Toothpaste tablets that need no water come Kenya

Imagine toothpaste that comes as a tablet and needs no water to use.  You pop the tablet into your mouth and it immediately dissolves in a blast of eye-watering foam.

You then proceed to brush your teeth as usual with no water.

That is the promise of pills currently marketed as “toothpaste tablets” now being produced in Nairobi.

The products are saliva-activated and require no water. They are marketed as “environmentally-friendly” because they do not come in plastic tubes, but in boxes of recyclable blister packs, or in single servings.

“The ground-breaking product comes in tablet form instead of paste in a tube but works in exactly the same way that traditional toothpaste does. Less waste than a tube and as the tablets are saliva activated, there is no water required to brush,” this is how producers of the Eezi tablet toothpaste market their band, which is being introduced in Kenya later this month.

Dentist Dr Paul Ngugi, said: “Kenyans have not previously had access to an affordable or convenient toothpaste that allows them to brush regularly. Eezi brings a superior quality brand at affordable pricing to all Kenyans without compromising on efficacy and qualitative outcomes.”

He added: “Eezi provides the same standard of oral care that traditional toothpaste does but is affordable due to its smart packaging and delivery system. It can be bought as a single serving or in bulk.”

Dr Ngugi is the chief clinician and group CEO of Evolution Dental, which has partnered with the tablet producers.

The toothpaste tablets are available in all pharmacies and in Kyosk.App, a digital shop.

The company said in a statement it has also partnered with local pharmaceutical group, Laboratory & Allied to localise production.

Its head of marketing Yvonne Achieng said: “With over 130 stores in Kenya and an expansive e-commerce platform, we remain confident that this strategic partnership will enable us to reach a broader market”.

Musician King Kaka was appointed the tablet brand ambassador to support good oral hygiene in Kenya.

“With so many health challenges experienced by our communities, I am proud to stand behind an Eezi, affordable way for Kenyans to make a measurable change in the way they manage their oral hygiene outcomes," he was quoted as saying in the statement.

The producers said the tablets can be bought daily, weekly, or monthly in boxes of blister packs, or in single servings of any quantity needed.

“To use Eezi toothpaste tablets, consumers simply put the tablet between their teeth, chew to foam and brush - anytime, anywhere. No water is required,” the company said.

“This places Kenya firmly at the forefront of innovative healthcare solutions for all communities throughout the African continent. We believe in changing lives through changing access to oral healthcare that is effective, clinically tested and approved, affordable and waste-free," Dr Ngugi added.

Although new to Kenya, tablet toothpaste is not new globally. Their market is still nascent and expected to grow exponentially.

The tablets are mostly a compressed powder derived from xylitol (a natural sweetener that also fights oral bacteria), calcium carbonate (a chemical compound found in limestone) and sodium bicarbonate (standard baking soda). They also contain cream of tartar, a common household bleach alternative made from tartaric acid.