Coronavirus: New global research highlights the damage being done to oral care routines

A quarter of children around the world are not brushing their teeth day and night, with a 5% reduction in twice daily brushing for parents, and a staggering 11% drop in children in comparison to two years ago1, according to new global study commissioned by Pepsodent.

The research that surveyed nearly 7,000 participants from eight countries and 15 dentists from three countries revealed an expanded challenge in how adults and children alike view oral care.

Seven in ten people say they have been focusing more on their physical and mental health but not oral care while two in three (64%) people admitted they are not worried about their oral health despite 70% having experienced oral care issues such as tooth pain and cavities since the COVID-19 outbreak.

The research also shows that parents’ poor oral habits impact their children. Children are seven times more likely to skip teeth brushing if their parent does not brush day and night and experts agree maintaining a day and night brushing routine is vital.

Dr. Paapa Puplampu, President, Ghana Dental Association explains, “Tooth decay is the most widespread disease globally and dental cavities are prevalent amongst children. These are easily preventable by establishing a regular routine to brush both day and night with fluoride toothpaste5.

The research findings from Pepsodent reinforce the importance of parents prioritising their own oral health, since children mimic their habits.”
However, the research found that three in five (61%) parents let their child eat sugary foods before bed, whilst one in three (35%) parents have told their child they did not need to brush their teeth as a reward.

Surveyed dentists agreed that change in parents’ routines, as well as the added stress from the pandemic3 has changed children’s oral care habits hence the need for parents to be more deliberate in guiding their children’s day and night brushing routines.

As part of Pepsodent’s ongoing commitment to spread outstanding oral health across the globe and unleash the power of healthy smiles for millions, Pepsodent has developed the #BrushWithMe campaign. #BrushWithMe will be launched to celebrate World Oral Health Day 2021, the largest global awareness campaign for oral health.

Mame Serwah Saifah, Oral Care Brand Manager, Unilever Ghana, says, “From our research, we discovered that despite health being a key priority, fewer people are brushing twice a day now compared to 2 years ago.

Therefore, this World Oral Health Day, Pepsodent through its #BrushWithMe campaign, will be encouraging parents in Ghana to brush both day and night with their children as a regular oral care routine. We hope this will drive a positive impact.”

#BrushWithMe harnesses the key insights of the research to encourage families to prioritise the teeth brushing routine as a regular family activity. To help families create this lifelong habit, Pepsodent is providing parents and dentists with the resources to rebuild oral care habits that stick, such as the 21-day Brush Day and Night calendar and a storybook written to bring the joy into the act of brushing, titled ‘The Adventures of Little Brush, Big Brush’.

Join the campaign online, share a video or photo of yourself and loved ones brushing together as a family stand a chance of winning amazing gifts from Pepsodent Ghana with #BrushWithMe #WOHD21 #Pepsodent #BrushDayAndNight
To watch the #BrushWithMe film visit @PepsodentGH