Wrigley’s Extra has joined forces with singer-songwriter Diana Vickers, to give that extra boost to the nation’s largest campaign for better oral health – National Smile Month. The campaign supports the core aims of the Wrigley Oral Healthcare Programme in reminding patients to improve their regular oral healthcare routine. That’s why Extra is a committed sponsor of National Smile Month (19 May – 19 June) for another year running.
Diana Vickers, is the face of the Wrigley media campaign. She’ll be promoting the message to the public that taking care of your teeth brings a clean and healthy smile, especially when snacking on the go. Diana explains: ‘When I’m on stage, on set, shooting a video or out and about at a festival, I always have a bottle of Extra White Bubblemint to hand – especially for just after eating and drinking as it is proven to help remove stains and maintain my teeth’s natural whiteness – so I know I can always draw on my smile with complete confidence.’
Benefits
The benefits of chewing sugar-free gum are well documented in stimulating saliva production which can last up to 2 hours.[1,2] And chewing Extra has been proven to help remove 95% of food debris and sugar in just two minutes after eating and drinking, giving patients even more to smile about.[3] The campaign couldn’t be better timed with a focus on preventive care rising up the agenda. What’s more, this year Wrigley is bringing the public campaign to dental professionals too, providing new information, CPD and practical resources to help them promote oral care to their patients.
A new ‘Talking to your patients about chewing sugar-free gum’ fact sheet is available to download online. And, exclusively during National Smile Month, The Wrigley Oral Healthcare Programme is offering a new, free patient give away: dental professionals will receive a supply of ‘check your smile is clean and healthy’ mirror cards with each online order of free Extra samples for their practice. The wallet-size mirrors act as a perfect reminder for patients to maintain good oral health practices when snacking on the go.
Plus, Wrigley’s first ever webinar ‘Oral and Systemic Health Implications of Saliva’, will be broadcasting live on 21 May on www.dentistry-academy.com. This CPD webinar from Juliette Reeves, brings together some of the most current research regarding the vital part saliva plays in not only oral health, but also nutrition, systemic and psychological well-being.
Celebrity smiles
To mark the launch of the public campaign, Wrigley’s Extra White Bubblemint commissioned a consumer study to find out what patients feel about their smiles, and which celeb smile they most admire.[4]
The survey confirmed what many dental professionals will know better than anyone – that smiles definitely are important to us. 67∞ of the women surveyed said that they find a smile the most attractive trait in a man, and men feel the same way, with 62% saying a smile is most important. Reflecting the growing demand for cosmetic dentistry – 72% wished their teeth looked better, with whiteness being the primary concern for the majority.
An admiration for that gleaming smile also shone out in the celeb poll, with Kate Middleton’s ‘pearly whites’ voted the best amongst female celebrities. While David Beckham and George Clooney top the poll, tying in first place.
Sample it
To get samples for your dental practice, with free mirror cards, go to www.wrigleyoralhealthcare.co.uk where you’ll also find information about new CPD opportunities. Plus you can access the fact sheet and all the latest scientific research to help you recommend chewing sugar-free gum to your patients, for better oral health.
References
1. Dawes C, Kubieniec K. The effects of prolonged gum chewing on salivary flow rate and composition. Arch Oral Biol 2004;49:665-9.
2. Polland KE, Higgins F, Orchardson R. Salivary flow rate and pH during prolonged gum chewing in humans. J Oral Rehabil. 2003;30:861-5.
3. Fu Y, Li X, Ma H, Yin W, Que K, Hu D, Dodds MWJ, Tian M: Assessment of chewing sugar-free gums for oral debris reduction: a randomized controlled crossover clinical trial. Am J Dent. 2012;25:118-22.
4. Statistics from 2,000 consumer poll conducted in April 2014 by national news and market research specialists
