Raising awareness
World Oral Health Day, which is celebrated on 20 March, aims to raise awareness about the global rates of tooth decay and gum disease and encourage individuals, families, communities and governments to take action against oral disease.
This year’s event, in conjunction with FDI World Dental Federation, will particularly focus on the role that healthy teeth play in life.
A global problem
Tooth decay affects nearly 100% of adults around the world and between 60% and 90% of children in many countries.
However, there is a straightforward solution which will significantly reduce the number of people suffering from oral diseases.
Analia Mendez, Global Expertise & Authority Director, Unilever, says: “Experts recognise that simply brushing teeth twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste is the single most beneficial action for improving people’s oral health, reducing the misery, pain, loss of self-confidence and expense that tooth decay can cause.
“There is no general health without oral health and our sponsorship of World Oral Health Day on 20 March demonstrates Unilever’s continuing commitment to healthy teeth for healthy lives.”
Changing habits
Twice daily brushing forms the basis of the Signal brand’s ongoing Brush Day + Night campaign that aims to create good oral care habits in children and their parents.
It has reached 49 million people since 2010 and is close to its target to change the behaviour of 50 million people by 2020, as outlined in the Sustainable Living Plan.
Signal and FDI World Dental Federation are also working together through the Live.Learn.Laugh partnership, which runs 29 oral health projects worldwide to educate communities about the benefits of healthy teeth and encourage twice daily brushing with a fluoride toothpaste.