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Pepsodent, from leading toothpaste manufacturer Unilever, has partnered with the South African Dental Association to launch an educational campaign, focussing on twice daily brushing with a fluoride toothpaste, in school children in Limpopo’s Vhembe district.

A national children's oral health survey, conducted in South Africa between July 1999 and June 2002, revealed that only 39.7% of 6 year olds were cavity-free, well below the goal of 50% set by the Department of Health for 6 year old children. The survey also revealed that children in the Limpopo Province had the poorest levels of oral hygiene.

Given these research findings, Pepsodent, together with the South African Dental Association (SADA) and the FDI World Dental Federation, has undertaken to carry out a quarter of a million rand pilot project targeting two Limpopo schools. Through this initiative, some 3 000 school children will be educated and encouraged to brush twice daily with a fluoride toothpaste in order to reduce the number of cavities and improve overall oral hygiene, as this is the single most important action one can take to improve oral health. The first of these initiatives is due to commence in November 2012.