Stabilized toothpastes containing an enzyme

A toothpaste formulation consisting essentially of about 0.2 to 10 percent by weight of a gelling agent and about 20 to 75 percent by weight of liquid vehicle proportioned to form a creamy mass, about 0.05 to 5 percent by weight of a water-soluble organic detergent, about 20 to 75 percent by weight of a dentally acceptable substantially water-insoluble polishing agent, at least about 0.05 percent by weight of the neutral protease of Bacillus subtilis and a stabilizer for retention of protease activity consisting essentially of about 0.1 to 0.5 percent by weight of a protein having an average molecular weight ranging from about 10,000 up to about 300,000 selected from the group consisting of partially hydrolyzed edible proteins and edible proteins.