar of revenue. Scale advantages in media buying favor large multi-brand companies.

Distribution dominance. Colgate and P&G's relationships with major global retailers ensure preferred shelf placement, promotional access, and category advisory relationships that entrench their positions.

FAQ

Does Colgate own Tom's of Maine? Yes. Colgate-Palmolive acquired Tom's of Maine in 2006 for approximately $100 million. Tom's of Maine operates with its original brand identity and Maine headquarters but is a wholly owned Colgate subsidiary.

Is Sensodyne the same as Haleon or GSK? Sensodyne was part of GSK's consumer health business. When GSK and Pfizer completed the spinoff of their consumer healthcare joint venture as Haleon in July 2022, Sensodyne moved to Haleon. Haleon is now a standalone company listed on the London Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange, independent from both GSK and Pfizer.

Which toothpaste is number one in the US? Crest and Colgate are essentially co-leaders in the United States, alternating in the top position depending on which measure is used (dollar sales vs. unit volume vs. specific product lines). The Crest 3D White line and Colgate Total are typically among the top-selling individual toothpaste SKUs in US mass retail.

Explore Related Brands

• Colgate - Global oral care leader, the world's most distributed toothpaste brand
• Crest - P&G's flagship oral care brand, first fluoride toothpaste with ADA Seal
• Sensodyne - Haleon's sensitive teeth brand and the world's leading sensitivity toothpaste
• Aquafresh - Haleon's classic three-stripe toothpaste since 1973
• Arm & Hammer - Church & Dwight's baking soda toothpaste brand

Browse all beauty and personal care brands

Sources

1. Colgate-Palmolive Annual Report 2024 -- https://investor.colgatepalmolive.com/ 2. Procter & Gamble Annual Report FY2025 -- https://investor.pg.com/ 3. Haleon Annual Report 2024 -- https://www.haleon.com/investors/ 4. Unilever Annual Report 2024 -- https://www.unilever.com/investor-relations/ 5. Church & Dwight Annual Report 2024 -- https://ir.churchdwight.com/ 6. Euromonitor International: Oral Care Market Share 2024 -- https://www.euromonitor.com 7. FDA: OTC Drug Monograph -- Toothpaste -- https://www.fda.gov/drugs/otc-drug-monograph

All brand ownership data verified through WhoBrands.com research methodology. Last updated: March 2026.