CELEBRATE WORLD ORAL HEALTH DAY 2015 IN MALAYSIA TO SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT ORAL CARE

World Oral Health Day i.e. on 20 March 2015 brings oral care into the spotlight, and the Malaysian Dental Association together with LISTERINE®, Global Partner of World Oral Health Day, celebrated this globally-recognized day in a nationwide effort to remind Malaysians that good oral care is essential for good overall health. Supported by the Oral Health Division of the Ministry of Health, the campaign saw a roadshow, educational initiatives and engagement programs/talks by dentists to further spread awareness amongst members of the public about good oral hygiene and complete oral care regimes.

I'm part of the record. Yeah...

“It is very common for people to only see a dentist when they are experiencing pain or some other dental problem hence World Oral Health Day is a good time to remind Malaysians that good oral care matters and should be a major priority for everyone regardless of age or gender,” said Dr Chow Kai Foo, Organizing Chairman of World Oral Health Day 2015 (Malaysia).

Check your teeth at the booth

President of the Malaysian Dental Association Dr Teh Tat Beng said, “Good oral care goes beyond a nice smile and fresh breath, as research has shown a link between oral health and general health – oral health can be compromised by a number of chronic and infectious diseases which show symptoms in the mouth. On the other hand, oral diseases can lead to infection, inflammation, and other serious impacts on overall health. For example, oral conditions can complicate diabetes while diabetes itself can result in delayed wound healing and worsening of gum disease. Also, untreated gum disease has been associated with higher risk of pre-term babies and low-birth weight babies. This awareness however is lacking amongst Malaysians and hence further education is needed to ensure more people take care of their mouths as it could lead to other possible health issues.”

Ben from Fly FM rinsing for good oral health

An indicative survey that was carried out in conjunction with World Oral Health Day recently amongst almost 380 Malaysians showed that only 31% of respondents surveyed were aware that diabetes has a bi-directional relationship with oral health and only 34.6% knew that untreated gum diseases could have an effect on pregnant women and unborn babies.

Some information on our oral health to share with

Furthermore, the survey also revealed that Malaysians do not practice complete oral care routines; in fact, 78.1% were not aware or unsure that brushing teeth alone is insufficient for good oral health as it only cleans 25% of the mouth. The survey concluded that only a small percentage (32.7%) of Malaysians actively practice a holistic oral care routine including rinsing with mouthwash.

A true fact that everyone should know on the importance of oral health

In line with that, to promote complete daily oral care practices, global campaign partner and the No 1 mouthwash brand in Malaysia[1] LISTERINE® organised a day-long rinsing event on Saturday 21 March from 10am to 10pm at the World Oral Health Day roadshow (Highstreet Concourse, Ground Level, 1Utama Shopping Centre), which aimed to raise awareness among Malaysians on the importance of a holistic oral care routine including rinsing with mouthwash; this event was targeted to create a new entry in the Malaysian Book of Records for the “Most Number of Participants in a Mouthwash Rinsing Event (12 Hours)” and managed to garner 2,464 participants in total. The roadshow also showcased educational oral health activities for all ages and free dental check-ups.

A record of 2,464 participants in the Mouthwash Rinsing Event

“Brushing one’s teeth alone only cleans approximately 25% of the mouth, and this is woefully insufficient. By neglecting to practice a complete and holistic oral care routine, we are neglecting the one thing that allows us to eat, drink, smile and speak confidently; this in turn affects our health, our personal and working relationships as well as our self-esteem,” said Stuart Crabb, Country Director of Retail Group, Johnson & Johnson Malaysia. “This is why LISTERINE® uses a unique combination of four essential oils that is clinically proven to clean virtually 100% of the mouth, killing the germs that cause tooth decay, bad breath and gum problems. The day-long rinsing event, together with the roadshow activities, was the ideal opportunity to remind all Malaysians that holistic oral care is very important.”

Just follow a simple 4 steps daily and my oral care routine completed

Find out more about World Oral Health Day 2015 from www.listerine.com.my  or ‘like’ the LISTERINE® Malaysia Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ListerineMalaysia.

My certificate and goodies for being part of the record...

Take care of your oral health now by rinsing Listerine twice a day so that you'll be more confident to meet up with people...