One of Pro-Brush's greatest marketing strategies involved openly discussing the very tiny germs that they were determined to battle. One of their early ads discusses the necessity of fighting the "secret decay" of germs in one's mouth. Another ad asked "Must we threaten you with Perodonticlasia?" By mentioning tooth decay and gum disease directly, Pro-Brush was able to strike fear into the public. The solution to this fear: preventative maintenance, which meant brushing your teeth with the Pro-phy-lac-tic toothbrush twice a day. In these ways, they used the public fear of the unseen to their advantage. Closely associated with fear is vanity. In the advertising world, appeals to vanity were common with hygienic products, scaring the public into believing themselves ugly or unappealing. The toothbrush was such a product. Beginning in the 1920's, there was a growing tendency to incorporate sex appeal into advertisements as America slowly became less insecure about its sexuality.

• Introduction
• Instructions and Appeals to the Science of Dentistry
  • "All conscientious dentists will tell you..."
  • "The Best Dentists..."
  • "A toothbrush endorsed by a dentist is sure to be good"
  • "Next to a good dentist..."
  • "What happens when you brush..."
• Fear, Vanity & Modernity
  • "Woman at mirror"
  • "Mirror helps millions make vital decisions"
  • "I am the tooth brush..."
  • "They laughed at me in Cairo..."
  • "The Poem"
• Targeting a Specific Audience
  • "Every mother knows that."
  • "Handy book for girls."
  • "Handy book for boys."
  • "The businessman"
• Bibliography

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