# Why is there no yellow toothpaste? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 30, 2023, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045 "2023-01-30T10:32:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/21 "2023-01-30T21:59:16Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > But actual red toothpaste? I haven’t personally seen it. I have half a tube left of “actual red toothpaste” in my bathroom right now. Some of these things might be regional. It could be people in my area are more open to red toothpaste than in your area. Prior posters have mentioned that Japan might have had a yellow, banana-flavored toothpaste at some point so maybe the Japanese don’t see it as something weird, but parts of American or Europe would. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/22 "2023-01-30T22:04:11Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > > [@Acsenray](#): > > > > I think turmeric toothpaste might be yellow. > > I don’t recall ever encountering that (and at one point I used to stock stuff in the “health and beauty department”, which includes the toothpaste aisle). Oh, it’s out there … [https://www.google.com/search?q=turmeric+toothpaste](https://www.google.com/search?q=turmeric+toothpaste) ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/23 "2023-01-30T22:12:18Z")
Here is a clay toothpaste - it kinds looks like Nutella, or… > **[Brushing with Clay: Zion Health ClayBrite Natural Toothpaste Review - Plein...](http://pleinvanity.com/zion-health-claybrite-natural-toothpaste-review/)** > > Have you ever thought to brush your teeth with clay? Me neither. When California-based natural health company, Zion Health reached out to me to try some of their products, my curiosity centered around ClayBrite, their popular mint-flavored,... ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/24 "2023-01-30T22:14:49Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > Sure. But actual red toothpaste? I haven’t personally seen it. Close-up Toothpaste was red (going back to my childhood.) Does it still exist? Is it still red? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/25 "2023-01-30T22:23:08Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Close-up Toothpaste was red (going back to my childhood.) Does it still exist? Is it still red? Yes to all of the above. Currently on sale on the Meijer website: [![](https://www.meijer.com/content/dam/meijer/product/0003/32/0074/10/0003320074102_2_A1C1_0600.png) ](https://www.meijer.com/content/dam/meijer/product/0003/32/0074/10/0003320074102_2_A1C1_0600.png) ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/26 "2023-01-30T22:23:59Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > What toothpaste-approrpiate taste is associated with yellow? Pus. Which might explain the colour is not widely used. > [@Broomstick](#): > > Likewise, no one wants black teeth Well, the ancient Japanese customs were different: > **[The Allure of Blackened Teeth: A Traditional Japanese Sign of Beauty](https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/blackened-teeth-traditional-005544)** > > Ohaguro (which may be translated as ‘blackened teeth’) is a practice in which people (usually women) dye their teeth black. While this custom is known to be practiced in different parts of the world, including Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and... ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/27 "2023-01-30T22:27:21Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Plus I’ll listen to the marketing guy. I would suspect that, at some point, Colgate-Palmolive, Procter & Gamble, and/or Unilever did some testing of a yellow toothpaste (likely banana or lemon flavored, I’d guess). And, I also suspect that feedback among test consumers was, “It looks like snot” or “it looks like pus,” and even if they liked the flavor, they weren’t happy with the color. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/28 "2023-01-30T22:37:56Z")
That, plus yellow being the color you _don’t_ want your teeth to be (at least as a Western ideal) and associated with “bad” teeth, it seems like it would be a hard sell. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2023, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/29 "2023-01-30T23:51:50Z")
Weird that so many images of toothpaste tubes, but few show the stuff inside. My wife uses cinnamon toothpaste that’s bright red. My son has watermelon flavored toothpaste, which is a disturbingly florescent green. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/30 "2023-01-31T00:33:27Z")
At least of of my duty stations switched to grape toothpaste at the dental clinic. It was purple, and incredibly disgusting. I do think that had more to do with using mint toothpaste my entire life and other flavors just seemed wrong. I also tried some black activated charcoal toothpaste. It tasted okay. The froth was not black, more of a light grey. That was disappointing. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/31 "2023-01-31T02:05:03Z")
> [@Wolf333](#): > > The froth was not black, more of a light grey. Because of the way light interacts with the surface of bubbles, froth is always going to tend towards white. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/32 "2023-01-31T04:53:25Z")
Let me see if I can dredge up the jingle– Come a little closer, baby, smile for me, I need a Close Up smile from you, I need a Close Up smile ? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/33 "2023-01-31T05:23:45Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Yellow food coloring dyes are some of the most staining dyes out there. Ever try to get a mustard/turmeric stain out of clothes? Why on earth would you use it on teeth?- I wonder if the OP has me on block, because I see no response to my post. Yellow dyes are terribly staining, regardless of whether they’re naturally based or artificially. Again, ever tried to remove a French’s mustard stain from clothing? Oxygen bleaches and chlorine bleaches barely touch them. And you can’t use chlorine bleach on your teeth. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/34 "2023-01-31T05:33:14Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > I don’t know why we don’t have banana-flavored yellow toothpaste In addition to what @Didi44 reports, I can confirm that they are (or recently were) selling Minions-branded banana-flavoured toothpaste here in Vienna. (Not sure if it’s a regular item or if it was a tie-in to the most recent film.) I bought some last year and seem to remember that it was pale yellow in colour. I’m also pretty sure that the Indian grocery store here sells yellow toothpaste. It’s been years since I bought any, so I don’t remember what flavour it is—I’m thinking maybe cloves or cardamom. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/35 "2023-01-31T05:49:12Z")
> [@Wolf333](#): > > I also tried some black activated charcoal toothpaste. It tasted okay. I haven’t tried charcoal toothpaste because I assume the taste would be akin to chewing on a charcoal briquette. Does anyone remember some years back when there was different colored ketchup? I think it was aimed at kids and it came in funky colors like green and purple. Literally no difference other than the dye used to color it and yet I would not eat it if you paid me to. Heinz Nightmare Fuel. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/36 "2023-01-31T05:52:08Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > Does anyone remember some years back when there was different colored ketchup? I think it was aimed at kids and it came in funky colors like green and purple. Literally no difference other than the dye used to color it and yet I would not eat it if you paid me to. Heinz Nightmare Fuel. Yeah, that was like early 00s. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/37 "2023-01-31T06:31:48Z")
Before charcoal “oil pulling” was popular among hippie pseudoscience circles. Still is probably. Swishing around coconut or other oil which is supposed to promote oral health among other things. Probably just need to make the market rather than assume there’s a good reason why yellow toothpaste doesn’t exist. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/38 "2023-01-31T07:13:24Z")
**Why is there no yellow toothpaste?** For about the same reason stay-in toilet cleaning tablets make the toilet water blue. People are turned-off by the “wrong” color in consumer products. For toothpaste one “wrong” color would be yellow because as already mentioned, it is the color of stained teeth and plaque. Toilet cleaners are blue (I believe) because when you add yellow liquid (urine) to the blue water it still has a pleasant enough greenish color. Just about any other color but blue would look worse when yellow liquid is added to it. ETA: hmmm… I see racer72 already commented on a similar theme > [@dtilque](#): > > I bet that Pepsodent slogan from way back in the 60s has a lot to do with it. IMO, your post would be so much better if you said what that slogan was. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/39 "2023-01-31T08:03:48Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > Does anyone remember some years back when there was different colored ketchup? I think it was aimed at kids and it came in funky colors like green and purple. Literally no difference other than the dye used to color it and yet I would not eat it if you paid me to. Heinz Nightmare Fuel. [![](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/94/db/e4/94dbe42d010931576a02ad0a32b62e83.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/94/db/e4/94dbe42d010931576a02ad0a32b62e83.jpg) [![](https://i1.sndcdn.com/artworks-1zC5mRxWe6NbLRaA-n6twMg-t500x500.jpg) ](https://i1.sndcdn.com/artworks-1zC5mRxWe6NbLRaA-n6twMg-t500x500.jpg) And if that’s not weird enough for you, try the “mystery color”. [![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FMJE-DTXsAk-S6s.jpg) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FMJE-DTXsAk-S6s.jpg) Even Walmart got into the action with their store brand ketchup. [![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Df-qCrKUwAAnRh1?format=jpg&name=large) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Df-qCrKUwAAnRh1?format=jpg&name=large) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2023, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045/40 "2023-01-31T09:04:00Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > I wonder if the OP has me on block, because I see no response to my post. I don’t have you on block, I just didn’t feel a need to comment on your post. Your arguments are sound and I agree with them in regards to yellow dyes causing stains. I’m not entirely convinced that’s the _only_ obstacle to yellow toothpaste (several others have also been mentioned) but it’s something that I hadn’t considered when I wrote the OP. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-yellow-toothpaste/979045.md?page=3)