DENTIFRICE NON IRRITANT

A dentifrice composition containing an anionic surfactant, and a minor amount of a water soluble positively charged protein hydrolysate having an isoionic point above 7, and a Bloom gel value of zero, selected from the group consisting of a protein hydrolysate fraction containing high concentrations of basic amino acids or a quaternary derivative of a protein hydrolysate, which counters the irritation to the oral tissue and reduces the bitterness caused by said anionic surfactant, without reducing its foaming and cleansing properties. The present invention relates to novel oral compositions which are substantially non-irritating to the oral tissue, comprising an anionic surfactant and a positively charged water soluble protein hydrolysate fraction containing a high concentration of basic amino acids or a quaternary derivative of a protein hydrolysate. The protein hydrolysate fraction is obtained by extraction from a partially hydrolyzed protein mixture by means of ion exchange separation with an anion exchange resin. The quaternary derivative is obtained by quaternizing a protein hydrolysate mixture by chemically modifying the available terminal amino groups of the protein.