Crest (toothpaste)

Last updated
Crest
Crest logo.svg
Product type Toothpaste
Owner Procter & Gamble
Country United States
Introduced1955;68 years ago (1955)
MarketsWorldwide
Website www.crest.com

Crest is an American brand of toothpaste and other oral hygiene products made by American multinational Procter & Gamble (P&G) and sold worldwide. In many countries in Europe, such as Germany, Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Poland, Hungary, Latvia, Romania, Estonia and Lithuania, it is sold as Blend-A-Med, the name of an established German toothpaste acquired by P&G in 1987 (formerly Blendax GmbH). [1] In France, Italy, Israel, Sweden, Finland, Argentina, Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Australia, Nigeria, Greece, Uruguay and Colombia, P&G markets similar toothpaste formulations under the Oral-B brand. [2]

Contents

History

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 kids at the end of each commercial to "watch treats and see your dentist" so they could fight cavities "like the Crest Team". From 2004 to 2010, Crest sold dental floss under the Crest Glide brand, which is now called Oral-B Glide. The original logo for Crest was designed by Donald Deskey. In 2014, Crest Fresh and White were introduced as a replacement for the discontinued Gleem brand.[ citation needed ]

Manufacturing plants

Crest products are made in North America according to Procter & Gamble. [10] Their main manufacturing plant is located in Greensboro, NC. A few products are manufactured in Guanajuato, Mexico. [11]

Product line

Crest has also been associated with about twenty brands of dental care products, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, dental floss, and a tooth-whitening product called Crest Whitestrips.

Crest Toothpaste has a total of eight product lines: [12]

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. [13] 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. [14] Crest stated that because of the low incidence of staining, there was no need to label Pro-Health mouthwash as a potential tooth stainer. [15] However, after numerous complaints [16] and a federal class-action lawsuit, [17] which was later dismissed, [18] the mouthwash now contains a label warning consumers of its potential to stain teeth. [19]

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. [20] [21]

Timeline

See also

Related Research Articles

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Mouthwash, mouth rinse, oral rinse, or mouth bath is a liquid which is held in the mouth passively or swirled around the mouth by contraction of the perioral muscles and/or movement of the head, and may be gargled, where the head is tilted back and the liquid bubbled at the back of the mouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Listerine</span> Brand of mouthwash

Listerine is an American brand of antiseptic mouthwash that is promoted with the slogan "Kills germs that cause bad breath". Named after Joseph Lister, who pioneered antiseptic surgery at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary in Scotland, Listerine was developed in 1879 by Joseph Lawrence, a chemist in St. Louis, Missouri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toothpaste</span> Substance to clean and maintain teeth

Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used with a toothbrush to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it is an abrasive that aids in removing dental plaque and food from the teeth, assists in suppressing halitosis, and delivers active ingredients to help prevent tooth decay and gum disease (gingivitis). Owing to differences in composition and fluoride content, not all toothpastes are equally effective in maintaining oral health. The decline of tooth decay during the 20th century has been attributed to the introduction and regular use of fluoride-containing toothpastes worldwide. Large amounts of swallowed toothpaste can be poisonous. Common colors for toothpaste include white and blue.

Crest Whitestrips is a line of tooth whitening products made by Procter & Gamble.

Tooth whitening or tooth bleaching is the process of lightening the color of human teeth. Whitening is often desirable when teeth become yellowed over time for a number of reasons, and can be achieved by changing the intrinsic or extrinsic color of the tooth enamel. The chemical degradation of the chromogens within or on the tooth is termed as bleaching.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fluoride therapy</span> Medical use of fluoride

Fluoride therapy is the use of fluoride for medical purposes. Fluoride supplements are recommended to prevent tooth decay in children older than six months in areas where the drinking water is low in fluoride. It is typically used as a liquid, pill, or paste by mouth. Fluoride has also been used to treat a number of bone diseases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sodium monofluorophosphate</span> Chemical compound

Sodium monofluorophosphate, commonly abbreviated SMFP, is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Na2PO3F. Typical for a salt, MFP is odourless, colourless, and water-soluble. This salt is an ingredient in some toothpastes.

Gleem is an American brand of oral hygiene products, including toothpastes and electric toothbrushes, owned by the Procter & Gamble. It was introduced as a toothpaste in the United States in 1952 and discontinued in 2014. Procter & Gamble later revived Gleem toothpaste as a flavor variant of Crest toothpaste. In 2019, Procter & Gamble expanded the brand to include a line of electric toothbrushes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cetylpyridinium chloride</span> Chemical compound

Cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) is a cationic quaternary ammonium compound used in some types of mouthwashes, toothpastes, lozenges, throat sprays, breath sprays, and nasal sprays. It is an antiseptic that kills bacteria and other microorganisms. It has been shown to be effective in preventing dental plaque and reducing gingivitis. It has also been used as an ingredient in certain pesticides. Though one study seems to indicate cetylpyridinium chloride does not cause brown tooth stains, at least one mouthwash containing CPC as an active ingredient bears the warning label "In some cases, antimicrobial rinses may cause surface staining to teeth," following a failed class-action lawsuit brought by customers whose teeth were stained.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tin(II) fluoride</span> Chemical compound

Tin(II) fluoride, commonly referred to commercially as stannous fluoride (from Latin stannum, 'tin'), is a chemical compound with the formula SnF2. It is a colourless solid used as an ingredient in toothpastes.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tooth brushing</span> Act of scrubbing teeth with a toothbrush

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oral hygiene</span> Cleaning the mouth by brushing the teeth and cleaning in between the teeth.

Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping one's oral cavity clean and free of disease and other problems by regular brushing of the teeth and adopting good hygiene habits. It is important that oral hygiene be carried out on a regular basis to enable prevention of dental disease and bad breath. The most common types of dental disease are tooth decay and gum diseases, including gingivitis, and periodontitis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remineralisation of teeth</span>

Tooth remineralization is the natural repair process for non-cavitated tooth lesions, in which calcium, phosphate and sometimes fluoride ions are deposited into crystal voids in demineralised enamel. Remineralization can contribute towards restoring strength and function within tooth structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oral-B</span> American brand of oral hygiene products

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tooth discoloration</span> Medical condition

Tooth discoloration is abnormal tooth color, hue or translucency. External discoloration is accumulation of stains on the tooth surface. Internal discoloration is due to absorption of pigment particles into tooth structure. Sometimes there are several different co-existent factors responsible for discoloration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph C. Muhler</span> American biochemist and dentist

Joseph Charles Muhler was an American biochemist and dentist who was responsible for the development of Crest Toothpaste.

Topical fluorides are fluoride-containing drugs indicated in prevention and treatment of dental caries, particularly in children's primary dentitions. The dental-protecting property of topical fluoride can be attributed to multiple mechanisms of action, including the promotion of remineralization of decalcified enamel, the inhibition of the cariogenic microbial metabolism in dental plaque and the increase of tooth resistance to acid dissolution. Topical fluoride is available in a variety of dose forms, for example, toothpaste, mouth rinses, varnish and silver diamine solution. These dosage forms possess different absorption mechanisms and consist of different active ingredients. Common active ingredients include sodium fluoride, stannous fluoride, silver diamine fluoride. These ingredients account for different pharmacokinetic profiles, thereby having varied dosing regimes and therapeutic effects. A minority of individuals may experience certain adverse effects, including dermatological irritation, hypersensitivity reactions, neurotoxicity and dental fluorosis. In severe cases, fluoride overdose may lead to acute toxicity. While topical fluoride is effective in preventing dental caries, it should be used with caution in specific situations to avoid undesired side effects.

References

  1. ↑ McKay, Robert (June 1988). "Mr. Smale's White Coats". Cincinnati Magazine. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
  2. ↑ "Fact Sheet Oral-B Pro Expert" (PDF). Procter & Gamble. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Worlds Most Favorite Personal Care Brands". linkz2fun.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07.
  4. ↑ "Pointing the way to better oral health" (PDF). American Dental Association. Retrieved 2019-06-03.
  5. ↑ P&G - Crest Toothpaste - The Fell Family - Vintage Commercial - 1950's. February 8, 2013. Archived from the original on 2021-12-22 – via YouTube.
  6. ↑ Harry G. Day: Development of Chemistry at Indiana University in Bloomington 1829–1991, Bloomington 1992, pp. 355, 463–71
  7. ↑ Indiana University homepage Archived February 18, 2009, at the Wayback Machine Accessed January 31, 2009
  8. ↑ "ADA Seal Product Report" . Retrieved 2014-03-02.
  9. ↑ Dyer, Davis; et al. (May 1, 2004). Rising Tide: Lessons from 165 Years of Brand Building at Procter and Gamble . Harvard Business Press. p.  280 . Retrieved 2013-05-07. william a procter president.
  10. ↑ "Crest Toothpaste Safe" (Press release). Procter & Gamble. Archived from the original on 2018-01-31. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  11. ↑ "Mexico Plant - Guanajuato, Mexico". Open Sourcemap. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  12. ↑ "Crest Toothpaste Collection". crest.com. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  13. ↑ Fasig, Lisa Biank (2007-04-09). "P&G hopes rinse effect won't wash away sales". Cincinnati Business Courier. The company's Crest Pro-Health Rinse, launched with much promise in April 2005, is discoloring the teeth of about 3 percent of its users, the company said because it is doing its job.
  14. ↑ "Does Crest Pro-Health Rinse stain teeth brown?". Crest. Archived from the original on 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2016-06-06. 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.
  15. ↑ 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.
  16. ↑ "Crest rinse fights off customer complaints". USA Today . 2008-05-07. 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.
  17. ↑ 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.
  18. ↑ "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
  19. ↑ 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.
  20. ↑ Grens, Kerry (2011-07-28). "Mouthwashing moms less likely to have a preemie". Reuters. Pregnant women with gum disease, also called periodontal disease, are known to have more preemies than women with healthy gums.
  21. ↑ Jeffcoat, Marjorie; Parry, Samuel; Gerlach, Robert W.; Doyle, Matthew J. (October 2011). "Use of alcohol-free antimicrobial mouth rinse is associated with decreased incidence of preterm birth in a high-risk population". American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology . 205 (4): 382.e1–382.e6. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2011.07.016. PMID   22083060.
  22. 1 2 3 "History". Procter & Gamble. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  23. ↑ Smith, Stephen P. (2003). America's greatest brands. Vol. 2. American Brands Council. p. 46. ISBN   9780970686015 . Retrieved 2016-05-18.
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