Life, 1921-10-06 · page 25 of 33
Life — October 6, 1921 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not satire or a political cartoon**, but a straightforward early 20th-century toothpaste advertisement. The illustration shows a man examining his teeth in a mirror—a simple visual demonstrating the product's promised results. The ad promotes Pepsodent as a scientifically revolutionary "film combatant" (targeting plaque/tartar buildup). It claims five benefits: increased saliva flow, starch digestion, alkalinity to prevent decay, film removal, and polish. The marketing emphasizes that "millions now employ it" and that "leading dentists" endorse it—appeals to authority and popularity common in vintage advertising. The coupon offers a free 10-day trial, a direct-mail marketing tactic. The language uses pseudo-scientific explanations (discussing germs, acid, fermentation) to position Pepsodent as modern and evidence-based compared to "old ways" of tooth cleaning. This reflects early 1900s advertising's shift toward scientific claims and consumer testing to build trust in commercial products.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
These Five Effects Twice Daily Each use of Pepsodent brings these five desired effects: 1—A multiplied salivary flow. 2—Multiplied starch digestant in the saliva, to digest starch deposits that cling. 3—Multiplied alkalinity of the sa- liva, to neutralize the acids which cause tooth decay. 4—Attacks on film in two efficient ways. 5—High polish, so film cannot easi- ly adhere. ee the Change When you brush teeth in this way This offers you a ten-day test of a new, scientific teeth-cleaner. Millions now employ it. Lead- ing dentists everywhere advise it. High authorities see in it a new dental era. We urge you to see what it means to you and yours. Watch the film See what it does for film, the great tooth destroyer. Film is that viscous coat you feel. It clings to teeth, gets between the tecth and stays. If not removed, it may do ceaseless damage. Most & ith troubles are now traced to Im. *ilm absorbs stains, making the teeth look dingy. It is the basis of tartar. It holds food suostance which ferments and forms acid. It holds the acid in contact with the teeth to cause decay. Millions of germs breed in it. They, with tartar, are the chief cause of pyorrhea. See it disappear Old methods of teeth cleaning do not end film. So dental science has for years been seek- ing an efficient film combatant. It has been found, and the methods are embodied in a denti- frice called Pepsodent. Many careful tests have proved it, and the use is now fast spreading the world over. Watch the effects. Note how clean the teeth feel after using. Mark the absence of the viscous film. See how teeth whiten as the film-coat disappears. It will be a revelation. The other effects The saliva is Nature’s great tooth-protecting agent. Pepso- dent multiplies its flow. It multi- Pepsaodént REG.U.S. The New-Day Dentifrice A scientific film combatant which brings five desired effects. Ap- Proved by authorities, and now advised by leading dentists every- where. Supplied by all druggists in large tubes. 23 plies the starch digestant in the saliva, to digest the starch de- posits which may otherwise fer- ment and form acid. It multiplies the alkalinity of the saliva, to neutralize the acids which cause tooth decay. Then it polishes teeth so highly that film cannot easily adhere. All these effects—natural and essential—come with every ap- plication. And they mean such tooth protection as the old ways never brought. See for yourself. Then read in our book the reason for each new effect. Old ways have proved inade- quate. Tooth troubles have been constantly increasing, until very few escape. And film-coated teeth don’t shine. See what the new way does. Cut out the coupon now. 531 10-Day Tube F: ree THE PEPSODENT COMPANY Dept. 204, 1104 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, Ill. Mail 10-day tube of Pepsodent to Name, .......0ccecccecccescerceececeeecees . Address. ..... ONLY ONE TUBE TO A FA\ comicbooks.com