Disclosed are oral care compositions, particularly thickened dentifrices in liquid, paste or gel form comprising a binding / thickening
system that also function effectively as
humectant agent thereby replacing a significant portion or all of traditional
humectant components such as glycerin,
sorbitol and other polyols. The binding / thickening
system comprise select carrageenans that provide a water
viscosity of at least about 20 mPa·s in a 1.5% solution at 25° C. and effective water-binding capacity to prevent significant water loss from the composition when exposed to air to cause unacceptable
drying out. For example, the water-binding capacity of the
carrageenan must be effective such that there is no more than about 0.75% water loss from a
dentifrice composition when exposed to air for 30 minutes at
room temperature conditions and 50%
relative humidity. The present
dentifrice compositions exhibit increased dispersibility in
saliva during use, which provides for increased
contact time of the composition with the user's teeth and
oral cavity tissues such that the active dental agents contained therein are more rapidly available to effect their beneficial activity.