Starting the kids right on healthy brushing habit

The right way to brush the teeth is in circular motion and it should not be less than 2 minutes. One should not rinse his or her mouth with water immediately after brushing to give enough time for fluoride to work and cause effect to the teeth. These are some “little things” I learned during the kick-off campaign of Pepsodent Brushing Adventure at the Rafael Palma Elementary School on Tuesday. Through its No. 1 toothpaste brand Pepsodent, Unilever strengthens its commitment to improve the brushing habits of Filipino children. This is part of Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan to build a billion better lives, the campaign which empowers moms to teach the healthy habit of twice daily brushing to their kids.

Pepsodent and its partners FDI World Dental Federation, and the Philippine Dental Association (PDA) invited hundreds of young students – kinder and grade one --from this public school in Manila to encourage parents especially the moms to turn brushing, a potentially boring activity, into a moment of fun, adventure and learning. “This will help moms play an important role. Their involvement in the development of a healthy brushing habit is essential to ensuring the dental and overall health of their kids,” Gem Laforteza, Pepsodent Brand Manager said.

According to PDA President Dr. Fernando Fernandez, 8 out 10 5-year old Filipino kids have cavities, one of the highest cavity incidence levels in the world. “Brushing with fluoride toothpastes twice a day can cut cavities by up to 50% in children, compared with just brushing once,” says Dr. Fernandez. To ensure the sustainability of the program and maximize the positive impact on the lives of millions of children, Unilever has committed to continuously lead intensive brushing behavior change programs complete with school tours. The program has gained full support from the Philippine Pediatric Dental Society, Inc., Knowledge Channel, and several local government units.

In these programs, kids and their moms are taught a simple message - brush day and night with fluoride toothpaste. Kids are encouraged to brush twice daily through fun and rewarding activities like maintaining brushing calendars, singing brushing songs, and playing games. The active involvement of parents, teachers and dental professionals are also important to ensure that behavior change happens both in school and at home. Before the actual brushing, the kids were treated to an adventure-filled day watching a Pepsodent Brushing Adventure Musical Play! At home, I tried doing the right way of brushing. I realized the “little things” I learned in the morning are a lot of work after all! No wonder, brushing teeth the right way should start as an enjoyable habit among kids. Now, am trying to correct the way my grown up kids, age 10-22, brush their teeth! Visit the Pepsodent Philippines Facebook page at http://facebook.com/PepsodentPhilippines and receive downloadable activities only from Pepsodent.