Unilever targets youth in new oral hygiene drive

Consumer goods manufactures Unilever has partnered with the Kenya Dental Association to deepen education on oral hygiene.

This as the Kenya National Oral Health Survey of 2015 showed that 70.2 percent of children do not visit dentists for regular checkups.

The program targets school going children.

Unilever Marketing Director Pawan-Kumar Marella said the program targets 35,000 children across the country, teaching them the health benefits of oral hygiene.

“We know that reinforcing good tooth brushing habits in children sets them up for better oral health in the future, which in turn leads to better overall health outcomes,” he said.

According to a report by NHS Tayside, it is estimated that more than one billion people do not use fluoride toothpaste, and over three billion do not brush their teeth twice a day.

The result is that Africa is in the throes of an oral health crisis, where dental decay affects nearly 100 percent of adults and up to 90 percent of children.

Report by Cynthia Nyabola