ABSTRACT
The major competitive products for glycerine in oral care products are sorbitol and sorbitol-based materials. Sorbitol products have successfully replaced glycerine, either partially or totally, in many major over the counter oral product applications. The "humectant" in oral care products must serve many functions and possess properties beyond simple humectancy. A mouthwash or gargle historically has been a liquid product used to clean the oral cavity and freshen the breath. The ability to obtain glycerine commercially either as 96% material or 99+% is a feature of glycerine which endows it with a very important capability in oral care product manufacture. The choice between sorbitol and glycerine in oral care formulations is largely a matter of cost effectiveness. Glycerine has properties distinct from pure sorbitol in those formulations. Glycerine is a component of most oral rinses marketed in the United States; rarely has it been supplanted by sorbitol.
