Parodontax toothpaste was developed in 1937 by German dentist Dr. Focke.[2] The product was originally based on sodium bicarbonate. Consequently, it was obtained by German pharmaceutical company Madaus which specialised in herbal medicine and which added components that were specifically anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, including extracts of several medicinal plants.[citation needed]
In 1975, Parodontax launched the first product containing chlorhexidine digluconate in Germany. Since 1989, the active substance chlorhexidine digluconate has been widely used in the treatment of gum disease. Over the years, a wide range of pharmaceutical products, including mouthwashes, sprays and gels, have been developed to provide effective short-term treatment for gingivitis.
In 2001,the brand was obtained[failed verification] by GlaxoSmithKline[4][better source needed] which continued the production according to the old recipe.[citation needed] However, in 2017 the herbal extracts were removed leaving the toothpaste with the active ingredient stannous fluoride and the abrasive ingredient sodium bicarbonate.[3][5] Nevertheless, the producers claim that the paste still has the ability to heal bleeding gums, which is debated by dentist associations.[3][5]
^Focke, G. "Beitrag zur Frage der Mundhygiene unter besonderer Berücksichtigung entzündungsbereiten Zahnfleisches und starker Kariesneigung." Dtsch Zahnärztl Rdsch 46 (1937): 1147.
