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]

See also

• Oral-B

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Thatchenkery, Tojo; Metzker, Carol (2006). Appreciative intelligence: seeing the mighty oak in the acorn. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. p. 18. ISBN 9781576753538. 
2. ^ Ellison, Sarah (September 17, 2003). "P&G Is to Buy Glide Dental Floss, A Popular Brand". The Wall Street Journal. 
3. ^ "Procter & Gamble to buy Glide floss business.". Reuters. September 17, 2003. 
4. ^ Lazich, Robert S. (2007). Market Share Reporter 2007: An Annual Compilation of Reported Market Share Data on Companies, Products, and Services. Gale Group. pp. 309. ISBN 9780787694623. http://books.google.com/books?id=5IkYAAAAIAAJ&q=%22Crest+Glide%22&dq=%22Crest+Glide%22&cd=10. Retrieved 20 February 2010. 
5. ^ Vasil, Adria (1 September 2005). "All things dental Brush, gargle and floss your way to a naturally clean smile". Now (magazine). http://www.nowtoronto.com/lifestyle/ecoholic.cfm?content=149058&archive=24,52,2005. Retrieved 20 February 2010. 
6. ^ Vasial, Adria (2009). Ecoholic: Your Guide to the Most Environmentally Friendly Information, Products, and Services. New York: Norton. pp. 21–22. ISBN 9780393334289. http://books.google.com/books?id=a_u_CZAOtOwC&pg=PA21. 

External links

Official website