Freshen Up Your Oral Care Products

It has been said that a beautiful smile is one of the best assets a person can have. However, a Hollywood-style, cavity-free smile usually doesn’t happen without a fair amount of effort, which makes it important for retailers to offer a range of oral care products.

But the oral care category can be a tricky one to compete in, as sales growth isn’t strong. That’s not to say there hasn’t been any growth at all, though. According to the July “Oral Care in the U.S.” report from London-based Euromonitor, the market grew 2 percent in 2013, reaching $7.6 billion.

One segment of the category that is struggling a bit, however, is teeth whiteners. According to Euromonitor, the segment saw a 6 percent sales decline in 2013, partly due to the fact that whitening benefits can now be found in so many oral care products — even certain toothpastes and mouthwashes.

Whitening products also are “overdone,” says Dr. Harold Katz, DDS, CEO and founder of Los Angeles-based TheraBreath, a manufacturer of branded and private label oral care products. And retailers are seeing a sales downturn because some consumers complain of the teeth sensitivity that can result from whitening and bleaching procedures.

Think new

So what could retailers do to drive sales of oral care products — particularly store brand options? Be innovative, Euromonitor says.

“By releasing new products with a slightly new take in mature categories, producers can seem more technologically advanced and in touch with the needs of modern consumers,” it explains.

Looking at new products being introduced, the trend toward giving traditional oral care products a new spin is particularly evident when it comes to toothpaste, with a number of them not only providing overall tooth care, but also addressing specific issues such as teeth sensitivity and gum health.

On the national brand side, for example, New York-based Colgate-Palmolive just launched Colgate Enamel Health Toothpaste. In its second-quarter earnings release, the company identified enamel strengthening as the “fastest-growing segment” in the toothpaste category, with 54 percent of consumers being concerned about enamel strength.

Even dental floss and picks can be innovative. Looking at national brand launches, Maryville, Tenn.-based DenTek announced the launch of its Scrub Betweens dental pick, with thousands of micro toothbrush-like bristles that glide gently between teeth, in early 2013.

Think natural

Offering unique flavors and all-natural products is another way retailers could move their store brand oral care products. An example in the national brand sector is Montclair, N.J.-based Hello Products, which recently launched a line of all-natural mouthwashes with unique flavors such as Pink Grapefruit Mint and Mojito Mint.

And New Brunswick, N.J.-based Johnson & Johnson recently boarded the natural bandwagon via the introduction of Listerine Naturals antiseptic mouthwash. According to the company, the product — which kills 99 percent of germs — features a 99 percent natural formula with no artificial flavors, sweeteners or dyes.

And some brands are experimenting with alternative ingredients to attract consumers seeking more natural oral care products. In the national brand space, for example, Lexington, Ky.-based Four Tigers LLC recently launched BerryCare Toothpaste Gum made from blackberry extract, which is said to help prevent tooth decay.

CoQ10, an antioxidant found in the supplements aisle and thought to be a remedy for heart issues, is another ingredient showing up in oral care. Two companies that said they now offer products containing the antioxidant are Boulder, Colo.-based JĀSÖN with its Anticavity CoQ10 Gel Toothpaste, and Purchase, N.Y.-based Quality of Life Labs, which recently purchased the Perfect Smile line of oral care products, which contain CoQ10.

Commit to quality

But whatever oral care products retailers choose for their own store brands, low prices are not necessarily enough to attract shoppers — but certain claims help. According to Katz, claims that could attract shoppers include “dentist recommended,” “alcohol-free,” “no artificial flavors or colors” and “made in the USA.”

However, customers ultimately want quality products that actually work, Katz streses.

“Gimmicks do not keep customers coming back,” he explains. “Only efficacious products do.”

More often, customers are learning that oral care isn’t just about caring for your smile. Oral health can affect, be affected by or contribute to various conditions and diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and pregnancy, according to the Mayo Clinic.

And don’t forget about today’s busy consumers, who value convenience-minded products. More of them are paying attention to dental needs throughout the day, which means portability is a major selling point retailers need to consider with their store brand oral care products.

Karla Horton, marketing manager for Sandpoint, Idaho-based Unicep, a contract manufacturer of oral care products, notes that she is seeing an increase in single-dose packaging.

“Because of our expertise in blow-fill-seal, we are assisting customers in packaging their whitening gels, mouth rinses and even toothpaste in our single-use dispensers,” she explains. “They are perfect for travel and on the go.”

Do consider unique flavors for your store brand toothpastes.

Don’t skimp on quality — shoppers want store brand oral care products that are effective.

Do consider offering oral care products in single-dose packaging.

Don’t discount the importance of appealing to natural-minded shoppers with store brand oral care products.