Life, 1910-02-10 · page 36 of 36
Life — February 10, 1910 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Colgate toothpaste advertisement**, not satire or political cartoon. The illustration shows three children at a bathroom sink, depicting the product's selling point: unlike other dental creams, Colgate's Ribbon Dental Cream tastes good ("delicious in flavor"), so children won't resist brushing their teeth—solving a common parental frustration of the era. The ad emphasizes practical benefits: thorough cleaning, antiseptic properties, gum health, and prevention of tooth decay. It explicitly contrasts itself with competitor products by claiming it lacks a bitter "druggy" taste. The text promises a trial tube for 4 cents, typical of early 20th-century direct-mail marketing. This is straightforward product marketing addressing genuine household concerns about children's oral hygiene habits.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Fetcvary 10, 199 COLGATE'S RIBBON DENTAL CREAM One Nursery Problem Solved YOUR children won't have to be urged to brush their teeth with Colgate’s Ribbon Dental Cream. Not only is it delicious in flavor, but it cleanses thoroughly and antiseptically, prevents the growth of decay germs and counteracts the effect of injurious acids in the mouth. Also takes care of your gums— Jit as Colgste's efficiency sa ie bea fi z guard against disease, so its pleasant Havo ead tet tall and eae EG that leaves your mouth cool and wholesome— (are } + proves that a ‘“‘druggy"” taste is nof necessary healthy gums are. Ag Evy) in a dentifrice. ‘ oN wed ANTISEPTIC Ra SS ODeELIcious 42 inches of Cream in Trial Tube sent for 4 Cents. COLGATE & CO., Dept. 32, 55 John Street, New York. Makers of CASHMERE BOUQUET TOILET SOAP comicbooks.com