One of the hobbies I have if ever I could be collecting old stuffs especially whatever related to my work. Personally, my friends consider me classical type of person and I enjoy the stuffs that somehow looks classical and belongs to years ago.
While having a trip in Montreal and enjoying the downtown I came across a shop where you could buy some old stuffs, majority were nostalgic to me, like telephones that instead of button it had the wheel to dial a number. Or adjustable metal skate shoes, or many old placards, etc. wondering around I ask if they have anything related to dentistry. The seller told me that they have an old print of a page from old magazine where there is an advertisement of a tooth brush.
After asking to see it, I decided to buy it and as shown in the attached picture, you could see how they used to advertise for a toothbrush back then. The page belonged to 1940s magazine. I was wondering how this company made money out of such an ad and how many people would attend to their dental health back then. How much this ad page in a magazine have promoted dental and oral health. And what happened to this brand of toothbrush. Imagine yourself living in US where home TVs have not yet been used with the mass and citizens media were radio, books, comics, magazines and newspapers. Back then many didn’t have TV, there were no internet and many of nowadays advertisement platforms.
The fun was to see how technology and advancement in science has changed both health and advertising industries. From simple tooth brushes to nowadays, electric powered toothbrushes, different types of bristles and different designs of toothbrush heads and handles.
Back then dentists were worried about Early Tooth Loss and Overall Oral Health Care, and were more than happy to know people brush their teeth with whatever toothbrush available back then. (though even now the concern remains the same but we can agree the Tooth Decay Index has been reduced much since then).
Just looking at the print I could see and feel those day in regards to Oral and Teeth Health among the people. Therefore, after returning home, I framed it and placed in in my office to share this with my visitors.
“The beauty of old things is that they tell a story.” – Anonymous