Colgate-Palmolive announced recently that since its inception in 1991, its premier oral health programme, Bright Smiles, Bright Futures, has impacted over 2 billion children and their families globally.

In India, the programme has already impacted more than 185 million families and children. Colgate stated that in order to increase access to oral health education, it is collaborating with the education and healthcare agencies in states including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Assam, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Goa.

The company wants to reach over 10 million more children in India annually. In schools and communities, the programme distributes oral hygiene kits, conducts free dental tests, and encourages regular brushing habits. In India, oral health is still a serious yet sometimes disregarded problem, particularly for young people. High rates of gum disease and tooth decay have been exacerbated by socioeconomic disparities and a lack of awareness. Colgate stated that cooperation between public and private partners, as well as preventive care, is necessary to address these issues.

The business is dedicated to helping India transition from reactive to preventative healthcare, according to Shilpashree Muniswamappa, director of ESG and communications at Colgate-Palmolive (India).

Through strong partnerships with the state’s education and healthcare departments, our Bright Smiles, Bright Futures programme is a living example of how group efforts can raise awareness and spur significant, long-lasting behavioural change, the speaker said in a statement. According to Colgate, the foundation of BSBF is an award-winning curriculum created in collaboration with specialists in global health and education. It is available in over 30 languages and has been incorporated into educational institutions across a number of nations. The initiative reached 150 million more youngsters globally in 2024 alone.

More than five million children in the Philippines now receive oral health education because of collaborations with community nurses and schools. Over 34,000 students in Kenya are currently enrolled in daily supervised brushing sessions in schools. Brushing twice a day is one of the lifelong oral health behaviours that BSBF helps instil, according to Colgate. A child’s first toothbrush is also provided by the programme in many towns, and extra brushes are frequently given to family members. According to the organisation, even a tiny alteration in domestic routines can have a big impact.

Colgate is incorporating hygiene education within the BSBF framework in addition to oral care. Handwashing education has been incorporated into oral health curricula in a number of nations in an effort to lower the spread of disease among young people.

The business added that it would keep expanding the initiative in India’s rural and urban areas to guarantee that all kids had access to information about preventive oral health. The business stressed that having healthier smiles promotes long-term communal well-being in addition to confidence.