Several innovative designs have been developed[1] [2][3][4] depending on the flow properties of the toothpaste.
[5] One involves a rigid toothpaste pump made of a hard plastic and functions by pressing a knob on top rather than squeezing the tube.
[6] Henkel were the first to sell their toothpaste in a pump in West Germany, and it was marketed in the United States beginning in 1984.
A toothpaste pump was first marketed by Marks & Spencer in the United Kingdom in 1982.
[6] Unilever and Colgate began marketing their toothpaste pumps soon after.