Crest was introduced in the United States as "Fluoristan" in 1954, as it contained stannous fluoride. In 1955, the name of the product was changed to "Crest with Fluoristan."[3][4][5] The composition of the toothpaste had been developed by Joseph C. Muhler, Harry Day, and William H. Nebergall at Indiana University, and was patented by Nebergall. Procter & Gamble paid royalties from use of the patent and thus financed a new dental research institute at this university ("The House that Crest built").[6][7] The active ingredient of Crest was changed in 1981 to sodium fluoride, or "Fluoristat," which it uses today as "Dentifrice with Fluoristat"; Crest Pro-Health uses stannous fluoride again and an abrasive whitener together called "Polyfluorite." Crest is accepted by the American Dental Association (ADA),[8][9] as well as by equivalent dental associations in other countries.
One notable ad campaign from the brand was in the late 1970s and early 1980s, written and produced by Gregory Sinnott and designed by comic book artist Herb Trimpe, where animated ads featured the "Cavity Creeps," a group of grey-colored, rocky humanoid creatures bent on destroying the city of "Toothopolis" (essentially an island city protected by an enormous wall of teeth), with their signature battle cry "We make holes in teeth!" They were defeated time and again by the "Crest Team," a group of people dressed in Crest-themed jumpsuits, who wielded giant toothbrushes and tubes of Crest to not only ward off the Cavity Creeps, but to protect the wall as well. The team would encourage children at the end of each commercial to "watch treats and see your dentist" so they could fight cavities "like the Crest Team."[10]
From 2004 to 2010, Crest sold dental floss under the Crest Glide brand, which is now called Oral-B Glide. After Procter & Gamble bought Gillette (which owned Oral-B), marketing for both was done together under “Pro-Health”.[11]
Crest Toothpaste has a total of eight product lines:[14]
Gum Health
3D White
Kid's Crest
Pro-Health
Sensitivity
Enamel
Clean + Fresh
Future-Proof
Crest Pro-Health mouthwash side effects
Tooth staining
Crest Pro-Health mouthwash contains cetylpyridinium chloride which is known to cause tooth staining in approximately 3 percent of users.[15] Crest has noted that this staining is actually an indication that the product is working as intended, as the stains are a result of bacteria dying on the teeth.[16] Crest stated that because of the low incidence of staining, there was no need to label Pro-Health mouthwash as a potential tooth stainer.[17] However, after numerous complaints[18] and a federal class-action lawsuit,[19] which was later dismissed,[20] the mouthwash now contains a label warning consumers of its potential to stain teeth.[21]
Reducing premature birth
The use of Crest Pro-Health mouthwash during pregnancy has been shown to be associated with a decrease in preterm births, presumably because the mouthwash reduces the severity of periodontal disease, which is directly linked to preterm births.[22][23]
Timeline
1955, Crest with Fluoristan was launched in a number of test markets in the United States.[24]
In January 1956, Crest was launched nationally.[24]
In 1976, the American Chemical Society named Crest with fluoride one of the greatest discoveries in the past 100 years.[25]
↑ "Does Crest Pro-Health Rinse stain teeth brown?". Crest. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2016. Tooth discoloration could actually be one indication, in some people, that the product is working: after the rinse kills germs in your mouth, the dead germs can collect on the tooth surface and create the appearance of a brown stain.
↑ Sewell, Dan (May 7, 2008). "P&G's Pro-Health rinse draws complaints". WTVD-TV. Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016. Brinker said P&G doesn't see a need for a warning label because the number of those affected is very small.
↑ "Crest rinse fights off customer complaints". USA Today. May 7, 2008. But NBC's Today show reported Wednesday that the complaints have led to a consumer lawsuit alleging fraud and to further study by the Food and Drug Administration, which approved the product.
↑ White, Ed (August 6, 2009). "Mich. lawyer sues, claims mouthwash stained teeth". San Diego Union-Tribute. Associated Press. Archived from the original on August 6, 2016. Rossman's lawsuit seeks class-action status. It accuses P&G of violating the Michigan Consumer Protection Act by not putting a warning on the label.
↑ "Mouthwash staining lawsuit dismissed". DrBicuspid.com. July 26, 2010. Archived from the original on June 23, 2016. A U.S. District Court judge has dismissed a proposed class-action lawsuit filed against Procter and Gamble charging that the company's Crest Pro-Health mouthwash causes staining and browning of teeth
↑ Wintonyk, Darcy; Steele, Lynda (October 12, 2012). "Consumers spitting mad after mouthwash turns teeth brown". CTV British Columbia. Archived from the original on June 6, 2016. The product does have a small print warning on the back label that reads: 'In some cases, antimicrobial rinses may cause surface staining to teeth,' but consumers have complained the warning label is buried in the product information.
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