Life, 1925-10-22 · page 74 of 74
Life — October 22, 1925 — page 74: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **Colgate's toothpaste advertisement**, not satire. The page promotes preventive dentistry to a modern American audience circa early 20th century. The two illustrated vignettes on the right show social consequences of poor teeth: a woman too self-conscious about her appearance to dance, and a dental clinic examining children. These aren't satirical but cautionary—emphasizing that tooth decay damages both health and social standing. The text quotes preventive dentistry as an emerging medical movement, citing an experiment where bacteria from decayed teeth caused rheumatism in rabbits. This reflects genuine early-20th-century medical beliefs linking oral health to systemic disease. The core message: good teeth ensure "Good Health—Good Times." Colgate's positions itself as scientifically endorsed by modern dentists, safe, and affordable at 25 cents. The ad conflates dental care with personal success and social acceptance—a standard advertising strategy that remains familiar today.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Use Colgate’s— It removes causes of tooth decay Good Teeth—Good Health—Good Times pe who care how they look are concerned first of all with their teeth~ for the mouth is the front door of personality. Not only are good teeth important to beauty; they are essential to health, to happiness, and sometimes even to life itself. Because good teeth and good health are so closely related, modern dentists are urging preventive den- tistry. Its aim is to combat disease by preventing tooth troubles to fighttooth decay before it starts. Use Cole: Colgate’s Ribbon Dental Cream always has been in the forefront of @ Free—Generous trial tube 5 COLGATE & CO.. Dest. $73 SSI Fifth Ave. York City Please send me, free, a trial tube of Rikbon Dental Cream, Nome Address CETH ye RIGHT way Every Meal this scientific move for better teeth and health. Colgate’s is Safe and Effective Colgate’s is a modern dentifrice— widely recommended by modern dentists. It “washes” your teeth thoroughly clean-does not scratch or scour them. The combined action of its soap and chalk gently re- moves clinging food parti- cles. Causes of tooth decay thus are safely and effec- tively removed by Colgate’s. It is safe to use for a lifetime. Tastes Good—Does Good Take good care of your teeth and they will take good care of you. Brush them after each meal. No matter what kind of tooth brush you like, use Colgate’s with it. The taste of Colgate’s is pleasant. _ It is made sen- sibly, advertised sensibly, and sold ata sensible price, 25c for a large size tube. Consult your dentist twice a year. It pays. COLGATE & CO. Established 1806 Too tired to It really doesn’t seem possible, does it, that happiness can de- pend on the teeth? But ask your dentist or your physi- cian. You will learn that not only happiness but often health and good looks are lost when teeth start to decay. Here is a scientificexperi- ment, told recently by John Amid in Collier's Weekly, that speaks volumes. “In the interests of science a bit of the streptococcus culture from one of the ex- tracted teeth (from a human ¢ from rheumatism ected into the blood of bit. Three weeks and hit is hopelessly de- Preventive dentistry is sweep- ing the United States. Today it is fully recognized that tooth decay is a menace to the nation’s health. In schools where preventive oral hygiene has been intro- duced, children have shown striking advance in health and mental vigor, and in- creased immunity to disease. Conditions are improving but much must yet be done. Fight tooth decay before it starts. Give yourself a chance. Here is a photograph taken in the Dental Clinic of the Heckscher Foundation, New York, where the importance of preventive dentistry is fully realized, comicbooks.com