sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Reading the post on the toothbrush today reminded me of this story:

During the Great Depression, like most people a fellow was looking for any opportunity to earn money when he came across an ad looking for people to sell toothbrushes.

When he applied he was told that it would be strictly on commission and he would make five cents each and they gave him 100 toothbrushes and "wished him good luck".

An hour later he returned asking for another 100 toothbrushes as he handed the sales manager the proceeds from the sales. The sales manager was stunned asked how he was able to sell 100 toothbrushes in an hour when others could not sell that many in a week.

The salesman said, "I walked down the street a few blocks until I found the busiest intersection of people waiting to cross the street and I set up a table. I took a pack of crackers and put a spread on it offering people passing by if they wanted to taste a free sample knowing that it was hard times everyone accepted the offer.

When they put the cracker in their mouth they would quickly spit it out shouting, "This tastes like crap..!"

"IT IS", I would tell them and then I would say..."Would you like to buy a toothbrush?"

Timmers Loc: San Antonio Texas.

Best tooth brush salesman in the world was a guy named Joseph Summa, he was a Colonel in the US Medical Corp, a DDS. He began to grasp the problem of oral hygiene after Private Presley (Elvis), who was one of the new recruits who had need of extensive dental treatment. It was Summa's efforts that push through the need for a fresh tooth brush and tooth past issues to every combat troop daily, during the Viet Nam conflict. He also introduced the ideal brushing technique of up and down rather than the old back and forth method that was featured in the scene of the master sergeant instructing men in the "Proper military method of brushing teeth" in a scene from Kubrick's film about that time.

I knew that guy Joe Summa, he was my father, and yea he taught all of his six kids to brush properly.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Thanks for a great example of why history is so fascinating and why it should never be forgotten.

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

Hahahaaaaha He'd be behind bars these days🤢

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Ever so true!

foodie65

Hate to challenge your story but my dentist was telling me to brush up and down long before theViet Nam conflict

SteveR Loc: Michigan

Some things are just NOT funny!!! If this were true, somebody would've knocked this guy's teeth out.

badapple Loc: Twin Lake, Michigan

My wife said up and down was best before the Viet Nam conflict too.

foodie65

TXYank Loc: Granbury, TX

My bother has been telling a slightly more - ahem -- colorful rendition of this joke for over 65 years!!

Hal81 Loc: Bucks County, Pa.

My teeth are like the stars,, They come out at night..

taffthetooth Loc: U.K

Thanks for that, and it reminds me that the RAF, during WW2, where the first to train dental hygienists in the UK,as aircrew needed to be dentaly fit. I served 22 years in the RAF as one.

Michael1079 Loc: Indiana

Lucian Loc: From Wales, living in Ohio

That is very true. I was a pilot and once had a dentist do a quick filling and he was to finish the job upon my return. When we took off as we climbed out, I felt something strange in my tooth and it kept feeling worse and sort of popped a few times, same thing on landing. Only to discover that he had left a slight airhole inside the filling and that was causing a problem in the tooth due to the air pressure change as we climbed out and later on landing.

The same thing can happen if you have a bit of a cold and go flying. You should never fly if you have a heavy cold with blocked sinuses. The pain is terrible going up and back down and it could burst your ear drum.