What Tweens Want for their Yuck! Mouth
According to research quoted by Procter & Gamble (P&G), oral health is an important issue particularly for kids in their tween and teen years. And tooth decay is still recognized as the most common chronic disease affecting children in the United States, and 51 million hours of school are lost each year due to dental-related illnesses.
To address this growing demand for cure, Crest and Oral-B have launched Pro-Health FOR ME, a range of oral care products for tweens (kids eight and up).
“As tweens age and become more independent, they develop their own unique oral care needs,” says Kelly Heaps, brand manager, P&G.
“We found that adult toothbrushes were not always the best size for older children’s mouths and adult rinse and toothpaste flavors were often too strong. We created Crest and Oral-B Pro-Health FOR ME with the goal of providing tweens with all the oral care protection their parents want, but in flavors and packaging designed just for them. With Pro-Health FOR ME, the battle to brush just got a little bit easier.”
Furthermore, the company says one in four parents surveyed in America say his or her kids do a “fair” or “poor” job of taking care of their own mouth, teeth, and gums. Among these parents, 70% state their kids avoid brushing and 80% state that their kids avoid flossing.
While poor oral hygiene can affect the health and well-being of a child, it also plays a role in self-esteem. Tweens who experience oral hygiene problems may feel embarrassed or experience a lack of self confidence.
“Camp Rock 2” and “Step Up 3D” actress Alyson Stoner and her mom LuAnne have partnered with Crest and Oral-B Pro-Health FOR ME to help other families work together to make healthy decisions, especially when it comes to oral health.
The Pro-Health FOR ME line consists of toothbrushes that are just the right size for older kids’ mouths, toothpaste and rinse flavors designed for tweens and floss picks that are easy to use and less messy – all in unique packaging that’s cool enough for kids eight and up.
The Pro-Health FOR ME product line includes:
Oral-B Pulsar Pro-Health FOR ME Vibrating Toothbrush: Features gentle vibrating bristles that help break up plaque between teeth for a deep clean and a pressure-sensitive split head that adjusts to the contours of kids’ teeth.
Oral-B Pro-Health FOR ME CrossAction Toothbrush: Features a combination of CrissCross bristles and a Power Tip to effectively reach and clean between the sensitive gaps kids’ 8-12 experience.
Crest Pro-Health FOR ME Fluoride Anticavity Toothpaste: Helps fight cavities, strengthens enamel and freshens breath, in a tween-approved Minty Breeze flavor.
Crest Pro-Health FOR ME Anticavity Fluoride Rinse: Reaches areas where children may have missed brushing and helps fight cavities for healthy teeth, all without the burn of alcohol.
Oral-B Pro-Health FOR ME Floss Picks: Easy to use for a more complete clean vs. brushing alone.
To help kids learn more about proper tooth brushing habits, Crest and Oral-B have created “Yuck Mouth,” an iPhone and Android app and online game.
