Oral Care Products: Overloading the Market and Your Mouth

The oral healthcare marketplace has grown exponentially in recent years. Whether it’s a whitening "booster" gel or a nightly brightening paste, companies are unleashing new and innovative products faster than ever to differentiate themselves from competitors.

But does innovation mean success?

A recent Ad Track article from USA Today – which provides the latest in news and stories from the advertising community – accentuates a few of the oral healthcare market’s newest "celebrities" including Crest Weekly Clean from Proctor & Gamble. This "intensive cleaning paste" targets individuals who want that "just-from-the-dentist, smooth, clean feeling" and is one of many oral health products trying to expand consumers’ oral care routines.

Other products include rinses that brighten teeth from Scope and Listerine, add-ons to regular toothpaste from Arm & Hammer and whitening pastes from Colgate.

These companies have been trying to stand out in the oral healthcare marketplace for years. Pinpointing this trend, Schneider Associates’ 2002 Most Memorable New Product Launch (MMNPL) Survey identified the exponential growth of America’s obsession with white teeth. Over the past six years, the MMNPL Survey has featured at least one innovative oral care product (with the exception of 2005 when Coke and Apple dominated the list). From Colgate’s Simply White to Crest’s Night Effects, from Listerine’s Quick Dissolving Whitening Strips to Crest’s Whitestrips Renewal, innovative oral care products try to cross the chasm and stand apart from their competitors.

According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), tooth whitening is the most requested cosmetic dental procedure by patients of all ages. The AACD’s national survey has even illustrated that 74% of adults feel an unattractive smile can hurt a person’s chances for career success . No wonder marketers are trying to capture this market!

But dentists often warn these products – no matter how glamorous and innovative they seem – are not a quick fix or an overnight miracle. Misuse or overuse of whitening gel or rinse products can actually harm teeth. It all seems to go back to the saying: "Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing"--for you—and your teeth.

So how do you feel about the increasing pressure to use whitening products? Are they useful and an important part of your lifestyle? Will the proliferation of products confuse consumers? Are the good ol’ days of simple brushing and flossing long gone?

Comments

[Bill Warner]

One clever product I found is a Gripit Floss Holder. It comes with floss and can be refilled with any floss from drug or grocery stores. You can see a Gripit in action at www.gripit.biz.

[dentist in southern california]

I most certainly enjoyed reading this post.It was very informative.

-heather-

[Simon]

Although teeth whitening products can be helpful, they'll never replace good oral hygiene.

[dentist in southern california]

Hi! I'm back.. its been a months since i viewed your site, oral health care products are available any were, But it is important to know the products that we buy if it is safe to use and what are the side effects of it. Thanks

-heather-

[cptan]

Nice and useful information for me. Thanks for sharing and keep posting

[Without Prescription]

Thanks to companies like Procter and Gamble,Scope, Colgate and others, today we have more products to our oral hygiene which I think is really important for consumers because it is essential to health matters