China Releases Draft Toothpaste Classification Catalogs

1) Toothpaste should be encoded based on efficacy categories and target users. 2) Toothpaste enterprises shall fill in the product classification code when applying for toothpaste notification in China.

On December 1, 2025, China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) released the draft Toothpaste Classification Catalogs for public consultation. ¹ The draft introduces a standardized coding system for toothpaste products based on their efficacy categories and intended user groups. Any suggestions can be sent to [email protected] before December 22, 2025.

Toothpaste Classification Coding Rules

According to the draft, toothpaste notifiers will be required to fill in the product classification code when applying for toothpaste notification. This code is generated by selecting corresponding serial numbers from two lists: efficacy categories and target users. Products with multiple efficacies or intended for different user groups can select multiple codes accordingly.

Layers	Codes
1^st Layer: Efficacy Categories	01	Basic cleaning
	02	Caries prevention
	03	Plaque inhibition
	04	Anti-dentin hypersensitivity
	05	Alleviating gum problems
	06	Stain removal and whitening
	07	Anti-calculus
	08	Alleviating bad breath
2^nd Layer: Target Users	01	Children aged 12 and above (products not labeled as "children's toothpaste")
2^nd Layer: Target Users	02	Children aged 12 and under, including 12 years old (products labeled as "children's toothpaste")

Overview of the Eight Efficacy Categories

The draft outlines eight specific efficacy categories for toothpaste and standardizes the associated claims. Claims for the first five categories (Basic Cleaning to Alleviating Gum Problems) must not deviate from the specified wording. For the remaining three categories, the provided terms are examples, and companies can add or adjust wording based on them.