I used to watch Shark Tank a lot, and they talk about this with patented products. That a big company will buy out a better solution just to shelf it because the current solution is more profitable. As a person that just spent $10k on oral care the past year this makes me incredibly sad and angry. Gov't is already so cheap that we (US) have fluoride in our water, that was planned to be cheap dental care =(.

I understand the need for IP to make the investment worthwhile. But when buying it out like this, it should be a use it or lose it situation with the patent. Depriving people of a better solution to make a profit ain't right.