BUTTER-C
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Cinnamon toothpaste OEM/ODM manufacturing
Cinnamon Toothpaste · OEM/ODM
Cinnamon is an evergreen tree grown in Vietnam and China, and its warm, spicy taste is familiar to consumers through candy, baked goods and cinnamon-flavored toothpastes. In cosmetics the named ingredient is cassia bark oil (INCI Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Oil), first of all a flavor and fragrance material: according to the IFRA annex on natural contributions, typical levels are about 79% cinnamal and 2.85% coumarin. Most “efficacy” data for cinnamon come from tests on bacteria in dishes; in people, a chewing gum study found the same result with and without cinnamic aldehyde — so a cinnamon toothpaste claims a warm cinnamon flavor, cleaning teeth and fresh breath. What shapes the formula is safety: the IFRA standards for the toothpaste category limit cinnamal to 0.15% and coumarin to 0.0024% in the finished product, so the oil level must be calculated from the certificate of analysis (COA) of each lot, and a review of toothpaste allergy notes that many reactions in the past were caused by cinnamon derivatives. Unlike our herbal toothpaste page with its blend of botanicals and our oral care essential oil page, this page goes into what is specific to cinnamon: species and plant part on the COA, the INCI name of a CO2 extract, the IFRA calculation, why the warming feel is nerve stimulation rather than a benefit, the reports of oral mucosal allergy, and Butter-C's recommendation not to use it for young children or sensitive users. Butter-C offers full-service OEM/ODM manufacturing, from formula development and testing to labeled finished product and notification dossier.
Formula base
Cassia bark oil at flavor level in a toothpaste base
Cinnamon oil is a very small part of the formula; the rest is a familiar toothpaste base with abrasive, humectants, foaming agent, flavor and a challenge-tested preservative system.
Cassia bark oil: read the material correctly
CosIng defines Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Oil as the volatile oil obtained from the bark of Cinnamomum cassia. Materials that are easily confused: Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil (“Cassia Oil”, distilled from leaves and twigs), Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Oil (Ceylon cinnamon, C. verum), and C. loureiroi, sold in trade as “Saigon cinnamon”. The IFRA annex lists cassia bark oil and leaf oil under shared CAS numbers, so the COA must state species, plant part and extraction method.
Material on file: a “low coumarin” CO2 extract
The material Butter-C keeps on file is a low-coumarin CO2 extract of cinnamon bark, declared as Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Oil. By the CosIng definition, “Bark Oil” is a volatile oil, while a bark extract has the INCI name Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract — the INCI name of a CO2 extract must be confirmed with the supplier before the label is printed. “Low coumarin” only means something when each lot's COA states the coumarin and cinnamal figures.
Paste base and foaming agents
Hydrated silica as the abrasive; sorbitol and glycerin as humectants; xanthan gum and cellulose gum for structure — as on our toothpaste page. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate for rich foam; Cocamidopropyl Betaine for a moderate-foam, SLS-free version.
Companion flavor, taste and preservation
Peppermint oil and menthol balance the warm spice; xylitol and sodium saccharin give sugar-free sweetness. Sodium Benzoate in oral care products is limited to 1.7% as benzoic acid (ASEAN Annex VI, Ref 1); the preservative system is challenge-tested per ISO 11930. Cinnamon oil is not a preservative: the preamble of Annex VI notes that many essential oils have antimicrobial properties but “are not included in the ANNEX”. The version described on this page contains no fluoride.
Key technical points
IFRA limits, cumulative sources, warming feel, allergy and regulation
These are the points where a cinnamon toothpaste differs from a standard toothpaste; each is settled with the material COA, a calculation sheet and tests on samples.
IFRA category 6 limits and the calculation
The IFRA standards (voluntary for the fragrance industry, not law) limit the finished product in category 6 — toothpaste, mouthwash — to cinnamal 0.15% and coumarin 0.0024%. Maximum oil (%) = maximum level of the substance ÷ content of the substance in the oil (%) × 100, taking the lower result of the two substances and rounding down. At typical cassia bark oil levels (cinnamal 78.85%, coumarin 2.85%): cinnamal allows 0.19%, coumarin allows 0.08% → maximum 0.08%, with coumarin as the limiting substance. Illustrative example (not a measurement of any lot): a low-coumarin lot with 0.5% coumarin and 78.85% cinnamal on its COA → coumarin allows 0.48%, cinnamal allows 0.19% → maximum 0.19%, now limited by cinnamal. Illustration for a high-coumarin lot: 3.96% coumarin (the top of the 0.80–3.96% range EFSA measured in 8 lots of cassia leaf and twig oil, not bark oil) → about 0.06%. The real figures come from each lot's COA.
Total all sources, and the taste you actually use
Companion flavors (mint, synthetic cinnamon flavor…) may carry cinnamal or coumarin — add them to the calculation from the flavor supplier's declaration; IFRA also restricts 2-methoxycinnamaldehyde, which the flavor supplier must calculate. The level actually used is usually below the limit because of the hot taste and is set on brushing samples; recalculate whenever the oil lot or flavor changes.
Warmth and redness are nerve stimulation
Cinnamaldehyde activates the TRPA1 channel on sensory neurons and produces a burning sensation (Bandell et al., 2004; cell and mouse data). In 10 healthy people, 10% trans-cinnamaldehyde on the forearm raised skin temperature and blood flow and caused a red flare (Olsen et al., 2014; double-blind, crossover) — at concentrations far above flavor levels. “Warming” is therefore only a description of sensation, not a benefit for gums or teeth.
Oral mucosal allergy
A review of toothpaste allergy: reactions usually appear as cheilitis, with or without dermatitis around the mouth; in the past many reactions were caused by cinnamon derivatives (de Groot, 2017). At an oral medicine clinic in Madrid (2013–2022), 6 of 11 gingival reactions to toothpaste were associated with cinnamon, and the lesions disappeared when the toothpaste was stopped (Lopez-Pintor et al., 2024). A retrospective study in Greece recorded 74 cases of contact stomatitis from cinnamon-flavored chewing gum and candy, all resolving within a week of stopping (Kalogirou et al., 2026). The SCCS (2012) places cinnamal and coumarin among fragrance allergens “of special concern”.
Stability and incompatibilities
Cinnamal is an aldehyde that forms Schiff bases with amines (color and odor change); cinnamal “thickens on exposure to air” (PubChem), and according to EFSA the styrene in cassia oil most probably forms from oxidized cinnamaldehyde. Practice (to be validated): pre-mix the oil into the flavor system or solubilizer and add it at the cool-down stage; keep the raw material in full, tightly closed, light-protected containers. Cinnamal mixed with sodium hydroxide can self-heat when left in air (PubChem) — take care with rags and waste in the plant. The safety data sheet for cassia leaf and twig oil in the EFSA dossier lists skin and eye irritation and possible skin allergy → gloves, goggles and ventilation when weighing.
ASEAN, Vietnam and EU export rules
Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Oil, cinnamal and coumarin are not listed in Annexes II, III, VI (version 2026-1) or VII (version 2025-2); Annex III leaves entries 67–92 blank. Annex II Ref 1575 prohibits “Styrene” with no exception for natural essences — EFSA measured 0.06–0.11% styrene in 3 lots of cassia leaf and twig oil, so Butter-C requests styrene data from the supplier and refers it to regulatory review. Annex II Ref 360 limits safrole to “50 ppm in products for dental and oral hygiene”, not present in toothpastes intended specifically for children — the IFRA annex lists no safrole for cassia bark oil; confirm on the COA. Circular 06/2011/TT-BYT allows fragrance to be listed under the generic term for fragrance; when cinnamon is the named ingredient, the label should state the correct INCI name. EU export: list “Cinnamal”, “Coumarin”, “Eugenol” above 0.01% in rinse-off products (Regulation 1223/2009, Annex III entries 76, 77, 71) — at 78.85% cinnamal, about 0.013% oil already requires “Cinnamal”.
Three formulation directions
Three lines of cinnamon toothpaste
Cinnamon – mint on a silica base
Hydrated silica, SLS, cassia bark oil calculated from the COA, mint and menthol to balance; an everyday line, warm first, cool after.
Gently warm, moderate foam, SLS-free
Cocamidopropyl Betaine instead of SLS, cinnamon below the limit, xylitol for sweetness; still not positioned for sensitive users (Butter-C recommendation).
Cinnamon – clove
A deeper warm herbal taste; methyleugenol in finished oral hygiene products must not exceed 0.0002% (Annex II Ref 451, “oral hygiene products”) — the clove oil level is calculated from each lot's COA; cinnamal and coumarin still follow IFRA; for EU export, eugenol is added to the labeling calculation.
Packaging is designed with the formula
Laminate or aluminum tube, screw cap or flip-top cap; the carton tells the cinnamon tree story without citing test-tube or chewing gum data.
Parameters we monitor
What our R&D lab measures on every sample
Below are the parameters Butter-C monitors during formula development and scale-up. Specific limits are agreed with you on the approved sample and then written into the product's in-house specification.
- Incoming oil COA
- Every lot: confirmed INCI name, species, plant part, extraction method, cinnamal, coumarin, styrene, safrole; the limit is recalculated when the lot changes.
- IFRA and cumulative calculation
- Cinnamal ≤ 0.15%, coumarin ≤ 0.0024% in the finished product, totaled across all flavor sources; methyleugenol if clove is used; kept in the PIF.
- pH
- Measured on a diluted slurry by the prescribed method; tracked across stability time points because the preservative system depends on pH.
- Color, taste & odor
- Compared with the reference sample after aging, with and without light; brushing tests for heat, warmth and aftertaste.
- Viscosity, extrusion
- Paste extrudes evenly, sits on the brush, no water separation, no running.
- Stability
- Freeze–thaw cycling, storage at 40°C; watching for water separation, dried tube tips, color change, fading or off-notes in the cinnamon flavor.
- Microbiology & preservative challenge
- Tested at a GLP / ISO 17025-accredited laboratory; preservative efficacy (challenge) test per ISO 11930; the essential oil is not counted as a preservative.
- Heavy metals
- Mineral abrasives are a source to control; cross-checked with certificates of analysis and tested on the finished product.
- Packaging compatibility
- Monitoring flavor absorption into the tube liner, aluminum tube corrosion and cap leakage.
Claims
Claims for a cinnamon-flavored toothpaste
For oral hygiene and care products, Appendix 03-MP of Circular 06/2011/TT-BYT (the ASEAN cosmetic claims guidelines) does not accept claims about preventing tooth abscess, gum disease, gingivitis, mouth ulcers, periodontitis, pus around the teeth, palatitis, misaligned teeth or oral infections, nor whitening tetracycline stains. Test-tube data on bacteria for cinnamon oil and the chewing gum studies are not a basis for claims. Butter-C reviews the wording on the label and promotional materials when preparing the notification dossier.
Warm cinnamon flavor, lightly spicy taste
Instead of: “warms and boosts circulation in the gums”, drug-like claims about gums.
Helps keep breath fresh (for the whole product, with testing)
Instead of: drug-like claims about bad breath, claims to act on bacteria — chewing gum with and without cinnamic aldehyde gave the same result in a 15-person study (Zhu et al., 2011).
Cleans teeth; helps remove plaque during brushing
Instead of: prevents cavities, drug-like claims about plaque, gingivitis or periodontal disease.
Contains cassia bark oil (Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Oil)
Instead of: “naturally preserved with cinnamon”, all-natural, “hypoallergenic”.
Fluoride-free — a statement of composition only
Instead of: prevents cavities, replaces fluoride, remineralizes, restores enamel.
Warnings and intended users
Spit out after brushing, rinse, do not swallow. Stop use if burning, red gums, swollen lips or white or red patches on the cheeks or tongue appear — case reports of reactions to cinnamon in toothpaste and candy exist. People already allergic to cinnamon, cinnamal or fragrance should not use it. Butter-C recommendation (ASEAN texts carry no specific warning): no cinnamon oil in toothpaste for young children or in products for sensitive users. Pregnancy and breastfeeding: data are insufficient, we advise asking a doctor. Persistent symptoms need a dentist or dermatologist. Instead of: suitable for babies, gentle for everyone.
Manufacturing specifications
Available capabilities
- Texture
- White paste, lightly tinted paste or gel on request.
- Pack formats
- Laminate tube, aluminum tube, screw cap or flip-top cap. Fill weight agreed when selecting packaging.
- Minimum order quantity
- Agreed per order and per flavor.
- Testing
- Performed at a GLP / ISO 17025-accredited laboratory; certificate of analysis delivered with every batch.
- Dossier
- Product Information File (PIF) and notification dossier prepared by Butter-C, with the cinnamon oil COA and the IFRA calculation.
- Packaging
- Label design, carton, printing and packing run in parallel with formula development.
Suggested product concept
Fluoride-free cinnamon – mint toothpaste
A product direction to help you picture the idea, not a ready-made product for sale. The actual formula is developed to match your brand's positioning and price range.
Cassia bark oil as the named ingredient
COA stating species, plant part, cinnamal and coumarin; level calculated against the IFRA category 6 limits and set on brushing samples.
Mint to balance
Warm first, cool after; low-dose menthol so the taste is not harsh.
Silica base and xylitol
Hydrated silica for moderate cleaning, xylitol and sorbitol for a sugar-free sweet finish.
100 g tube and carton
The carton tells the cinnamon tree story, carries a stop-use-if-irritated warning and claims reviewed against Appendix 03-MP.
Customization options
Options you can specify
The same product type serves different customer groups for different brands. Tell us your requirements in the areas below and our pharmacists will develop the matching formula.
Fluoride
This page describes a fluoride-free version. When needed, the formula moves to a fluoride toothpaste with the mandatory limits and warnings (see our toothpaste page); “helps prevent cavities” is used only when confirmed by regulatory review; cinnamon stays as the flavor.
Oil source
Steam-distilled oil or a low-coumarin CO2 extract — each has an INCI name to confirm and a limit calculated from its COA.
Warmth level
Gently warm or clearly spicy, always within the IFRA limit of the oil lot.
Companion flavor
Strong mint, gentle mint, clove (methyleugenol calculated), menthol-free — each added flavor needs a cinnamal and coumarin declaration.
Target market
Domestic or EU export (list “Cinnamal”, “Coumarin” above 0.01% in rinse-off products).
Product set
Cinnamon toothpaste paired with a mouthwash in the same flavor family; the IFRA limit is calculated separately for each product.
Further reading
Related knowledge
Cinnamon oil (Cinnamomum cassia) in cosmetics
Cinnamal, coumarin, oral mucosal allergy, IFRA limits and EU labeling (in Vietnamese).
Herbal toothpaste OEM/ODM manufacturing
A blend of several botanicals; this page goes into cinnamon specifically.
Oral care essential oil OEM/ODM manufacturing
Clove, mint and cinnamon oils diluted in a carrier oil.
Toothpaste OEM/ODM manufacturing
The general technical base, fluoride and mandatory warnings.
Circular 06/2011/TT-BYT
Appendix 03-MP: claims not accepted for oral care products (in Vietnamese).
How we work
From idea to finished batch
Eight steps and three milestones signed off by both sides: approved sample, notification number, finished batch. Step-by-step details (in Vietnamese) →
Get started
Tell us about the product you plan to launch
Send us your product direction and expected volume. Our team will get back to you during business hours (Vietnam time, GMT+7).
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