the invention may also comprise further ingredients which are common in the art such as antimicrobial agents e g triclosan chlorhexidine copper zinc and stannous salts such as zinc citrate zinc sulphate zinc glycinate sodium zinc citrate and stannous pyrophosphate sanguinarine extract metronidazole quaternary ammonium compounds such as cetylpyridinium chloride bis guanides such as chlorhexidine digluconate hexetidine octenidine alexidine and halogenated bisphenolic compounds such as 2 2 u2032 methylenebis 4 chloro 6 bromophenol anti caries agents such as sodium and stannous fluoride aminefluorides sodium monofluorophosphate sodium trimeta phosphate and casein plaque buffers such as urea calcium lactate calcium glycerophosphate and strontium polyacrylates desensitising agents e g potassium citrate potassium chloride potassium tartrate potassium bicarbonate potassium oxalate potassium nitrate and strontium salts anti calculus agents e g alkali metal pyrophosphates hypophosphite containing polymers organic phosphonates and phosphocitrates etc pharmaceutically acceptable carriers e g starch sucrose water or water alcohol systems etc surfactants such as anionic nonionic cationic and zwitterionic or amphoteric surfactants particulate abrasive materials such as silicas aluminas calcium carbonates dicalciumphosphates calcium pyrophosphates hydroxyapatites trimetaphosphates insoluble hexametaphosphates and so on including agglomerated particulate abrasive materials usually in amounts between 3 and 60 by weight of the oral care composition binders and thickeners such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose xanthan gum gum arabic etc as well as synthetic polymers such as polyacrylates and carboxyvinyl polymers such as carbopol u00ae polymeric compounds which can enhance the delivery of active ingredients such as antimicrobial agents can also be included examples of such polymers are copolymers of polyvinylmethylether with maleic anhydride and other similar delivery enhancing polymers e g those described in de a 3 942 643 colgate.