I don't know of any scholarly publications on tooth paste tubes.  I've had
success in contacting the manufacturers of the products to receive historic
information.  Many manufacturers have historians on staff or amateur
historians working for them.  You might have to spend some time on the phone
with directory assistance but I think it's worth a try.
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Gary G. Robinson, Senior Staff Archaeologist
Commonwealth Cultural Resources Group, Inc.
2530 Spring Arbor Road
Jackson, Michigan  49203-3696
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Phone: (517) 788-3973  Fax: (517) 788-6594  Email: [log in to unmask]
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"The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there".
 - L. P. Hartley in _The Go-Between_.
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