Crest® and Oral-B® Introduce Pro-Health FOR ME(TM) -- The Newest Trend in Tween Oral Care

CINCINNATI, Aug. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- As kids hit their "tween" years, they begin to develop their own personal style in clothes, music, food, hobbies -- even their oral care. That is why Crest® and Oral-B® are proud to announce the launch of Pro-Health FOR ME™: the FIRST AND ONLY complete line of oral care products for tweens (kids eight and up), created to protect the areas dentists check in kids -- in the flavors and designs older children will like.

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"As tweens age and become more independent, they develop their own unique oral care needs," says Kelly Heaps, Brand Manager, Procter & Gamble. "We found that adult toothbrushes were not always the best size for older children's mouths and adult rinse and toothpaste flavors were often too strong. We created Crest and Oral-B Pro-Health FOR ME with the goal of providing tweens with all the oral care protection their parents want, but in flavors and packaging designed just for them. With Pro-Health FOR ME, the battle to brush just got a little bit easier."

Oral health is an important issue particularly for kids in their tween and teen years. Tooth decay is still recognized as the most common chronic disease affecting children in the United States(1), and 51 million hours of school are lost each year due to dental-related illnesses(2). Furthermore, one in four parents surveyed in America say his or her kids do a "fair" or "poor" job of taking care of their own mouth, teeth, and gums.(3)  Among these parents, 70% state their kids avoid brushing and 80% state that their kids avoid flossing.(4)

While poor oral hygiene can affect the health and well-being of a child, it also plays a role in self-esteem. Tweens who experience oral hygiene problems may feel embarrassed or experience a lack of self confidence.  

Parents can help their children avoid these issues by helping them establish healthy routines, but as tweens develop their own tastes and style it can be difficult for parents and children to see eye to eye.  

"Camp Rock 2" and "Step Up 3D" actress Alyson Stoner and her mom LuAnne understand that an open line of communication is crucial for parents and kids to develop lifelong healthy routines.  They've partnered with Crest and Oral-B Pro-Health FOR ME to help other families work together to make healthy decisions, especially when it comes to oral health.

"As a mom, I know how important it is to build a strong and healthy foundation during these crucial adolescent years, which is why I make sure Alyson has the right tools from her nutrition, fitness and even her oral health," says LuAnne, Alyson Stoner's mother. "We chose Pro-Health FOR ME because Alyson actually enjoys using the products, and I like them because I know she is receiving the protection she needs for a healthy mouth."

"As a young performer, I understand the importance of having a healthy smile, but I didn't always take the time to brush and floss properly," says Alyson Stoner. "Now, I actually enjoy and make it a priority to take care of my oral health. With the Crest and Oral-B Pro-Health FOR ME collection, I like using the products because they come in fun flavors, cool packaging and are super easy to use, plus Mom is happy she doesn't have to remind me to brush my teeth!"

The Pro-Health FOR ME line consists of toothbrushes that are just the right size for older kids' mouths, toothpaste and rinse flavors designed for tweens and floss picks that are easy to use and less messy – all in unique packaging that's cool enough for kids eight and up.

The Pro-Health FOR ME product line includes:

• Oral-B Pulsar™ Pro-Health FOR ME Vibrating Toothbrush: Features gentle vibrating bristles that help break up plaque between teeth for a deep clean and a pressure-sensitive split head that adjusts to the contours of kids' teeth.
• Oral-B Pro-Health FOR ME CrossAction Toothbrush: Features a combination of CrissCross® bristles and a Power Tip® to effectively reach and clean between the sensitive gaps kids' 8-12 experience.
• Crest Pro-Health FOR ME Fluoride Anticavity Toothpaste: Helps fight cavities, strengthens enamel and freshens breath, in a tween-approved Minty Breeze flavor.
• Crest Pro-Health FOR ME Anticavity Fluoride Rinse: Reaches areas where children may have missed brushing and helps fight cavities for healthy teeth, all without the burn of alcohol.
• Oral-B Pro-Health FOR ME Floss Picks: Easy to use for a more complete clean vs. brushing alone.

To help kids learn more about proper tooth brushing habits, Crest and Oral-B have created "Yuck Mouth," an iPhone and Android app and online game. For more information, visit: www.crestprohealth.com.

Twitter hashtag: #prohealth4me

About Procter & Gamble

Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®.

The P&G community includes approximately 127,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

SOURCE P&G