Life, 1910-09-29 · page 40 of 40
Life — September 29, 1910 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **product advertisement**, not satire. The page promotes Colgate's Ribbon Dental Cream by invoking health authority and social progress themes relevant to 1919. The top photograph shows what appears to be a **military or naval ceremony** with uniformed figures and white markers (possibly graves), lending gravitas to the endorsement by "Dr. Richard Grady, the Dentist of the Annapolis Naval Academy." The ad's central pitch is that dental hygiene is a modern scientific necessity, comparing toothbrushing to gymnastics. A key selling point targets parents: "YOUR CHILDREN HAVE WHAT YOU LACKED"—positioning good dental care as educational progress the younger generation enjoys. The appeal combines **patriotic authority** (naval academy dentist), **scientific claims** (germicidal, antiseptic properties), and **generational advancement** to market the product as both health-essential and socially progressive for early 20th-century consumers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Guard well | your teeth for they are guar- dians of your health if} ‘ooth- -brush drill Is as needful as any gymnastic exercise for the preservation of health,” says Dr. Richard Grady, the Dentist of the Annapolis Naval Academy. Sound teeth and healthy gums are an admitted safeguard against disease. The regular use of COLGATE'S RIBBOW DENTAL CREAM will not only improve your appearance but also your health. Cleans—Preserves—Polishes Deliciously and Antiseptically Colgate’s is different from other dentifrices because of its double efficiency. It is not only germicidal —destroying the decay-germs, but it has also exceptionally lasting antiseptic qualities, keeping the mouth in that sweet, clean, non-acid condition that counteracts germ-growth. YOUR CHILDREN HAVE WHAT YOU LACKED Schools all over the country are giving attention to Dental Hygiene, and educators realize that a good dentifrice of pleasant taste is necessary t> enlist the co-operation of the children in the regular care of the teeth. You, too, should join the movement for good teeth—good health. 42 inches of cream in trial tube sent for 4 cents COLGATE & CO. Est. 1806. Dept. 32, 55 John St. New York Canadian Dept., Coristine Bldg., Montreal. Makers of Cashmere Bouquet Soap. comicbooks.com