Friday, January 07, 2005

CNN.com - Judge: Listerine not same as flossing - Jan 7, 2005

CNN.com - Judge: Listerine not same as flossing - Jan 7, 2005

Friday, January 7, 2005 Posted: 1:37 PM EST (1837 GMT)

NEW YORK (AP) -- An advertising campaign that says the mouthwash Listerine is as effective as floss at fighting tooth and gum decay is false and misleading and poses a public health risk, a judge has ruled.

U.S. District Judge Denny Chin said in a decision made public Friday that he will order Pfizer, the maker of Listerine, to stop the advertising campaign. The lawsuit was brought by a Johnson & Johnson company that makes dental floss.

"Dentists and hygienists have been telling their patients for decades to floss daily," Chin wrote. "They have been doing so for good reason. The benefits of flossing are real -- they are not a 'myth.' Pfizer's implicit message that Listerine can replace floss is false and misleading."

The judge ruled after McNeil-PPC Inc., a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, filed a lawsuit saying that false claims in the advertising campaign that began last June posed an unfair threat against its sales of dental floss.

Pfizer in print ads had featured a Listerine bottle balanced equally on a scale opposite a floss container with the words: "Listerine antiseptic is clinically proven to be as effective as floss at reducing plaque and gingivitis between the teeth."

The campaign also featured a television commercial titled the "Big Bang." In it, the commercial announces that Listerine is as effective as floss and that clinical tests prove it, though it does add that there is no replacement for flossing.

The judge said "substantial evidence" demonstrates that flossing is important in reducing tooth decay and gum disease and that it cannot be replaced by rinsing with a mouthwash.

The judge also noted that the authors of articles on which Pfizer based its ad campaign had emphasized that dental professionals should continue to recommend daily flossing and cautioned that they were not suggesting that mouthrinse be used instead of floss.

Messages left with Pfizer and McNeil-PPC on Friday were not immediately returned.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:27 PM

    Hi Flap-- Dr. Shad Lewis wrote the following on his Blogsite a couple weeks ago!

    -Sue
    ********************************************************

    Is Listerine As Effective As Flossing?

    Pfizer says so, but they stick this little disclaimer on the bottle: "*Against plaque and gingivitis between teeth. Use as directed. Ask your dentist. Not a replacement for floss"

    Confusing, isn't it?

    So, no it isn't as effective as flossing. Plaque and bacteria grow inbetween your teeth where your toothbrush can't reach. Cavities and gum disease begin. The sole purpose of floss is to mechanically break up the plaque and bacteria from inbetween your teeth so they don't get a chance to cause any damage. That's it. Simple.

    It takes about 24 hours for them to recolonize which is why flossing is recommended daily - they don't get a chance to recolonize and cause any damage.

    Plaque gets sticky and is not necessarily removed by swishing by listerine. I ask my patients to floss first, then swish with mouthwash and then brush.


    http://wyomissingsmiles.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, Sue, I blogged his comments and his blog is on my blog roll.

    Perhaps he will link me.

    He doesn't seem to update his blog very often though.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous2:20 PM

    He's a wet-gloved dentist.... it it hard to type when you have wet gloves on... :-)
    -Sue

    ReplyDelete