Who Owns the Toothpaste Market

Colgate holds approximately 40% of the global toothpaste market by itself. Add Crest (P&G), Sensodyne (Haleon), and Pepsodent (Unilever), and four companies account for roughly 80% of the global market. The toothpaste aisle is one of the most concentrated consumer goods categories on earth, and most people brush their teeth twice a day without knowing who owns the tube in their hand.

This post maps the complete ownership structure of the global toothpaste market, covering which companies own which brands, how the market became this concentrated, and where independent challengers have found space. For a related look at how the same pattern plays out across 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. Founded in 1806 by William Colgate, the company generates approximately 45 to 50% of its global revenue from oral care products. Colgate is the best-selling toothpaste brand in most markets worldwide, with particularly strong positions in Asia, Latin America, and Africa. According to Colgate-Palmolive's 2024 Annual Report, oral care remains the single largest contributor to company revenue.

[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 and Gamble (NYSE: PG) is the world's largest consumer goods company by revenue. 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. The ADA endorsement, obtained in 1960, was transformative. It shifted Crest from a new entrant to the dominant US toothpaste within a decade. Crest has held co-leadership with Colgate in the US ever since. The Crest 3D White line made whitening toothpaste mainstream in the early 2000s, one of the most commercially successful toothpaste innovations in the modern era.

The Crest brand family covers 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 brand and a global leader in powered oral care. P&G acquired Oral-B through the Braun division, which it gained in the 2005 Gillette acquisition. Oral-B toothpastes are also sold in some international markets.

Unilever

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

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 has limited US distribution.

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

[Close-Up](/brands/close-up) has a complex ownership history. It 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 arrangements, a legacy of the acquisition history.

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. Its oral care portfolio is led by Sensodyne, the world's leading toothpaste brand for sensitive teeth.

[Sensodyne](/brands/sensodyne) launched in 1961 in the United States and has grown into one of the world's best-selling toothpaste brands overall. It is dominant in the sensitivity segment and holds market leadership in that category in most major global markets. Growth has been driven by rising consumer awareness of tooth sensitivity and sustained professional recommendation from dentists. Sensodyne Pronamel, launched in 2006, added an enamel protection claim alongside the sensitivity positioning.

[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 (NYSE: CHD) is a mid-sized consumer goods company whose Arm & Hammer toothpaste uses baking soda as its core differentiating ingredient. Arm & Hammer is among the top-ten best-selling toothpaste brands in the United States. Church & Dwight also owns Waterpik and SpinBrush.

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

Tom's of Maine: Tom's of Maine looks like an independent natural brand. It is not. Colgate-Palmolive acquired it 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. Consumers who buy it to avoid mainstream brands are buying a mainstream brand.

Hello Products: A direct-to-consumer natural toothpaste brand founded in 2013, built on natural ingredients and SLS-free formulations. Church & Dwight acquired Hello in 2019.

Market Share Overview

Why Toothpaste Is So Concentrated

Oral care is one of the most concentrated consumer goods categories in the world. Three structural factors explain why:

Regulatory classification. Fluoride toothpastes in the United States are classified as over-the-counter drugs, not cosmetics, which means they require FDA monograph compliance. That is a technical barrier that disadvantages small entrants. Professional endorsements from dentists and dental associations matter enormously, and large companies have invested decades in professional outreach that smaller competitors cannot replicate.

Advertising intensity. Toothpaste 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 lock-in. Colgate and P&G's relationships with major global retailers give them preferred shelf placement, promotional access, and category advisory roles that reinforce their positions and make it costly for retailers to switch.

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. It is not independent.

Is Sensodyne owned by Haleon or GSK? Sensodyne moved from GSK Consumer Healthcare to Haleon when the GSK and Pfizer consumer healthcare joint venture was spun off as Haleon in July 2022. Haleon (LSE/NYSE: HLN) is now an independent company, separate from both GSK and Pfizer.

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

Conclusion

Four companies own the vast majority of every tube of toothpaste sold globally: Colgate-Palmolive holds roughly 40% of the global market alone, with P&G, Haleon, and Unilever accounting for most of the rest. Church & Dwight is the only meaningful independent at scale in the United States.

The concentration is structural and durable. Regulatory barriers, professional endorsement programs, and retail distribution relationships all reinforce the same incumbents year after year. Independent brands have found niches in natural, baking soda, and sensitivity segments but have not changed who controls the majority of the shelf.

Browse our complete beauty and personal care brand database to see ownership profiles for every oral care brand listed in this post.

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.