Pepsodent targets 3m Nigerians with dental health support

Pepsodent has launched a dental health initiative, aiming to reach three million Nigerians in 2025, exceeding the 2.4 million achieved in 2024.

The initiative, ‘Talk to A Dentist’, marking the 2025 World Oral Health Day is run in collaboration with the Nigeria Dental Association.

Mary Akindola, brand manager for Pepsodent, highlighted the importance of good oral hygiene habits, particularly among children.

She stressed the need for brushing day and night for at least two minutes and stated that Pepsodent’s mission is to drive behavioural change, ensuring that ‘brushing twice daily becomes a universal habit’.

Akindola referenced World Health Organization (WHO) data, which indicates that half of the world’s population suffers from oral health conditions. She noted that many people do not seek treatment until their condition becomes severe.

She noted that ‘tooth decay is widespread, with two billion adults affected by cavities,’ and warned of the long-term consequences of untreated cases.

“In 2025, our goal is to expand Pepsodent Schools Program to reach 2.7 million pupils while dental camp activations are projected to reach 300,000 Nigerians, targeting key regions in the north, west, and east,” she said.

Pepsodent has set a goal to expand its schools’ program to reach 2.7 million pupils in 2025. The brand’s dental camps will also be activated in 20 states and the Federal Capital Territory, targeting 300,000 Nigerians in the north, west, and east.

The identified states for these activations include Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Enugu, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Anambra, Cross River, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Borno, Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger, and the FCT.

“In addition to the dental camps, Pepsodent will reach 30,000 pupils with oral health education and oral screening, across 50 schools in Lagos, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Enugu, and Abuja, in celebration of the World Oral Health Day,” she said.

Uchenna Nwakanma, Personal Care Research & Development head for Africa at Unilever, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to improving oral health awareness and increasing access to dental care. He noted that Pepsodent’s activities over the past five years have reached 640,433 Nigerians.

Since its inception, the Pepsodent Schools Program has reached 9.1 million pupils in Nigeria and is projected to reach 11.8 million by the end of 2025.

Elias Emedom, president of the Nigerian Dental Association, acknowledged the impact of poor awareness and limited access to dental care on the increasing burden of oral diseases in Nigeria.

He emphasised the link between oral health and mental well-being and expressed the association’s commitment to promoting oral health in collaboration with government agencies and healthcare providers.

Gloria Uzoigwe, director of the Dentistry Division at the Federal Ministry of Health, highlighted the government’s efforts to improve oral health policy.

She commended Unilever for its partnership, stating that “public-private collaboration is essential in achieving common healthcare goals.”

She expressed gratitude to all stakeholders, saying that “collective action would ensure a healthier Nigeria with better oral healthcare access.”