Philips Sonicare has partnered with The Hygiene Bank to support the charity’s work tackling hygiene poverty through access to oral healthcare products. The partnership will see Philips Sonicare donate £1 of every Philips Sonicare toothbrush sale through Boots to the charity from May 29 to June 11, 2025.
The campaign follows research that has revealed 79 per cent of the public believe that people are judged for their oral hygiene and the appearance of their teeth.
The survey, conducted by Philips Sonicare, has also outlined the social impact of poor oral hygiene. The results have revealed that:
- Sixty-one per cent believe that poor oral hygiene impacts a person’s confidence
- Forty-nine per cent feel that that the effect of poor hygiene impacts an individual’s ability to have a relationship
- Forty-two per cent believe that visibly poor oral hygiene means they assume people don’t take care of themselves
- Thirty-eight per cent feel that the effects of poor oral hygiene impacts a person’s employability
- Twenty-nine per cent believe that their poor oral hygiene has stopped them going on a date or meeting new people
- Sixteen per cent believe that their poor oral hygiene has stopped them applying for a job
According to Philips Sonicare, the study shows that looking after your oral health is crucial - not only for your health, but for your employability, relationships, and confidence.
Jess Puckett, UK dental professional lead for Philips, said, “It’s important for everyone to understand how oral health challenges affect us profoundly, both physically and socially. We passionately care about equipping people with the tools and knowledge to facilitate effective and sustainable oral health routines and believe good oral health should be accessible to everyone. That’s why we have partnered with The Hygiene Bank and are keen to make a real difference to people’s oral health. We know that the Philips Sonicare toothbrush has the scope to improve oral health within weeks, but that not everyone has access to this technology.”
Extensive support
The campaign, fronted by television presenter Helen Skelton and dental specialist Nilesh Parmar, aims to highlight the challenges relating to oral health and hygiene, raise awareness of its importance and support everyone to improve the way they look after their teeth and mouth.
Helen said, “I was surprised to hear that so many people are judged for their oral hygiene and that the appearance of their teeth is impacting their confidence. It’s so sad to hear. I’m excited to be working with Philips Sonicare who is supporting The Hygiene Bank, the UK charity working to end hygiene poverty. Philips Sonicare cares about people's oral health and wants everyone to not only have access to the products they need, but also have the right knowledge and time to look after their oral health.”
Nilesh added, “As a dentist I have seen the impact of poor oral health. Looking after your oral health means fewer cavities and less complex, costly dental treatments. Research shows that 33 per cent of adults have never flossed or cleaned interdentally and 25 per cent do not brush twice per day with a fluoride toothpaste, with 66 per cent having visible plaque. These are all factors that we know not only have a severely detrimental effect on long term oral health, but wider health issues too.
“There is now a proven link between oral hygiene, gum disease and many other systemic health issues which could be prevented by good at-home oral health care. I commend Philips Sonicare for highlighting the issues relating to poor oral hygiene, and doing something to help everyone access the dental products they need.”
References available on request.
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