Use of benzyl alcohol as a defoaming agent and an antimicrobial agent in an oral care composition including a surfactant. Also described is a method of manufacturing an oral care composition including forming an oral care base composition, subsequently combining the oral care base composition with a defoaming agent and at least one surfactant to form the oral care composition and defoaming the oral care composition. The surfactant is combined with the oral care base composition no later than the defoaming agent. The defoaming agent is benzyl alcohol.
