Active toothpastes were first formulated in the 1950s and included ingredients such as urea, enzymes, ammonium phosphate, sodium lauryl sarcosinate and stannous fluoride. Later, therapeutic agents were included. Today's toothpastes have two objectives: to help the toothbrush in cleaning the tooth surface and to provide a therapeutic effect. The therapeutic effect may have an antiplaque or anti-inflammatory basis when the nature of the agents is antimicrobial. Toothpastes are used almost universally in the developed world but, in some groups and cultures, people still practice traditional tooth brushing without dentifrice, for example, a miswak or salt. Dentifrices (toothpastes) have been used since antiquity but recently, formulations which deliver active compounds aimed at preventing and/or treating oral diseases have been developed. The introduction of fluoride-containing dentifrices is held responsible for the important decrease in caries prevalence that was seen in the past decades. The Casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) complex has been shown to remineralise tooth surfaces in situ when delivered in oral care products. Dentifrices are the ideal vehicles for any active ingredient used as an oral health preventive measure since they are used in combination with tooth brushing, which is the most frequently employed oral hygiene method. The most important indications of dentifrices with active ingredients are associated with long-term use to prevent bacterial biofilm formation, mostly in gingivitis patients or in patients on supportive periodontal therapy