Procter & Gamble (P&G) Oral Care seeks to advance healthy oral care habits to transform people’s health while reducing impact on the planet through its new sustainability commitments. The platform, “Healthy Smiles. Healthy Lives. Healthy Planet.”, guides its oral care brands, including Oral-B and Crest, to help unlock the lifechanging power of healthy oral care habits for all.
The World Health Organization estimates oral diseases affect 3.58 billion people, with cavities being the most prevalent issue. Both Oral-B and Crest are working to educate and enable 2 billion people to adopt healthy oral care habits by 2030, reducing their environmental footprint and enabling responsible consumption along the way.
“We are on a mission to help more people around the world understand the connection of their oral care routine to their overall health and how small changes can make a big impact,” said Alexandra Vegas, Senior Vice President Global Oral Care, P&G. “As we encourage everyone to brush twice daily for two minutes, we’ll continue to introduce products that make people want to build those healthy habits.”
Oral-B and Crest will focus their efforts on education and advocacy; enabling access to dental products and services; and innovation that makes the adoption of healthy habits enjoyable. Oral-B’s free Disney Magic Timer app, for example, is making 90% of kids brush for longer, establishing healthy brushing habits early on in childhood.
Healthy Habits for People
To drive healthy habits for people, Oral-B and Crest will improve access to oral care solutions and education to establish better oral health habits and continue to provide safe products with transparency.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when people couldn’t visit their dentist, the brands helped protect oral health through educational articles, videos and livestreaming sessions. In the U.S., they have donated millions in product and dental care through their partnerships with Feeding America, Dental Lifeline Network and America’s Tooth Fairy. Oral-B and Crest will continue to partner with dental professionals, retailers and consumers to make progress.
Healthy Habits for the Planet
To drive healthy habits for the planet, Oral-B and Crest will encourage and enable responsible consumption by making their packaging 100% recyclable, starting with the transition to recyclable toothpaste tubes in Europe, the U.S. and Canada by 2025.
P&G Oral Care will also reduce its environmental footprint and strive for circular solutions while working with suppliers to secure transparent and responsible sourcing. Specific goals include reducing greenhouse gas emissions in operations and improving water efficiency by 35% in P&G sites by 2030.
Today P&G Oral Care factories send zero manufacturing waste to landfill globally, and all U.S. and European sites purchase 100% renewable electricity. The company has improved energy efficiency across its global Oral Care production sites by nearly 20% since 2010.
These goals are rooted in P&G's Ambition 2030 Sustainability Program, as well as three United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: Good Health and Wellbeing, Responsible Consumption and Production, and Reduced Inequality.
“We take a holistic approach in the way we design our oral health innovation, considering both the health of people and our planet,” said Lisa Ernst, Senior Vice President Oral Care R&D, P&G. “For example, our Oral-B electric toothbrushes help people brush better for longer and reduce oral care issues such as gum inflammation. For people who prefer to use manual toothbrushes, Oral-B Clic features replaceable toothbrush heads that reduce plastic waste by 60%.”
Visit the Oral-B website for more details on “Healthy Smiles. Healthy Lives. Healthy Planet.”
About P&G:
P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit https://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands.
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