If you’ve ever squeezed the last bit of toothpaste from the tube and noticed the small colored rectangles — green, blue, red, or black — printed along the crimped end, you’ve probably wondered:
You’re not alone.
For years, a popular internet myth has circulated, claiming these little squares are a secret code that reveals the truth about what’s inside your toothpaste:
Green = all-natural ingredients
Red = mostly natural, with some chemicals
Blue = natural with medicine
Black = 100% chemical
Sounds like a clever insider tip, right?
There’s no secret ingredient decoder on your toothpaste tube.
No color-coded manifesto about chemicals vs. nature.
The Real Purpose: Printer’s Marks, Not Ingredient Codes
Those little colored boxes are called printer’s color blocks — also known as registration marks.
They’re used during the manufacturing and printing process to ensure the packaging is printed correctly.
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