A New Way to Brush

Oral-B CrossAction toothbrush

When Oral-B approached Lunar Design in 1996, the toothbrush maker wanted to create a so-called "super," nonelectric brush that could fetch a premium price ($5) and deliver an innovative redesign of a simple, nonmotorized device. The CrossAction brush featured bristles angled in opposing directions. The unorthodox arrangement was designed to help dislodge plaque more thoroughly than traditional, flat-bristled toothbrushes, which relied on a user to brush in both directions. The designers, led by Salazar, observed and studied consumers' brushing habits to help create a design that would appeal to potential customers and better attack plaque.

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