Mentadent P to give school children a reason to smile
Social media helps children smile again.
Mentadent P will be donating 76 889 toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste to underprivileged school children after a social media campaign started on World Oral Health Day (20 March) gained 76 889 pledges through social media engagement.
The hashtag #EverySmileMatters trended on Twitter on World Oral Health Day after media personalities such as Lorna Maseko, Boity, Maps Maponyane and Amanda du-Pont amongst others posted pictures with Dr Smile.
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Mentadent P is part of the National Schools Hygiene and Sanitation Programme in partnership with the Department of Basic Education which promotes good hygiene amongst schoolchildren.
“Through this partnership, we have the chance to really impact South African children at a large scale and impact their hygiene and sanitation habits in a positive way to improve their health, school attendance and experience,” said Keegan Alicks, Marketing Director of Personal Care at Unilever South Africa.
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The company is teaching learners in 15 000 schools the importance of brushing their teeth everyday to avoid tooth decay which can have devastating effects. Tooth decay that is left untreated leads to difficulties eating and sleeping and may also have an effect on a child’s growth according to studies.
The importance of this campaign cannot be overstated as studies have shown that 60% of primary school children in children in South Africa suffer from tooth decay, a large part of which goes untreated.
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This results in absenteeism which impacts children’s academic performance. Celebrity dentist Dr. Smile encouraged more South Africans to like, comment and share posts related to the hashtag in order to assist more children.
“It’s never been so easy for South Africans to help one another in the fight against tooth decay. We all have the ability, simply by posting a picture and sharing our smiles, to help someone else do the same, smile,” Dr. Smile said.
He further noted the fact that tooth decay is common and widespread and should be met with an equally plentiful response.
“The fight against such a widespread disease needs an even more widespread response, and that’s why we need all of South Africa’s help. Together we can improve the lives of so many families, together we can make a difference,” added Dr Smile.
