Crest Glide is a polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) dental floss manufactured by W. L. Gore and Associates exclusively for Procter & Gamble.
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]
[edit]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 product is now called Crest Glide. The terms of the sale provided that Gore would continue to manufacture and develop the product.[3]
[edit]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]
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