David Morris Kern facts for kids

David Morris Kern (born August 4, 1909 – died May 3, 2013) was an American pharmacist and a smart businessman. He is best known for helping to create Orajel, a special medicine you put on your gums to stop pain from toothaches and mouth sores.

Early Life and Career

David Kern was born in Manhattan, New York, in 1909. He grew up in Brooklyn, another part of New York City. He went to the Brooklyn College of Pharmacy and became a pharmacist. This means he was trained to prepare and give out medicines.

After working as a pharmacist, he became a salesperson. He worked for a company called Norwich Warner Pharmaceuticals. This company is now part of a much bigger company called Procter & Gamble.

Inventing Orajel

David Kern and his brother, along with two business partners, bought a factory that made medicines. David Kern had an idea to make a medicine for babies who were teething. Teething can be very painful for babies as their first teeth push through their gums.

He worked with a chemistry professor to develop this new medicine. Together, they created and developed Orajel. It was a gel that people could buy without a prescription. Orajel helped to relieve toothaches. Later, people also used it to help with mouth sores.

In 1961, David Kern sold Orajel and his company to another company called Del Laboratories.

Later Life and Legacy

David Kern retired from the medicine business when he was 62 years old. After retiring, he spent his time managing his family's money matters. In the 1990s, he and his wife moved to the Phoenix area in Arizona.

David Kern lived a very long life. He passed away on May 3, 2013, in Paradise Valley, Arizona. He was 103 years old. His wife, Rose Ziedenweber Kern, had passed away in 2001. They had been married for 65 years.