On November 7, Colgate-Palmolive (India) teamed up with the Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry (IAPHD) and the Kalinga Institute for Social Sciences (KISS) to gather 26,382 people together to set the Guinness World Record for the most number of people brushing their teeth simultaneously at a single venue. The students, KISS staff, and children who participated in the record used Colgate Strong Teeth toothpaste and Colgate toothbrushes.
“At Colgate, we believe that everyone deserves a future they can smile about, and we bring that to life with our Keep India Smiling initiative through our sustained efforts to improve and elevate oral health in the country. Programs such as our Bright Smiles, Bright Futures, which has touched over 162 million children over the past 40 years, is a great example of this,” said Ram Raghavan, managing director of Colgate-Palmolive (India).
“While a lot has been achieved, there’s still a lot more work to be done. And, I think, occasions like today help to serve as an important reminder about the importance of oral health and its positive impact on people’s health and lives. I urge everyone to continue with good oral care habits and, as we say at Colgate, get started with a smile,” said Raghavan.
“Our purpose at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology and KISS is to nurture and provide a holistic environment for indigenous children to explore their potential and excel in academics, sports, and cocurricular activities,” said professor Achyuta Samanta, founder of KISS.
“Setting this fourth Guinness World Record is another demonstration of our commitment to teaching our students the right way to live and the correct oral care habits that will stay with them for life and help in building their overall health and well-being,” said Samanta.
“Every year, we celebrate the seventh of November as National Toothbrushing Day. This year we decided to celebrate it by setting a new Guinness World Record to raise awareness and improve oral hygiene in the country to make every Indian use a toothbrush. This record is an important milestone in the silver jubilee celebration of the Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry,” said Dr. Sabyasachi Saha, IAPHD secretary.
Colgate has been running its pan-India Bright Smiles, Bright Futures oral health education program to urban and rural schoolchildren since 1976. Launched in 2004, Colgate’s Oral Health Month offers free dental checkups to people across India, helping more than 40 million people so far.
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