Oral-B recognizes National Children's Dental Health Month with educational campaign

NEW YORK Oral-B, a Procter & Gamble brand, has launched a campaign in recognition of National Children's Dental Health Month that will aim to educate parents and healthcare providers about the importance of proper oral care at each stage of a child's development and will offer solutions to help combat commonly-faced oral health issues.

"Oral health is a commonly overlooked aspect of children's health and many parents don't realize that it can have a considerable impact on other areas of a child's development, including their speech, learning, nutrition and even self-esteem," stated Dr. Laura Jana, author and founder of Practical Parenting Consulting LLC. "Parents should begin a proper oral care routine early and stay educated on the different oral health issues their children may face as they grow so they can be properly addressed."

As part of the effort to improve children's oral health, Oral-B sponsored an American Academy of Pediatrics November 2008 event, "The National Summit on Children's Oral Health: A New Era of Collaboration."

The oral care brand has also awarded the AAP a grant to help improve children's oral health in underserved communities throughout the country. The grant, dedicated to AAP's "Bright Futures/Oral Health" initiative, will provide oral health education and resources to health professionals, teaching them to conduct oral health risk assessments, perform exams, apply fluoride varnish and expand community commitment to combating oral disease.

For 2009, Crest and Oral-B have jointly partnered with Operation Smile to help make a difference in children's smiles around the world. Beginning in January and running through March, Crest and Oral-B is making a donation to Operation Smile to give new smiles to hundreds of children around the world.