Gillette to Launch Priciest Toothbrush

Gillette Co.’s Oral-B unit plans to introduce a toothbrush that will break price barriers and, it hopes, boost already strong sales of its manual toothbrushes. With a retail price of $4.99, the Cross Action brush will cost 50% more than its high-end rivals. Gillette claims that Cross Action removes far more plaque than traditional toothbrushes because its bristles are angled in opposing directions. Gillette spent $70 million on special machinery to make the brushes and $2 million more for clinical trials that were not required or monitored by federal regulators. A spokesman for the American Dental Assn. said Gillette had not yet applied to receive the group’s coveted seal of acceptance for the Cross Action. “We see strong double-digit sales gains next year, driven by this introduction,” said Bruce Cleverly, president of Oral-B. The brush is expected to be in stores in February. Americans spent about $650 million on toothbrushes in the year ended in September, according to Information Resources Inc. in Chicago.