Reach
Reach is an oral-hygiene brand originating with DuPont's ergonomically designed toothbrushes and later spanning toothbrushes, dental floss, mouthwash, and related products.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Reach is an oral-hygiene brand whose history began in the United States when DuPont entered the toothbrush market in 1976. The brand was developed after several years of research involving a bio-dental team associated with Tufts University and ergonomics specialists. Its launch product departed from the conventional straight-handled toothbrush: it used an angled, four-sided grip, an extended neck intended to improve access to rear teeth, and a compact head with two-level bristles. These design features made Reach one of the early mass-market toothbrushes to treat ergonomics and reachability as central product benefits rather than secondary details. DuPont promoted the toothbrush regionally in 1976 before Johnson & Johnson acquired the brand in 1977. Johnson & Johnson expanded Reach nationally in the United States in 1978 with a major advertising investment, helping establish the brand as a significant challenger to Oral-B and other established oral-care products. Reach subsequently broadened its range beyond adult toothbrushes. It introduced a children's brush in 1982, developed the Mr. Reach mascot in Australia in 1986, and received recognition from the American Dental Association in 1985. By the end of the 1980s, the brand reportedly held a substantial share of the U.S. toothbrush market, although its position weakened during the following decade. Product development in the 1990s emphasized differentiated designs and children's oral-care behavior. The 1993 Wondergrip brush was designed after observation of children's brushing habits and was intended to encourage more effective technique rather than simply scale down an adult brush. Reach later introduced Plaque Sweeper toothbrushes and Gentle Gum Care floss, supported by increased advertising as Johnson & Johnson sought to recover declining market share. During the 2000s and early 2010s, Reach used partnerships, entertainment licensing, interactive marketing, and design-led product development to maintain visibility. Its products were connected with the Harry Potter film launch, and the Mr. Reach character appeared in an online advertising game. The UltraClean range, launched in 2008, became the basis for comparative performance claims against products from Procter & Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive. Reach also introduced Total Care and whitening-oriented products and collaborated with designers and stylists through the Reach by Design program. The brand's ownership became more fragmented after 2012. Johnson & Johnson sold the rights to market Reach toothbrushes in the United States, its territories, the Caribbean, and Canada to Dr. Fresh, while retaining Reach floss and other interdental products at that stage. In 2015, Johnson & Johnson discontinued the Reach name for its floss business in favor of the Listerine Floss name. LG Household & Health Care acquired Johnson & Johnson's Asia-Pacific Reach business in 2016. Dr. Fresh was acquired by High Ridge Brands in 2017, and Perrigo acquired High Ridge Brands' oral-care assets, including Reach-related assets, in 2020. Consequently, Reach is best understood today as an internationally distributed oral-care brand with rights and product portfolios varying by market and category, rather than as a single globally integrated operating company.
History
Reach originated in 1976 when DuPont entered the toothbrush business after a multi-year development program involving dental and ergonomics research. The product was designed around the idea that a toothbrush should help users reach difficult areas of the mouth while remaining comfortable to hold. Its angled, four-sided handle, extended neck, compact head, and two-level bristles distinguished it from the conventional straight-handled brushes then common in the market. DuPont began promotion in Wisconsin and Chicago in 1976, using newspaper and television advertising to explain the design rationale. Johnson & Johnson acquired Reach from DuPont in 1977 and introduced it nationally in the United States the following year. The company backed the national rollout with a large advertising campaign, making product design a central part of the brand's identity. Reach competed directly with Oral-B and other major toothbrush brands and reached a reported 28 percent share of the U.S. market near the end of the 1980s, before declining to approximately 20 percent by 1991. The brand expanded its consumer segments during the 1980s and 1990s. Reach introduced a children's brush in 1982 and received American Dental Association recognition in 1985. The Mr. Reach mascot was created in Australia in 1986 and was later used in multiple markets, including Japan and the United States. In 1993, Reach launched Wondergrip, a children's toothbrush developed with the Smart Design studio after research into how children actually held and used toothbrushes. The product was intended to promote more appropriate brushing behavior rather than merely reproduce an adult brush at a smaller scale. Plaque Sweeper toothbrushes and Gentle Gum Care floss followed in 1996, accompanied by increased advertising expenditure as Johnson & Johnson attempted to rebuild the brand's position. Reach continued to develop products and communications in the 2000s. It partnered with Warner Bros. on a Harry Potter toothbrush associated with the first Harry Potter film release. In Canada, Fuel Industries created an animated online advergame featuring Mr. Reach and several Reach products. The UltraClean toothbrush and floss line was introduced in 2008. Johnson & Johnson subsequently used clinical-trial claims in advertising that compared UltraClean products with competing offerings from Glide and Colgate. These communications positioned Reach as a performance-focused alternative rather than solely as a design-oriented toothbrush. In 2010, the brand extended its design credentials through the Total Care Floss Clean toothbrush, which received an IDEA design award, and through the Reach by Design collaboration program. The program involved interior designers and fashion figures and connected oral-care products with home, lifestyle, and personal-style themes. Reach also introduced Total Care Plus Whitening toothbrushes and floss. In 2011, the National Advertising Division reviewed claims concerning the whitening performance of the Total Care Plus Whitening toothbrush. It accepted support for a qualified comparison stating that ordinary toothbrushes clean teeth while Reach whitens them, but recommended revisions to explain that the product's stain removal was extrinsic and abrasive rather than a bleaching effect. Ownership and brand architecture changed substantially after 2012. Johnson & Johnson sold North American marketing rights for Reach toothbrushes to Dr. Fresh, excluding Reach floss and other interdental products. Dr. Fresh later introduced Complete Care Triple Angle toothbrushes and brought the Mr. Reach character back into advertising for Complete Care 8-in-1 Rinse. Johnson & Johnson subsequently moved its floss business from the Reach name to Listerine Floss in 2015. In 2016, LG Household & Health Care agreed to acquire Johnson & Johnson's Asia-Pacific Reach business. High Ridge Brands acquired Dr. Fresh in 2017, and Perrigo acquired High Ridge Brands' oral-care assets in 2020. The result is a geographically and categorically divided brand whose products and ownership depend on the relevant market and product line.
- 2020
Perrigo acquires High Ridge oral-care assets
[1]Perrigo acquires High Ridge Brands' oral-care assets, including Reach-related assets.
- 2017
Dr. Fresh acquired by High Ridge Brands
[1]High Ridge Brands acquires Dr. Fresh and its associated North American Reach toothbrush business.
- 2016
Asia-Pacific business agreement
[1]LG Household & Health Care agrees to acquire Johnson & Johnson's Asia-Pacific Reach business.
- 2015
Reach floss moves to Listerine
[1]Johnson & Johnson rebrands its Reach floss business as Listerine Floss.
- 2012
North American toothbrush rights transferred
[1]Johnson & Johnson transfers specified North American, Caribbean, and U.S. territory toothbrush rights to Dr. Fresh.
- 2010
Design-led Total Care expansion
[1]Total Care products and the Reach by Design collaboration broaden the brand's design and whitening positioning.
- 2008
UltraClean range launches
[1]Reach introduces UltraClean toothbrush and floss products.
- 2001
Harry Potter licensed toothbrush
[1]Reach partners with Warner Bros. on a Harry Potter toothbrush tied to the first film release.
- 1996
Plaque Sweeper and Gentle Gum Care introduced
[1]Reach adds Plaque Sweeper toothbrushes and Gentle Gum Care floss while increasing advertising support.
- 1993
Wondergrip children's toothbrush launches
[1]Reach introduces Wondergrip, a children's brush designed around observed brushing behavior.
Products and positioning
Reach positions oral-care products around ergonomic design, access to difficult-to-clean areas, plaque removal, gum care, and practical innovations for adults and children. Historically, its differentiation centered on toothbrush shape and reachability; later communications added whitening, multi-benefit care, comparative efficacy, licensed characters, and design appeal.
Manual toothbrush · 1976
Reach Toothbrush
The original Reach product, introduced in 1976 by DuPont, used an angled four-sided handle, an extended neck, a compact head, and two-level bristles. Its principal innovation was to combine ergonomic handling with improved access to rear teeth. The toothbrush established the design language that shaped later Reach products and helped the brand compete in the mass-market toothbrush category.
Children's toothbrush · 1982
Reach Child Brush
Introduced in 1982, the Reach Child Brush extended the brand into children's oral care. It was part of Reach's broader effort to treat age-specific handling and access as product-design problems rather than simply offering smaller versions of adult brushes.
Children's toothbrush · 1993
Reach Wondergrip
Wondergrip launched in 1993 after Smart Design studied how children held and used toothbrushes. Its form was intended to encourage more effective brushing technique and represented a more behavior-led approach to children's toothbrush design.
Toothbrush · 1996
Reach Plaque Sweeper
Plaque Sweeper was introduced in 1996 as a performance-oriented Reach toothbrush line. It was marketed around plaque removal and formed part of Johnson & Johnson's effort to restore momentum after a decline in Reach's U.S. market share.
Toothbrush and dental floss · 2008
Reach UltraClean
Introduced in 2008, UltraClean included both toothbrush and floss products. Johnson & Johnson later used comparative advertising to present the line as more effective at plaque removal than selected competing products, including Glide floss and Colgate 360-degree toothbrushes.
Toothbrush and floss · 2010
Reach Total Care
Total Care was a multi-benefit platform that included toothbrush products and floss. The Total Care Floss Clean toothbrush reflected Reach's design emphasis and received an IDEA award in 2010.
Whitening toothbrush and floss · 2010
Reach Total Care Plus Whitening
This 2010 line combined Total Care branding with a whitening proposition. Its advertising referred to calcium-carbonate-containing bristles and stain removal. In 2011, the National Advertising Division accepted some qualified whitening support but recommended clearer wording so consumers would understand that the effect involved extrinsic stain removal rather than bleaching.
Toothbrush and mouthwash · 2014
Reach Complete Care
After Dr. Fresh obtained North American toothbrush rights, it introduced Complete Care Triple Angle toothbrushes and used the Mr. Reach mascot in advertising for Complete Care 8-in-1 Rinse. The line represented the brand's continued move toward multi-benefit oral-care systems.
Marketing campaigns
- 2010Reach by Design
United States
Reach collaborated with interior designers Celerie Kemble and Tom Delavan and stylist Brad Goreski, later adding other design and fashion personalities.
Outcome. The program presented toothbrushes as lifestyle and design objects in addition to functional hygiene products.
- 2006Mr. Reach: In the Mouth of Mystery
Canada
Fuel Industries developed a globe-spanning animated advergame for Johnson & Johnson Canada featuring Mr. Reach and several Reach products.
Outcome. The campaign extended Reach promotion into interactive digital entertainment.
- 2001Harry Potter toothbrush partnership
International
Reach partnered with Warner Bros. to create a Harry Potter toothbrush connected with the release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Outcome. The partnership used entertainment licensing to make a routine oral-care product more attractive to children and families.
- 1986Mr. Reach
Australia · Japan · United States · Other international markets
Reach introduced the Mr. Reach animated mascot, whose distinctive flip-top head made the character usable across advertising and promotional materials.
Outcome. The mascot became a recurring international communication asset for the brand.
- 1978National Reach rollout
United States
Johnson & Johnson supported Reach's national U.S. introduction with a large advertising program described in contemporary accounts as unusually substantial for a toothbrush.
Outcome. The campaign helped Reach become a major challenger in the U.S. toothbrush market.
- 1976Reach launch advertising
United States
DuPont began promoting Reach in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and later Chicago through newspaper and television advertising. The campaign explained the toothbrush's angled handle, extended neck, compact head, and two-level bristles.
Outcome. The launch established ergonomic design and access to difficult areas as the brand's initial selling proposition.
Brand decisions
2020
Perrigo acquisition of oral-care assetsM&ABackground
High Ridge Brands had acquired Dr. Fresh and held associated Reach toothbrush assets in North America.
Action taken
Perrigo acquired High Ridge Brands' oral-care assets, including Reach-related assets.
Aftermath
Perrigo became the owner of the acquired Reach oral-care assets, while other regional Reach rights remained separately held.
2016
Asia-Pacific business acquisitionM&ABackground
Johnson & Johnson separated the Asia-Pacific Reach business from the North American toothbrush rights previously transferred to Dr. Fresh.
Action taken
LG Household & Health Care agreed to acquire the Asia-Pacific Reach business.
Aftermath
The brand's regional ownership structure became further divided.
2015
Rebranding of Reach flossStrategyBackground
Johnson & Johnson retained Reach floss after transferring specified toothbrush rights but later changed the branding architecture for its floss products.
Action taken
Reach floss was rebranded as Listerine Floss.
Aftermath
The Reach name was removed from Johnson & Johnson's floss business while toothbrush rights continued under other owners in certain markets.
2012
Transfer of North American toothbrush rightsM&ABackground
Johnson & Johnson reorganized the Reach business by separating North American toothbrush rights from floss and other interdental products.
Action taken
Rights to market Reach toothbrushes in the United States, its territories, the Caribbean, and Canada were sold to Dr. Fresh.
Aftermath
Reach ownership became divided by product category and territory.
2011
National Advertising Division review of whitening claimsOtherBackground
Advertising for Reach Total Care Plus Whitening described ordinary toothbrushes as cleaning teeth while Reach whitened them and referred to calcium carbonate in the bristles.
Action taken
The National Advertising Division determined that Johnson & Johnson could support a qualified whitening comparison but recommended revising additional claims to clarify that whitening resulted from extrinsic stain removal rather than bleaching.
Aftermath
The review led to recommended claim modifications. It was an advertising substantiation matter, not a confirmed scandal.
2009
UltraClean comparative advertisingOtherBackground
Johnson & Johnson used clinical-trial results to differentiate UltraClean products from selected products sold by Procter & Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive.
Action taken
Advertising claimed that UltraClean floss removed up to twice as much plaque as Glide floss and that the UltraClean toothbrush improved plaque removal and gum health relative to Colgate 360-degree.
Aftermath
The campaign positioned Reach as a clinically supported performance challenger in oral care.
1987
Comparative reachability and cleaning claimOtherBackground
Johnson & Johnson advertised the Reach toothbrush as cleaning substantially better than another leading brush and emphasized its ability to reach back teeth.
Action taken
The brand made quantified comparative performance and access claims in U.S. advertising.
Aftermath
Reach remained a major U.S. toothbrush competitor, although its reported market share later declined.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Reach reports H1 2026 digital revenue decline to £54.2 million[2]
Reported:
UK media group Reach, publisher of the Daily Mirror, Daily Express and several regional newspapers, disclosed in its H1 2026 financial results that digital revenue declined from £61.1 million to £54.2 million, a reduction of approximately £6.9 million (about 11.4%), alongside an approximately 55% decline in Google referrals. The article cites the results as a measurable example of the financial pressure associated with declining search referrals amid the expansion of AI-powered search.
- Unconfirmed
Reach partners with Evenbreak on disability recruitment[3]
Reach partnered with Evenbreak, with Reach vacancies to be advertised on Evenbreak’s job-board platform.
Button launches Reach[4]
Reported:
Button announced the launch of Reach, a product offering its deep-linking and app-tracking technology as a service to affiliate network traffic.
Reach announces plans to cut about 550 jobs[5]
Reported:
Reach announced plans to cut about 550 jobs, approximately 12% of its workforce, across its national and regional operations.
Sources6 sources
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