Philips Sonicare Brings "Power To Kids" with the Launch of its New Philips Sonicare For Kids Power Toothbrush

STAMFORD, Conn., March 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Remember when your once happy-go-lucky toddler discovered the word "no"? It's one of the first signs of a growing need for independence. A recent survey¹ found that when it comes to daily activities kids would rather do without supervision, like getting dressed or making the bed, more than half (53 percent) are adamant about brushing their teeth independently. However, many parents have concerns that their child will miss key steps without their supervision, including not brushing for the full dental-professional recommended two minutes or not cleaning all parts of the mouth. That's why Philips Sonicare, the #1 dental professional-recommended power toothbrush brand in the U.S., is introducing the new Philips Sonicare for Kids, a rechargeable power toothbrush for kids ages 4+ that both parent and child can feel confident about.

Asserting a level of independence in various daily tasks is a natural and important part of growing up, however letting kids do things on their own, especially toothbrushing, can make parents a bit uneasy. With concerns that their child will not brush thoroughly enough, it's not surprising that nearly three-fourths (72 percent) of parents say that they still supervise this task.  Why?  When the child brushes solo, only one in three (30 percent) parents say that they are very satisfied with the results. To address these challenges, Philips Sonicare For Kids is equipped with kid-friendly features to encourage the development of healthy oral care habits and to deliver outstanding results – even when the child is brushing on his or her own.

"Parents want to make sure they are setting their child up for a lifetime of good oral health, and  Philips Sonicare For Kids gives parents peace of mind that their child's teeth and gums are getting the best care," said Boon Lai, vice president & marketing director for Philips Consumer Lifestyle. "91 percent of dental professional parents prefer Philips Sonicare For Kids for use as their children's primary toothbrush, so parents can feel good that they're giving their child the best with Philips Sonicare."

Philips is challenging parents to capture their child's quest for independence by participating in the #PowerToKids Contest on Instagram™ through April 11, where parents across the country can share comical and heartwarming moments of their children taking on new power in their daily routines (e.g., tying their shoelaces or picking out their clothes) using the hashtag #PowerToKids for the chance to win a new Philips Sonicare For Kids for their child. For details on how to enter and for the full rules and regulations, visit Philips Sonicare on Facebook.

The new Philips Sonicare For Kids is equipped with the same effective patented sonic technology found in other Philips Sonicare toothbrushes that gently drives fluid between teeth and along the gum-line, making it especially effective for kids with braces.  Unlike a manual toothbrush, which can be difficult for children to properly maneuver, Philips Sonicare For Kids delivers more than 500 brush strokes per second, removing up to 75 percent more plaque than a manual brush in hard to reach places.  It also has numerous kid-friendly features, including:

• Fun Stickers for boys and girls, allowing the child to make his or her toothbrush unique and colorful.
• KidTimer that gradually increases to two minutes to train kids to brush for the dentist-recommended time. The survey found that nearly half (48 percent) of parents would feel more confident in their child's ability to brush independently if he or she did so for the dental professional-recommended time of two minutes.
• KidPacer that provides fun sounds to encourage the child to brush their entire mouth, including upper, lower, front and back teeth.

Philips Sonicare For Kids is available now at Amazon, Target, Walmart, Meijer, Bed Bath & Beyond, Walgreen's and other retailers, for a suggested retail price of $49.99. The rechargeable power toothbrush helps kids form a lifetime of healthy oral care habits for a price tag that is less than the average cost to treat a single cavity (cost based on national average of $50).

Visit Sonicare.com for more information on Philips Sonicare for Kids and to learn about the entire range of adult Philips Sonicare power toothbrushes, and become a fan on Facebook and Twitter.

¹ORC International's CARAVAN survey January 29th - February 3rd, 2014. National margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points.   

About Royal Philips:

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people's lives through meaningful innovation in the areas of Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips posted 2012 sales of EUR 24.8 billion and employs approximately 116,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. The company is a leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as male shaving and grooming and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.

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SOURCE Royal Philips