The
Department of Health presents an alarming statistic that says by the age of 70, Filipinos will only have 7 natural teeth remaining -- even with most Filipinos brushing their teeth regularly.
Brushing alone cleans only up to 25% of the mouth, leaving surfaces where germs linked to
plaque buildup, cavities, and gum problems can remain. Yet for many Filipinos, brushing is still considered a complete oral care routine. Brushing focuses mainly on the teeth, while germs can persist on the tongue, cheeks, gums, and other areas a toothbrush cannot fully reach.
This
Oral Health Month,
Listerine is addressing this gap with a clear message: brushing is only the first step. Through its
“Brushing Lang? Kulang! Wash Your Mouth with Listerine!” campaign, the brand encourages Filipinos to complete their routine with
Listerine Total Care. To drive broader awareness, the brand rolled out of home placements in high traffic areas including Taft Avenue, España Boulevard, and the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), bringing the message to commuters and everyday passersby.
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| ad placements in high traffic areas |
Completing the clean with Listerine Total Care Zero
Toothbrushes play a vital role in cleaning tooth surfaces, but oral health extends beyond teeth. Areas around the gumline, inner cheeks, and tongue can harbor bacteria that brushing alone may not fully address. This is where rinsing becomes an essential step in achieving a more complete clean.
Miggy Gamboa, Marketing Manager of Kenvue Philippines, shares:
Oral care is not just about teeth. It is about the whole mouth. Brushing is a strong foundation, but it does not address every surface where germs can remain. Adding Listerine Total Care helps elevate a basic routine into a more complete daily habit.
Designed virtually clean the whole mouth and deliver 5x more cleaning power versus brushing alone,
Listerine Total Care Zero, helps remove germs associated with common oral health concerns and supports overall mouth protection when used after brushing. Plus, it has a mild taste.
While brushing lays the groundwork, rinsing helps extend protection by reaching more areas inside the mouth. Together, brushing and rinsing create a more comprehensive daily routine. On TikTok, Listerine launched a
#WashYourMouthWithListerine filter to help Filipinos see why bitin ang brushing, sparking over 6,000 posts. Try the filter for yourself on Tiktok.
Many Filipinos unknowingly walk around with a dirty mouth, even if they brush. But what does a 25% clean mouth really look like? During oral health month,
Listerine partnered with
Watsons and
Robinsons Supermarket to pull a prank to show Filipinos what an incomplete clean can look like in a way most can relate to -- a dirty pair of shoes. Influencers
Arshie Larga and
Charuth created a fake shoe cleaning business to show shoppers brushing doesn’t give a full clean. Relating the dirty shoe to their teeth, this was truly an eye-opening prank.
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| Arshie and Charuth pulling a fake shoe cleaning prank |
Get Pocket-Sized Clean On-The-Go
Rounding out the campaign,
Listerine introduced the new
On-The-Go Sachets, now available in 7-Eleven and select drugstores such as Mercury Drug. Listerine partners with popular Car & Bike transport services to help give access to the new Listerine Sachets. Even if on the way to a meeting, a date, or packing for a trip, Listerine makes it easier for Filipinos get a pocket-sized clean on-the-go.
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| Listerine On-The-Go |
Listerine Total Care is available at leading supermarkets, drugstores, and online shopping platforms nationwide. For more information, visit Listerine’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ListerinePhilippines/)
