Buddies toothpaste helping make a difference to those with special needs
Sometimes, I’m reminded that although Buddies toothpaste products are aimed at children, people will generally make their own minds up about how a product is useful to them.
I was contacted some time ago by an NHS Trust Oral Healthcare Team Lead who explained she provides oral healthcare training for staff in care homes for the elderly. Whilst providing this training she’s always offered to attempt to provide oral healthcare for residents that are uncooperative, usually residents with advanced dementia.
Having used our toothpastes successfully when providing this care, she wanted to be able to leave a pump dispenser of the toothpaste with certain residents to see how it would work long term to assist with cooperation. Hence she approached Buddies back in February to help the trial by providing samples, which we were glad to do.
Recently we heard about how the trial is progressing and in summary it’s going amazingly well. Their main conclusion so far is that when providing oral care within elderly care homes and residential homes for people with physical/ learning disabilities, doing everything you can to make mouth care as pleasant as possible is the secret to getting cooperation from residents who have previously been very difficult.
The NHS Trust concerned wish to remain anonymous but the Team Lead involved provided this quote:
“The reaction I am getting from people with dementia, people who are confined to bed within a nursing home, people with learning disabilities and people with cerebral palsy are amazing. I did not dream when I started this project that I would be able to make such a difference.”
To me, it makes total sense and really fits in with our Buddies mission that making anything more pleasant will make it more acceptable and easier to adopt as a habit.
Anecdotally I’ve also had people approach me at shows saying they know many people with special needs have an issue with existing flavour toothpaste.
It’s genuinely given the Buddies toothpaste team a huge boost to know we’re helping, perhaps in a slightly broader way than we realised.
