Abstract: A desensitizing anti-tartar dentifrice of low stringiness upon extrusion from a tube or other container onto a toothbrush is provided which also retains desirable cream or gel consistency without becoming thick and difficult to extrude and retains phase integrity without substantial separation, which contains polyphosphate or phosphono compound anti-tartar agent and potassium salt tooth pain inhibitor and in which the gelling agent is a mixture of alkali metal carboxymethyl cellulose, (CMC) and xanthan, wherein the CMC contains about 1.0 to 1.5 carboxymethyl groups per anhydroglycose unit.