Stronger teeth require stronger filling machines
TOOTHPASTE:
The latest advances in toothpastes, which are a cross between toothpaste and medicine, don’t just prevent cavities; they are designed to repair teeth. With these advances the physical properties of toothpaste are also changing, which requires filling machines that are optimized to take on tough new products.
Did you know that there is a way to reverse tooth decay?
Today’s premium toothpastes have both breath-freshening and cavity-fighting ingredients, as well as a detergent that helps clean teeth, and some therapeutic agents for healthy gums and teeth. As we advance in age these agents can both prevent wear-and-tear on teeth, as well as repair them by reversing the process of demineralization, which causes caries.
New premium toothpastes are game-changers, not just producing excellent cosmetic results and preventing cavities, but also reversing tooth decay, which is good news for both our oral health and our health overall.
Bioactive ingredients for enamel remineralization
In a review made by Dr. JS Wefel, University of Iowa, Wefel states that results for enamel remineralization are promising for clinical success. The active ingredients that will help demineralization have been used to repair bone since the late 1960s – one of those, NovaMin, is a Calcium Sodium Phosfosilicate. And while tooth enamel can’t regenerate itself, you can actually avoid costly dentist visits by using the new premium toothpastes on the market.
Essentially, preventative oral care is better than curing what already ails you. We know paying attention to your oral health is important for a number of reasons, including preventing loss of natural teeth at an early age and preventing gum disease and cavities. There is also a clear link between good oral health and overall health – and saving on dentist bills is another much-welcome bonus.
So, whether you trust the science and marketing or not, today, in 2019, there is convincing evidence that the non-aqua premium toothpastes can lead to better oral health, both short and long-term.
Requiring tougher equipment
When premium toothpastes – referring to the non-aqua toothpaste – first came onto the market less than a decade ago, toothpaste manufacturers quickly realized that their existing machines were not designed to handle this new product.
Unlike the toothpastes many of us grew up using, this premium toothpaste doesn’t contain any water. Non-aqua toothpastes are built up in a different way and have a consistency that is thicker, more viscous, and more condensed. This, in turn, makes them very different from ‘regular toothpaste’ when it comes to pumping via the filling machine. When brushing your own teeth you might not notice that difference – but when it comes to filling tubes with this premium toothpaste the difference is clear.
Machines that can handle premium toothpastes
When Norden was first confronted with the thicker, more condensed toothpastes they modified existing machines to meet the new demands in the market.
“In order to get proper sealing after filling the tube you need to have good filling, but this can be tricky with non-aqua premium toothpastes, because there can be a big difference between using fresh product and product that is a couple of days old,” explains Norden’s technician responsible for tube filling.
“We saw that the product was creating a lot more pressure inside the pump compared to traditional toothpaste, so we had to optimize our existing machines to deal with this. Otherwise, if you run the machine with too high pressure, there is the risk of creating wear and tear on the machine.”
“Essentially, we looked at what the market needed, then optimized the process in our machines so the pressure could be kept as low as possible. We did this when we modified existing machines, and we have now made new machines where the capabilities are already built in.”
Why low pumping pressure is important
“We saw that the problem was high pressure, so we developed dedicated servo functions that allowed us to optimize the machine very easily,” says Norden’s technician.
The existing models that were modified were steel cam driven. Norden installed servo functions instead, so the machine could work with faster changeovers and testing different scenarios.
“This makes the process easier for both us and the customer, because products are changing all the time and if we’ve already done the baseline work of optimizing the machine for the products of today, we’re prepared for the products of tomorrow.”
Why expertise and experience count 
Modifying existing machines was a good first step when non-aqua toothpastes first came on the market. The next step was building machines optimized for this product.
“We have the basic machine and then there are add-ons. Basically, we’ve made sure flexibility is part of the equation, because we know that the product – and the market – is going to continue to change and evolve.
Add-ons improve things like performance, speed, changeover times, and uptime. And with the Norden machine you can switch back and forth between ‘regular’ toothpaste and premium non-aqua toothpaste, as well as add, among other things, a servo lift and servo pumping with a couple of different motions in the pump drive. In essence, this means that customers have the flexibility they need to respond to market demands.”
The Norden Way
“The Norden way is to listen to our customers and give them what they need,” says Norden’s technician. “It’s also to listen to the market and be ready for whatever new thing is coming down the pipeline".