Listerine
Listerine is a brand of antiseptic mouthwash product. It is promoted with the slogan "Kills germs that cause bad breath". Named after Joseph Lister, a pioneer of antiseptic surgery, Listerine was developed in 1879 by Joseph Lawrence, a chemist.
Originally marketed by the Lambert Pharmacal Company, Listerine has been manufactured and distributed by Johnson and Johnson since that company's acquisition of Pfizer's consumer healthcare division in late December 2006.
The Listerine brand name is also used in toothpaste, Listerine Whitening rinse, Listerine Fluoride rinse (Listerine Tooth Defense), Listerine SmartRinse (children's fluoride rinse), PocketPaks, and PocketMist. In September 2007, Listerine began selling its own brand of self-dissolving teeth-whitening strips.
Listerine was origanly just developed as a general antiseptic. The use was more for surgical settings. However, in order to increase profits Listerine was also marketed as a mouthwash. This was where the market exploded.
Ethical concerns are raised when a product is not specifically designed for a use, so problems can arise as there can be unforeseen consequences. Companies have to be careful when using products for unintended purposes.
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