Oral-B Glide
Oral-B Glide is a polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) dental floss manufactured by W. L. Gore and Associates exclusively for Procter & Gamble.
History
Origin
The origin of Glide (which is what the brand was called prior to the P&G acquisition) dates to 1971, when Bill Gore first used a Gore-Tex fiber to floss his own teeth;[1] Gore-Tex was the PTFE-based fiber he had invented as a "waterproof laminate." The company failed to market the product for more than three decades. Ultimately, it succeeded by marketing to dentists rather than selling the floss as a consumer product. It was widely adopted, and grew to be the #1 brand of floss in dental office use, and #2 floss in retail.[1]
Sale to Procter & Gamble
In September 2003, Gore sold the brand to Procter & Gamble, who at the time announced its intention to brand the product under the Crest product line.[2] The terms of the sale provided that Gore would continue to manufacture and develop the product.[3] In 2010, Procter & Gamble rebranded the product as Oral-B Glide.
Popularity and sales
In 2006, Crest Glide was the second-ranked brand of dental floss in the United States, with sales (in supermarkets and drug stores) of $22 million and a market share of 18.8%, just behind J&J Reach.[4] Environmentalists have recommended non-PTFE brands, discouraging the use of the environmentally unfriendly Teflon,[5] and given the use of Perfluorooctanoic acid, a possible carcinogen, in the making of Teflon.[6]
Safety
Oral-B Glide uses PTFE, which is an extremely persistent environmental contaminant and is linked to cancers, hormone disruption, brain and liver problems, and low birth weights.
See also
References
- 1 2 Thatchenkery, Tojo; Metzker, Carol (2006). Appreciative intelligence: seeing the mighty oak in the acorn. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. p. 18. ISBN 978-1-57675-353-8.
- ↑ Ellison, Sarah (September 17, 2003). "P&G Is to Buy Glide Dental Floss, A Popular Brand". The Wall Street Journal.
- ↑ "Procter & Gamble to buy Glide floss business". Reuters. September 17, 2003.
- ↑ Lazich, Robert S. (2007). Market Share Reporter 2007: An Annual Compilation of Reported Market Share Data on Companies, Products, and Services. Gale Group. p. 309. ISBN 978-0-7876-9462-3. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
- ↑ Vasil, Adria (September 1, 2005). "All things dental Brush, gargle and floss your way to a naturally clean smile". Now (Toronto). Retrieved 20 February 2010.
- ↑ Vasial, Adria (2009). Ecoholic: Your Guide to the Most Environmentally Friendly Information, Products, and Services. New York: Norton. pp. 21–22. ISBN 978-0-393-33428-9.