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Unilever Oral Care research and Symposia at the FDI World Dental Federation Congress

We have a deep and long-standing commitment to science, for the future of oral health. Our own scientists run large research programmes, often working together with world-leading academic experts. Development of the highest quality products is a major focus, but understanding how to help people adopt the best oral hygiene behaviour and habits is also important.

We’ve brought together experts on several occasions to discuss these topics in the scientific symposia at the FDI World Dental Federation Annual World Dental Congress. Scientific papers have also been written, peer-reviewed and published in the International Dental Journal.

You can read some of these articles here, where they have been made freely available.

From Symposium in 2000 ’Creating a Successful Practice: New Ways to Motivate your Patients‘

’Patient compliance with oral hygiene regimens: A behavioural self-regulation analysis with implications for technology‘ (Ramsay, 2000). A review of tooth-brushing behaviour and ways of providing patients with feedback.

’An intervention programme to establish regular tooth brushing: Understanding parents’ beliefs and motivating children’ (Pine et al, 2000). A key research paper showing the benefits of twice daily brushing with fluoridated toothpaste on cavity development, with some tips on what may successfully promote this tooth brushing behaviour in general dental practice.

’The relevance of behavioural sciences in dental practice’ (Schou, 2000). A review that shows how behavioural sciences can be used to help create a successful dental practice, benefitting patients and dental professionals.

From Symposium in 2007 ’Changing Behaviour for Better Oral Health’

’Multi-function toothpastes for better oral health: A behavioural perspective’ (Stamm, 2007). A review that pulls together the scientific background and technological advances in the development of toothpaste.

’Tooth brushing as routine behaviour’ (Aunger, 2007). A review that gives the science behind routines and explains the relevance of motivating families rather than just individuals to brush their teeth.

’Designing school programmes to be effective vehicles for changing oral hygiene behaviour’ (Pine, 2007). Evidence-based guidance on how to increase successful uptake of twice-daily tooth brushing with fluoridated toothpaste through educational programmes in schools.

From Symposium in 2008 ‘Design for Behaviour Change and Better Oral Care’

’Tooth brushing behaviour in Europe: Opportunities for dental public health’ (Eaton and Carlile, 2008). An overview of the epidemiological trends in oral disease and reported tooth brushing habits in Europe, together with a view of what needs to be done to improve the situation.

’Getting the message across to periodontitis patients: The role of personalised biofeedback’ (Chapple and Hill, 2008). A review discussing how clinicians can improve the impact of their oral health messages to patients using personalised biofeedback, available through novel technologies.

’Designing interventions to improve tooth brushing’ (Claessen et al, 2008). An outline of the science behind Unilever Oral Care’s approach to oral health-related behaviour change, with examples ranging from technology for individual use to mass-market communications.

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