Establishments partner to educate two million pupils on oral hygiene

Pepsodent, in collaboration with the Nigeria Dental Association (NDA) and United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has kicked off its activation programme in primary schools across the federation to promote oral health among two million children.

Tagged: “Pepsodent Brush Day and Night School,” the programme is geared at reaching out to a minimum of two million pupils between ages six and 11 in Lagos, Rivers, Enugu, Imo, Kaduna and Edo states.

Marketing Head, Beauty, Well-being and Personal Care, Unilever Nigeria Plc., Oiza Gyang, who spoke during the launch of the project in Lagos, said oral conditions are among world’s most widespread diseases and leading cause of absenteeism among school children in Nigeria.

Gyang explained that the foregoing informed initiation of the oral hygiene programme to engage children in primary schools for the next three months after which the pupils would be rewarded for their participation.

She said the activation would happen five days a week, while the team would return after 21 days to reward students, who complete the challenge.

Gyang said the whole idea was to encourage children to imbibe the habit, stressing that oral health is critical to individual’s well-being and productivity.

She added that the firm is passionate about families and children, and believes that complete oral protection for the family is achievable.

Also speaking, Category Manager, Oral Care, Pepsodent, Eva Ogudu, said Unilever remains a force in the quest to entrench a culture of oral hygiene that would result in overall well-being of Nigerians.

She said the activation is being carried out in line with the mission of spreading oral health around the world such that people can unlock the power of their smiles.

Ogudu pointed out that the company’s target was to reach out to 10 million children by 2025, adding that the campaign had reached over six million school children nationwide.

In his remarks, Chairman, NDA Lagos chapter, Dr. Oluwole Olusanya, stressed the need for parents and caregivers to cultivate regular brushing of teeth of children to check bacteria and oral infections such as tooth decay and gum diseases.

He observed that failure to take care of one’s oral health could have a negative effect on other parts of the body and result in severe health conditions.