Health News: Polident embarks on denture care awareness campaign

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GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), in collaboration with the Philippine Prosthodontic Society (PPS) recently (May 15) launched a metro-wide advocacy campaign to promote proper denture care among Filipinos to help them rediscover uninhibited joy and regain the confidence to eat, speak and smile. 

The latest study revealed that 9 million Filipinos wear dentures, making the Philippines the country with the highest incidence of denture wearers in Asia. Filipinos who wear dentures are mostly in the 35-69 year-old age group, wear false teeth, whether full, half, or partial.

SMILING WITH CONFIDENCE (from left); Jeoffrey Yulo, general manager of GSK Consumer Healthcare in the Philippines; Isabel Marfori, Polident product manager, Dr. Liezl Manaloto-Ceballos, president of the Philippine Prosthodontic Society; Gikki Martija, marketing director of GSK Consumer Healthcare; Heather Pelier, general manager-Elect of GSK Consumer Healthcare, and Eduardo Joseph Cimafranca III, GSK Group Product Manager

Major reasons cited are the Filipinos` very limited access to oral care, expensive dentist fees, and the lack of awareness on how oral hygiene generally affects one’s confidence and the ability to eat and speak. 

This was revealed in the study “Oral Care U&A: Market Understanding Study Middle East & Asia’’ conducted by Ipsos Marketing for GlaxoSmithKline(GSK). 

“The qualitative research titled ‘The Emerging Consumer Denture Journey,' conducted by Nick Newall and Rachel Kern for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) revealed that in the Philippines, majority of denture wearers are between 35-69 years old. Wearers have full, half, or partial dentures,’’ said Isa Marfori, GSK Polident product manager.

GSK’s Polident embarks on a campaign to educate the public on the proper maintenance of dentures to allow them to pursue regular activities such as speaking and eating without fear. 

Another study, ‘’Oral Care U&A Market Understanding Study Middle East & Asia’’ conducted in July 2014, also revealed that sixty one percent of denture wearers are female, while thirty nine percent are male. 

“The same study reported that eighty four percent of denture users reside in Metro Manila, with nine percent in Metro Cebu and six percent in Metro Davao. Fifty six percent cited careless oral regime as a reason for wearing dentures, while nineteen percent attributed wearing dentures to loosing teeth in accident, and twelve percent to illness,’’ Marfori added. 

STIGMA 

Nevertheless, a lot of Filipinos experience denture problems, resulting to loss of joy and confidence in performing daily activities such as eating, smiling, speaking and socializing. 

Dr. Danny Magtanong of the Philippine Prosthodontic Society said that over the years, there has been a stigma attached to wearing pustiso mainly because a lot of embarrassing mishaps are associated with wearing dentures. 

“It is not uncommon to hear stories of false teeth coming off while speaking or while eating. In fact, in YouTube, there are a lot of videos posted which show these embarrassing moments featuring people from all walks of life. Whose confidence wouldn’t be demolished once a denture wearer finds himself in this situation,’’ said Dr. Magtanong. 

The PPS official also noted that as a result of these humiliating situations, some denture wearers become very shy. “Others would cover their mouths while speaking, some would refuse to attend social functions. To be safe, others would not eat food that require much biting, thus they are inhibited,’’ Dr. Magtanong added. 

Evelyn Del Mundo, registrar at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), knew that the latent risk of dentures falling off could be disastrous to her reputation as a university official. “Since I face and interact with students on a daily basis, my dentures need to be solidly secure. It’s really difficult when I speak while my dentures rattle about. I especially become wary when I eat; I do not know what happens in my mouth when I chew: have the dentures fallen off? Was it food or was it my dentures?” admitted Del Mundo. 

Wearing dentures gave Lina Santiago, 32, a resident of from Mandaluyong, great relief from lacking the essential teeth to be presentable. “I could not get the job that I wanted because of my bad teeth. As soon as I got the money to finance it, I went to a dentist to have dentures fitted. True enough, I gained back confidence and more importantly, I found a satisfying job,” said Lina. 

COMPLACENT ATTITUDE 

The problems being encountered by Filipino denture wearers are mainly caused by complacency in consulting dentists and in engaging in proper denture care, the two studies confirmed. 

Dr. Magtanong said that generally, Filipino denture wearers lack knowledge and vigilance on the proper practices before wearing dentures, while wearing them, and before they go to bed at night. 

“There are responsibilities that come with wearing dentures, lack of proper maintenance measures lead to more serious problems like bad breath, swollen gums, or loose fit. While it is true that wearing dentures is tedious, a change in habits and lifestyle will help give back self-confidence to the denture wearer,” said Dr. Magtanong. 

Among these responsibilities is to make sure that the dentures are regularly and properly cleaned, and that they snugly fit in the mouth which only professional dentists can do for the patient. 

While forty nine percent of the more than 200 denture wearer-respondents in the “Oral Care U&A Market Understanding Study” have had it for five years or less, a high fifty three percent visit dentists only when they have specific problem such as broken or cracked dentures. 

“Denture wearers also lack information in the proper way to care for their dentures. For instance, sixty four percent do not remove it before going to sleep at night. By not removing dentures and soaking in proper cleansers, bacterias build up and cause more problems in the mouth,’’ the study further cited. 

Clearly, denture usage is very high but knowledge and use of products like denture adhesives and denture cleansers is low, Marfori said. 

“Denture cleansers are not very popular and most use regular toothpastes for cleaning dentures, which should not be the case because toothpaste contains abrasives that scratch dentures, leaving small holes where bacteria can collect and grow. Toothpaste also contains bleaching chemicals that may damage the dentures and whiten its pink portion,’’ Dr. Magtanong stated. 

On the other hand, denture adhesives usage is low because denture wearers do not see the importance of having snugly fit dentures. “As much as possible, dentures should be firm and stable in the mouth to stop food particles from getting into the dentures,’’ Dr. Magtanong advised. 

GSK, one of the largest global healthcare companies and is currently one of the key players in the oral care strategy, has come up with Polident, an ally of denture wearers in maintaining and caring for false teeth to give back to denture wearers their self-confidence and allows them to pursue regular activities such as speaking and eating without fear or shame. 

Polident is the leading denture care brand in the Philippines. The “Take the Polident Challenge!” PR campaign is part of the brand integration program that will alleviate the perceived complacency of Filipino denture wearers on their dental health. In collaboration with Philippine Prosthodontic Society (PPS), this campaign aims to erase the stigma of social, emotional and physical tortures brought about by improper denture care and will feature GSK’s Polident Denture Adhesive Cream and Polident Denture Cleanser. 

Polident Denture Adhesive Cream, for instance, helps secure dentures properly. Applying Polident Denture Adhesive Cream on the dentures once a day helps fasten it securely for up to twelve hours. 

Polident Denture Cleanser, on the other hand, is formulated to clean dentures, remove stains and kill 99.9 percent of odor-causing particles. 

Polident dares denture wearers to live a healthy life free of inhibitions by taking the Polident Challenge. For free samples and delivery nationwide of both Polident Denture Cleanser and Polident Denture Adhesive Cream, call 924-2475.

Polident Mounts First-of-its-Kind Installation in Manila 

• Polident mounts bigger-than-life inflatable installation in Metro Manila. 

• The installation depicts a denture biting onto a corn cob, aims to highlight the physical tortures experienced daily by denture wearers; which according to dental health professionals is part of the bigger torture problems – emotional and social. 

• There will be three scheduled installations in three busy locations. 

To create awareness about its metro-wide advocacy campaign promoting proper denture care among Filipinos and help denture wearers regain the confidence to eat, speak and smile, Polident, a product of GlaxoSmithKline, unveils a first-of-its-kind installation on May 14, 2015, at the Palacio de Maynila in Malate, Manila. 

The installation is part of “Take the Polident Challenge!” campaign which will run a series of educational activities in Metro Manila such as free denture consultations and fun denture torture tests like corn-eating contests and videoke contests. 

Towering at 30 feet, the inflatable installation depicts a giant denture biting onto a corn cob to highlight the physical tortures experienced daily by denture wearers, which according to dental health professionals are part of bigger emotional and social problems. 

“Wearing dentures is difficult and what Polident aims to do is take away the worry that it would move, fall out, and cause embarrassment. Dentures should not take away the fun out of enjoying their favorite food or singing like their favorite idols. Polident thus challenges denture wearers to do their everyday activities like eating, speaking and smiling with confidence,” says Isa Marfori, GSK Polident product manager. 

The Polident installation was inaugurated at the Rajah Sulayman in Malate, Manila on May 15-17. Other schedules were on May 22 to 24 at the Plaza Miranda, Quiapo, Manila and on May 29 to 31 at Tutuban Market.

Polident dares denture wearers to live a healthy life free of inhibitions by taking the Polident Challenge. For free samples and delivery nationwide of both Polident Denture Cleanser and Polident Denture Adhesive Cream, call 924-2475.

“How Deep Is Your Love” Iconic Song to be Part of Saturday Night Fever Asian Tour

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“How Deep Is Your Love”, the 1977 mega-hit by the Bee Gees, will be released as a single that will be part of an original cast recording of the Asian Tour of the stage musical version of Saturday Night Fever.

The Asian tour will have stops in Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore and will star Brandon Rubendall who will play Tony Manero and Jenna Rubaii who will play his dance partner and eventual love interest Stephanie Mangano. The two will also perform the song on the musical’s official soundtrack (OST). The Manila leg, mounted by the Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group (ATEG) in close coordination with the Robert Stigwood Organization, will have performances from July 3 to 26 at the Theatre, Solaire Resort and Casino.

Everyone knows the song well. Originally intended for Yvonne Elliman (who later recorded "If I Can't Have You) instead won an award for Best Pop Performance by a Group at the 20th Grammy Awards held in February 1978 and topped the Billboard Hot 100 on 24 December 1977 (becoming the first of six consecutive US number-one hits) and stayed in the Top 10 for a then-record 17 weeks. It also ranked number 375 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

In a 2001 interview the Bee Gees'did for Billboard magazine, Barry Gibb reportedly said that "How Deep Is Your Love" was his favorite Bee Gees song.

Said Barry: "A lot of the textures you hear in the song were added on later. We didn't change any lyrics, mind you, but the way we recorded it was a little different than the way we wrote in terms of construction. A little different for the better, I think, the title 'How Deep Is Your Love' we thought was perfect because of all the connotations involved in that sentence, and that was simply it.”

That iconic song will make itself heard again to a whole new generation of listeners once the Asian Tour of Saturday Night Fever takes off.

Marie Rose, Rafa Siguion-Reyna, Mikkie Bradshaw, Jamie Wilson and Carla Guevara-Laforteza are also joining the show’s 20-strong cast.

Broadway choreographer Vince Pesce, Tony Award-winning scenic designer David Gallo, original lighting designer of “Saturday Night Fever” on Broadway Paul Miller, costume designer Eric Pineda and musical director Ceejay Javier are also part of the creative team.

The Manila crew is working in close coordination with the Robert Stigwood Organization whose founder, Mr. Stigwood, produced the original Saturday Night Fever film and its various stage incarnations from 1998 to the present. 

Director Bobby Garcia reveals: “We’re using a brand-new script (originally written by Nan Knighton, in collaboration with Arlene Phillips, Paul Nicholas and Mr. Stigwood) that brings back a lot of the grittiness and the coming-of-age in a tough world aspect of the movie. It’s edgy and exciting. It’s a completely conceptualized production.”

He is excited that the famous movie musical is being re-invented for a stage audience across Asia, and that “How Deep Is Your Love” will be heard again via this new cast recording of the stage version.

“We have a first-rate creative team and have assembled an amazing cast,” he says. “I think the quality of the show will speak for itself once it’s up on its feet. This production will be everything Saturday Night Fever should be.”

For tickets and more information, call ATEG at (632)650 5144 or (63917) 8381534; visit TicketWorld at ticketworld.com.ph.

Like ATEG on facebook.com/ATEGasia.

DepEd launches the first Tboli Senior High School

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Lake Sebu, South Cotabato—After extensive consultations and planning with the indigenous peoples’ community, local government, and education partners, the Department of Education (DepEd) established the first Tboli Senior High School.

Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC said, “This is the first of its kind. We endeavored to make sure that the curriculum as well as its [senior high school] offerings are in line with Indigenous Peoples culture and language. Ang eskwelahan dapat ang link between culture and development.”

He said, “Ito po ang kauna-unahang Senior High School na sinikap ng DepEd—kasama ang Ateneo de Davao—na kunsultahin at pakinggan ang mga hinaing at mga pangarap ng ating mga katutubo.”

He emphasized the need of the education system to be inclusive and centered on the needs and context of the learners, saying, “We are a nation in search of who we are. Until we are able to return to the roots of our indigenous peoples, we will never be able to find our soul.”

“If we are serious about being learner-centered, we should also be serious about being culturally sensitive,” Luistro added.

Luistro also dedicated the launching of the Tboli Senior High School to the late Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan awardee Lang Dulay, saying that “we need to understand and to nurture of our culture so that the works of Lang Dulay will not be lost with her and that we can pass on her dreams and arts to the next generation.”

Tboli Senior High School (TSHS), which will be initially lodged at Lake Sebu National High School with approximately 45 students for its early implementation of Grade 11 in SY 2015-2016, will be offering technical-vocational track, focusing on Sustainable Community Resources Management with two options: Agriculture and Ecotourism.

Active engagement of the indigenous community

Datu Benito Blonto, chair of the Municipal Tribal Council of Lake Sebu, said that proper consultations and coordination with the parents and students in the Tboli community, Lake Sebu NHS, and other education stakeholders have been crucial in creating the program.

Through consultations with Tboli elders, teachers, parents, students, and other education stakeholders, TSHS came up with its aspirations for its students that seek to uphold, preserve, and promote the Tboli cultural identity through an inclusive, participative, environmentally-friendly, and quality culture-based education.

Blonto said the program will be beneficial to the students, adding, “Pagkatapos nila sa K to 12, makakapasok sila sa employment dahil may skills and qualifications na sila. Sa pamamagitan ng programang ito, ide-develop natin ang skills ng mga estudyante base sa kultura. Sasanayin sila sa ecotourism at paggamit ng resources na mayroon sa lugar.”

The program intends to create graduates who are capable of developing and managing their own resources, creating sustainable livelihood and opportunities for the Tboli community, where the school is situated. Through the program, graduates will be equipped with entrepreneurial and management skills to prepare them for small-scale business ventures or communal cooperative management.

The development of the TSHS is an initiative being undertaken by DepEd in partnership with Ateneo de Davao University, particularly in the areas of curriculum development, teacher training and mentoring, and research.

Max’s opens third store in BGC All-time favorite restaurant opens new branch in Stopover Pavilion

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Max’s Group Inc. (MGI) has opened its newest Max’s Restaurant at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig as part of its local expansion strategy for the next two months, the group recently announced.

Robert Trota, President and CEO of Max’s Group said the BGC branch, its third in Global City, gives the company a better opportunity to serve more customers in the booming mixed-use development area.

“BGC is a huge market for both commercial and residential. The opening of a third branch will give us better opportunity to serve the untapped market of the area,” Trota said.

The latest branch, which opened on April 21, is located at Units 116 and 117 of the Bonifacio Stop Over along 31st Street corner Rizal Drive 2nd Avenue.

“With the latest BGC branch, Max’s continues to expand and serve its all-time favorite recipes to more Filipino casual diners,” Trota said.

The restaurant, a dine-in and take out branch, will have a capacity of 82 seats.

Aside from the newest branch, the Max’s Group is also set to open three more restaurant outletswithin the month as part of its aggressive expansion program.

Upcoming branches in the pipeline are the Kapitolyo Branch, targeted for opening on May 20; the Hampton Branch, targeted for opening on May 30; the Cauayan, Isabela Branch, targeted for opening on May 30 as well and the Max’s Santiago Branch, targeted for opening on June 1.

In all, the Max’s Group is targeting to open 80 to 90 new stores this year across itsinternational and local brands.

Max’s Group merged with Pancake House, Inc. in 2014 to create the country's largest restaurant group.

The combined entity now has more than 10 household brands in the food business. These include Max's Restaurant, Max's Corner Bakery, Krispy Kreme, Jamba Juice, Pancake House, Yellow Cab, Le Coeur De France, Dencio's, Teriyaki Boy, Singkit, Kabisera, and Maple.

From January to April, the Company opened 10 outlets (7 local and 3 overseas) and discontinued 7 underperforming stores. As of April, the Max’s Group has a total of 543 branches.

Despite the closures, its store net total increased along revenues as the group reported pro-forma revenues of P9.55 billion in 2014 with a core net income of P154.1 million. 

Cebuana Lhuillier teams up with Youth Focus: Conducts sports clinics for Smokey Mountain kids

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Cebuana Lhuillier, in partnership with Young Focus For Education and Development Foundation, recently held a three-day sports clinic for young adults from the Smokey Mountain site at the Redemption Ranch in Lipa, Batangas.

The activity aimed to promote a healthy lifestyle through sports and healthy nutrition, and expose the participants to sports they are not familiar with.

"We are happy to work with Young Focus in conducting this activity for the children of Smokey Mountain. I am a firm believer of the benefits of sports, that is why I have been supporting different sports in the country through Cebuana Lhuillier Sports. I am interested in discovering diamonds in the rough, young athletes with a lot of potential, who can eventually bring glory to the Philippines," said Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier.

“The same principle applies here: giving these children the opportunity to experience the discipline of sports would enable them to find their potential, and, hopefully, it will bring out their potential for sports and help them develop not just their skills but themselves in general,” Lhuillier added.

Members from the Cebuana Lhuillier Gems and the Blu Girls, the national women's softball team, led 215 high school and college students to basic basketball and softball exercises and drills.

A coach from the Blu Girls, the national women's softball team, leads the warm-up sessions with participants of the three-day sports clinic organized by Cebuana Lhuillier and Youth Asia Foundation for young adults from the Smokey Mountain area, held in Lipa, Batangas.

This activity is just one of the many sports development initiatives by Cebuana Lhuillier. Through Cebuana Lhuillier Sports, the company supports grassroots development in softball, tennis, and basketball through various clinics and support to tournaments, such as inter-secondary softball tournaments and national age-group tennis circuits.

The participants also joined clinics for badminton, volleyball, and arnis, among other sports.

"I was truly grateful seeing the students from the Smokey Mountain area enjoying sports so much. I am grateful for the teams from Cebuana Lhuiller for their participation as they gave the clinics: they were enjoying it as much as our kids! It was a privilege having them with us," said Young Focus Managing Director Paul van Wijgerden.

Moala Tautuaa of the Cebuana Lhuillier Gems watches a young participant lay up the ball during three-day sports clinic organized by Cebuana Lhuillier and Youth Asia Foundation for young adults from the Smokey Mountain area, held in Lipa, Batangas.

Young participants line up to start some warm up drills to start the badminton clinic during three-day sports clinic organized by Cebuana Lhuillier and Youth Asia Foundation for young adults from the Smokey Mountain area, held in Lipa, Batangas.