P & G Restates Commitment to Oral Hygiene in Nigeria

Martins Ifijeh

Procter & Gamble’s oral care brand, Oral-B stated its commitment to the oral hygiene of Nigerians through the capacity building seminar held for dentists recently in Lagos.

This was made known at the 2016 National Dental Association Continuing Medical Education (CME) in partnership with Oral B, aimed at educating dentists on oral care and to further develop the professional competencies of practicing dental care professionals.

Giving the opening remarks titled ‘The Exceptional Dentist- 5 years of New Paradigm for Enhanced Productivity’, the Brand Marketing Director, P&G Nigeria, Tolulope Adedeji, stated that the company was sponsoring the CME for dentists in order to provide the necessary trends and development to promote and ensure ample support for oral care hygiene of Nigerians.

Adedeji, describing dentists as critical partners of the company’s oral care brand that launched in Nigeria five years ago, said “the more dentists know, the better they also can give services to patients as they come.”

She added that “to enable Nigerians access qualitative dental care, it is necessary we equip our dental care professionals on the constant innovations discovered in oral health care.”

One of the highlights of the capacity building workshop was the exposure to dentists of the revolutionary and multipurpose benefits of stabilised stannous toothpastes with references to the research results on Stannous Fluoride with Nigerian patients.

In the key presentation of Dr. Ayan Badejo, a foremost periodontist in Nigeria and lecturer at the Department of Preventive Dentistry, University of Lagos who was represented by Dr. Modupeore Shorunke recommended that Nigerians should buy toothpastes with anti-bacterial agents to clean their teeth, saying they are better in preventing tooth decay, tooth sensitivity and gum problems.

Shorunke, an associate professor of Dentistry, LASUCOM, stated that toothpaste with anti-bacterial content were helpful in preventing bacterial plaque which irritates the gums and can lead to gum disease.

According to her, “currently, over 90 per cent of patients seen in our dental clinic have some degree of gum disease across all age groups and socio-economic status.

“Despite brushing every day, many people still find it difficult to maintain that level of plaque control that ensures that the gums are healthy. Just as fluoride is for prevention of tooth decay, so also, anti-bacterial toothpaste helps to kill the bacteria and plaque that causes gum disease.”
Oral-B, in partnership with the Nigerian Dental Association (NDA), has benefited over 2000 dentists in Nigeria since the launch in 2011 updating them with the latest development in the field of dentistry.