1506045 Dentifrice compositions PROCTER & GAMBLE CO 19 May 1975 [21 May 1974] 21194/75 Heading A5B [Also in Division C1] A coated abrasive, e.g. for dentifrice compositions consists of a mineral having a Moh hardness of 2 or more and an average particle size of 1-30 microns, coated with from 2 to 25% of its weight of a cationic water-soluble polymer having a cationic charge density of at least 0.003 and a molecular weight of 500 to 1,000,000. The cationic charge density is defined as the number of positive charges per monomer unit divided by the molecular weight of the monomer unit. The mineral may be silica, calcium silicate, silicone carbide, alumina, ilmenite, hematite, zirconium silicate, calcium pyrophosphate, calcium carbonate, tricalcium phosphate dicalcium orthophosphate or an insoluble metaphosphate. Preferaby the polymer contains N and is especially a quaternary ammonium compound, e.g: a polyacryloxyalkyl, polymethacryloxyalkyl, polyacrylamidoalkyl, polyalkenyloxycarbonylalkyl, polyvinyloxyalkyl, polyvinylbenzyl or polydiallyl ammonium salt, a polyvinylpyridinium salt or a polyvinylimidazolium salt, or a polyalkylation quatenary: an example of each of these, and general formulae of suitable polymers, are given. The mineral may be coated by contacting it with an aqueous solution of 'the polymer; in an example sorbitol and glycerine were also present. In a particular aspect the invention also comprises a dentrifice composition comprising 4-95% of a coated abrasive particles as above, and 0.01-5% by weight of a cationic therapeutic, e.g. antibacterial, agent, such as bis - biguanides and their salts (many of which are exemplified) and metal salts (such as halides, nitrates and sulphates of Sn(II), In, Ca, Sr, Sb, Mo, Ti, and Au. The dentifrices may also contain one or more other optional ingredients well known for use in toothpastes and toothpowders. Without limitation these include the following: water: soaps and synthetic detergents, e.g., water - soluble soaps of C 12 -C 18  fatty acids, water-soluble alkyl and alkyl ether sulfates and sulfonates having alkyl groups with 8 to 18 carbon atoms, water-soluble salts of sulfonated monoglycerides of fatty acids having from 10 to 18 carbon atoms, water-soluble salts of sulfated fatty alcohols having from 10 to 18 carbon atoms salts of fatty acid amides of taurines. such as sodium - N - methyl - N - palmitoyl tauride, salts of fatty acid esters of isethionic acid, and substantially saturated aliphatic acyl amides of saturated aliphatic monoamino carboxylic acids having 2 to 6 carbon atoms and in which the acyl radical contains 12 to 16 carbon atoms, such as sodium N - lauroyl sarcoside; flavouring agents; oxygen - releasers, e.g. perborate; buffers, e.g. acetic acid, sweeteners, e.g. saccharin; humectants, preservatives; colouring materials, carriers and softeners, e.g., glycerine, sorbitol, ethyl alcohol, mineral oil, syrup, glycose, invert sugars, glycols and honey; and binders, e.g. gum tragacanth, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, xanthan gum, Irish moss, carragheen, starch, acacia gums, agar - agar, locust bean gum, pectin, polyalkylene glycols polyalkylenes, silica aerogels, and petrolatum.