The History of Colgate Toothpaste

William Colgate opened a starch, soap, and candle business on Dutch Street in New York City in 1806. Upon William’s death, the company was reorganized as Colgate & Company under the management of his son, Samuel Colgate. The company began selling perfumed soap, perfumes, and essences in 1866, followed by aromatic toothpaste in jars in 1873. In 1896, Colgate introduced toothpaste packaged in collapsible tubes. In 1906, shortly after Colgate was incorporated by the five sons of Samuel Colgate, a ribbon opening was added to the Colgate tube with the company claiming, “We couldn’t improve the product, so we improved the tube.” In 1911, Colgate distributed 2 million tubes of toothpaste along with toothbrushes to schools and hygienists to demonstrate tooth brushing technique and help encourage good oral hygiene habits. In the 1910s, the company expanded globally, and in 1968, Colgate added MPF fluoride to its toothpaste line for better cavity prevention. In 1996, the company’s oral health education program — Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures — expanded to serve 50 countries. In 1997, Colgate Total toothpaste was introduced in the United States and quickly became a leader in the market. The line was relaunched in 2019, the same year that Colgate rolled out the first recyclable toothpaste tube. Today, Colgate toothpaste is available all around the world and remains a leading oral health product.