DRIVING ORAL AWARENESS IN NIGERIA, THE PEPSODENT EXAMPLE

devised an ingenious way to drive awareness as a means of promoting oral hygiene with the ultimate goal of eradicating the oral disease in Nigeria.

Since its launch in 2011, the brand has been at the forefront of driving conversations on good oral hygiene and eradicating oral diseases through initiatives like the Schools Program, Mobile Dental Clinics, Oral Health Education Conferences, and various consumer education and engagement across digital and traditional media.

This sincere and sustained commitment to tackling oral healthcare issues in Nigeria, especially among children is consistent with the agenda of its parent company, Unilever which is solving social problems.

Already, the brand has successfully reached over five million children across the country through its school program with an ambition to reach 10 million children by 2024.

Commemorating 2022 World Oral Health Day the Pepsodent Way

In commemoration of the 2022 World Oral Health Day which is a yearly activity celebrated globally to increase awareness of the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene and educate the public on the major activities that help to ensure good oral hygiene, Pepsodent took the campaign a notch higher by embarking on a project to engage one million children in the country through the educational schools’ program with an emphasis on the importance of brushing day and night.

The company gave out free tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes to children as part of the effort to promote brushing habits. To drive the campaign, the brand has initiated and sustained partnerships with relevant associations and agencies such as the World Dental Federation (FDI), which is the principal representative body for over one million dentists worldwide, and the brand’s partnership with the Nigerian Dental Association, which is the local representative body of all dentists in Nigeria to drive its ambition. Pepsodent toothpaste, endorsed by the Nigerian Dental Association, is a brand that delivers excellently on anti-cavity protection, fresh breath, and teeth whitening leveraging its partnership and product offerings.

Speaking during a press conference to commemorate the historic occasion, The Corporate Affairs, and Sustainability Director, Unilever West Africa, Soromidayo George reiterated the company’s commitment to addressing the challenge of oral health particularly among children whose self-esteem has been affected by oral disease.

“Oral conditions are the world’s most widespread disease that demands urgent attention. We cannot afford to leave the diseases to grow given its implication for school enrolment among children. Oral health diseases are the main causes of school absenteeism. As you are aware, children with poor oral health are more likely to suffer self-confidence and self-esteem issues. Beyond that, poor oral conditions also affect the confidence of adults” George said.

The Category Manager, Oral Care, Unilever, Eva Ogudu revealed that the brand, in partnership with the Nigerian Dental Association, has provided mobile dental clinics in the specific neighbourhood across the country to give free dental services to consumers and make Pepsodent toothpaste available to them as part of efforts to drive consistent brush twice daily communication.

“In addition to our mobile dental clinic initiative for this year, there was an online digital activation through Instagram live videos tagged ‘Ask Your Dentist’ which was launched on March 20, 2022, to provide consumers direct access to a dentist to ask their dental related questions.

“Through these initiatives we aim to help millions of people take control of their oral health and avoid severe pain, costly and complicated treatments, and ultimately tooth loss through these services which would run yearly,” Ogudu added.