Mar 19, 2019

Philips encourages Singaporeans to eat their way to healthier teeth

Philips Sonicare, a Global Partner of World Oral Health Day, is raising awareness of the importance of good eating habits for a healthy mouth

Oral disease affects 3.9 billion people worldwide, with untreated tooth decay impacting almost half of the world’s population
60–90% of schoolchildren and almost all adults suffering from tooth decay worldwide
A well-balanced and healthy diet is vital for overall well-being and good oral health. The health of your teeth is influenced by the food you eat.

Singapore – This World Oral Health Day, Philips Sonicare encourages Singaporeans to develop and maintain good oral healthcare habits as well as inform them on the advantages of consuming nutritious food for healthy teeth.

Oral disease affects 3.9 billion people worldwide, with untreated tooth decay impacting almost half of the world’s population¹. Developing an understanding of good oral health from a young age is important. However, a third of parents globally find it difficult to get their children to clean their teeth regularly². With 60–90% of schoolchildren and almost all adults suffering from tooth decay worldwide³, it is more important than ever to understand the benefits of forming good eating habits and brushing routines early on in life.

“We form our feeding habits from young, but we don’t realize that our jaws too require proper stimulation to grow and develop from early on in life. Breastfeeding is a starting point in the development journey of a baby’s jaw, in addition to providing vital nutrition, increased immunity as well as forging a strong bond between mother and child. During the weaning stage, children must move on to hard, chewable foods to sustain their jaw development. However, modern lifestyles have drastically impacted our feeding habits with studies proving that the modern diet results in smaller arches and dental crowding⁴,” said Dr. Yue Weng Cheu, Clinical Director of DP Dental and DP Dental Orchard.

A well-balanced and healthy diet is vital for overall well-being and good oral health. The health of your teeth is influenced by the food you eat. Keep your oral health in the best shape and choose a healthy balanced diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean protein such as eggs, fish and chicken for essential nutrients to keep teeth enamel strong.

“Foods with high acidic content such as soft drinks, citric juices, vinegar and even white wines can harm your enamel and should be consumed in moderation. Starchy foods such as cereal, bread and biscuits form sugars and acid in the mouth. As it takes the saliva some time to buffer and neutralize these acids, frequent snacking does not allow the pH of the saliva to return to a neutral state easily, thus increasing the risk of tooth decay. Our saliva, with its anti-bacterial capabilities, is one of the body’s most effective means for protecting the enamel of the teeth against acid,” said Dr. Yue.

Foods with high acidic content such as soft drinks, citric juices, vinegar and even white wines can harm your enamel and should be consumed in moderation.

Dr. Yue

Tooth decay affects nearly 100% of adults and is the single most prevalent and preventable disease in the world5. A balanced diet, coupled with proper brushing techniques, go a long way in preventive care. Brush for at least two minutes, twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and wait at least 30 minutes to brush your teeth after eating. Regular visits to a dentist are also positive measures for early detection and treatment.

“Another habit in children that can cause tooth decay and gum disease is by breathing through the mouth, as it dries up the saliva in the mouth and causes tooth demineralization, bad breath and even malalignment of teeth. Parents who observe such habits in their children should consult a dentist for professional advice on how to manage this,” added Dr. Yue.

Philips’ year-long oral health campaign in partnership with FDI World Dental Federation - ‘Say Ahh: Act on Mouth Health’ aims to motivate people to take action in protecting their oral health and encourages them to make the connection that general health and oral health can impact one another.

“This World Oral Health Day, we want to inspire people to take charge of their oral health and help prevent oral diseases to protect their general health. Technology is providing new ways for people to care for their oral health. The Philips Sonicare range of solutions features the connected toothbrush with 3D mapping technology which allows real-time tracking of oral health progress for a professional clean in the comfort of home,” said Mr. Jinseok Chang, Philips Personal Health Leader for Singapore.

Innovations That Empower Consumers to Adopt Good Oral Health Habits

Today, innovation and technology are making it easier and more convenient for consumers to adopt good oral health habits from an early age for better longer term oral health.

Philips’ Sonicare technology provides a fully-encompassed oral healthcare solution with its latest innovation- the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart Sonic electric toothbrush with app (HX9924/46), for whiter teeth in 2 weeks.

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart electric toothbrush not only combines superior technology but through connectivity to the Philips Sonicare app via Bluetooth^®, it gives consumers a suite of information and guidance to help them to think about their overall oral health. This has transformed the Philips Sonicare app into a ‘virtual hub’ for oral healthcare, with users able to track how well they are brushing each day, set goals and focus on trouble spots, plus share their results with their dentist practitioners. The premium brush heads can also automatically select the optimal mode and intensity. The data-driven insights technology can help users make the right choices to protect their oral health and give them more of a professional clean in their own home.

The built-in smart sensor technology syncs automatically to the app, providing real time feedback on a personalized 3D Mouth Map to help guide users on their brushing technique. These sensors include:

Location sensors which show where users are brushing too much or too little for better coverage of the mouth when brushing.
Scrubbing sensors which alert users when they are brushing too hard to reduce scrubbing for best technique.
Pressure sensors which track brushing pressure and alerts when and where too much pressure is applied, to protect gums.

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart also features a SmartTimer to ensure users are brushing for the dental professional recommended time in each segment of the mouth and a BrushPacer to prompt users when it’s time for them to move to another segment of the mouth.

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart removes up to ten times more plaque than a manual toothbrush, with up to 100% better stain removal in just three days, and up to seven times better gum health in just two weeks.

Pricing and Availability

Philips products are available at leading electronics stores, major department stores and selected authorized dealers. For more information please see www.philips.com.sg/sonicare.

¹FDI World Dental Federation, 2018

²*Source: All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 11,474 adults in UK, US, Germany, France, Netherlands, South Korea, Japan, Poland. Fieldwork was undertaken between 14th-29th December, 2017. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been given an even weighting for each country to produce an ‘average’ value.

³FDI World Dental Federation, 2018

⁴https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/abcs-of-nutrition/principles-of-healthy-diets-2/

About World Oral Health Day

Celebrated annually on 20 March, World Oral Health Day (WOHD) was launched by FDI World Dental Federation to raise global awareness on the prevention and control of oral disease. The 2019 World Oral Health Day campaign ‘Act on Mouth Health’ motivates people to take charge of their oral health to prevent oral disease and protect their general health and well-being. www.worldoralhealthday.org; #WOHD19 #SayAhh

About FDI World Dental Federation

FDI World Dental Federation serves as the principal representative body for over 1 million dentists worldwide. Its membership includes some 200 national member associations and specialist groups in over 130 countries. FDI’s vision: ‘leading the world to optimal oral health’. www.fdiworldental.org; www.facebook.com/FDIWorldDentalFederation; twitter.com/worldentalfed

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2018 sales of EUR 18.1 billion and employs approximately 77,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.