Modified abrasive system for dentifrices

Claim 1

A toothpaste or dental cream of superior cleaning and polishing characteristics comprising an aqueous humectant containing dental vehicle and an abrasive system having at least one hard abrasive having a particle size of about 1 to 15 microns in diameter selected from the group consisting of calcined alumina, zirconium silicate, feldspar, pumice, and ZrO 2 , and in an amount to provide a radioactive enamel abrasion value to the dentifrice of above about 400 and present in an amount of at least 7.5% and up to 20% by weight of the dentifrice, and including an additional softer dental abrasive having a particle size of 2-40 microns and in an amount of about 10-50% by weight, said dental vehicle containing a non-toxic zinc compound in an amount to provide at least about 0.0065% zinc to the dentifrice, said zinc compound selected from the group consisting of zinc chloride, zinc sulfate, zinc acetate, zinc nitrate, and zinc oxide in an amount of about 0.01-2.0% by weight of the dentifrice, so as to reduce the enamel abrasion of the dentifrice.