LISTERINE®’s new initiative highlights the importance of everyday oral care and aims to raise awareness of the growing global burden of oral diseases.
Nearly half the world’s population is affected by oral diseases – and the number of cases is rising. On this World Smile Day, LISTERINE® is launching Oral Care Counts, a multi-year education and awareness initiative to show why oral health is a critical component of overall health and how simple daily habits, including a three-step oral care routine (brushing, flossing, and rinsing), can contribute to better oral health. This multi-year education and awareness campaign aims to help more people understand the critical role oral health plays in overall health and well-being, and how realistic daily habits can facilitate prevention.
Oral Care Counts aims to bring together healthcare professionals, advocates, policymakers, local associations, and consumers to raise awareness that oral health is a vital component of overall health and well-being. This initiative encourages everyone to look beyond just smiling, to consider the health of the entire mouth, and to understand the role that brushing, flossing, and, where appropriate, using an essential oil mouthwash can play as part of a more comprehensive daily routine.
As the #1 dentist-recommended mouthwash brand* in the United States, LISTERINE® draws on more than a century of oral health research and innovation to champion a simple but important belief: a healthy mouth is an essential part of a healthy life.
A growing global challenge and shrinking room for maneuver:
The systematic review, published in The Lancet Public Health , revealed that cases of major oral diseases had increased by 3.07% in four years. These diseases include untreated caries, severe periodontitis, and total tooth loss.¹
The WHO Global Action Plan for Oral Health calls for a 10% relative reduction in the combined prevalence of major oral diseases and conditions by 2030, compared to 2019.² Global population growth and aging are key drivers of the increasing number of cases, while other pressures are more localized. In many communities, insufficient fluoride exposure, diets high in sugar, and limited access to oral health services continue to exacerbate the global burden.³ These pressures underscore the need for action on multiple levels, from access to professional care and public health measures to effective daily oral hygiene practices such as brushing, flossing, and using clinically proven essential oil mouthwash.
Prevention must be effective in real life,
JoAnn Gurenlian states.
Oral health does not exist in isolation: it is an integral part of overall health and well-being. These alarming figures highlight a health issue whose consequences extend far beyond the mouth.”
Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flossing are the basics. For those who need extra support, adding an essential oil mouthwash can be a simple 30-second third step, complementing the routine with clinically proven benefits that go beyond just brushing and flossing.”⁴–⁶
Giving daily oral care its due importance,
Oral Care Counts combines education, awareness, and collaboration to make oral health easier to understand, position it as an essential element of overall health and well-being, and make daily prevention more accessible. This initiative will also help the public understand the role mouthwash can play in a complete oral care routine.
Oral Care Counts va :
- To raise awareness of oral health as an essential component of overall health and well-being, and of the role mouthwash can play in a complete oral care routine, through webinars, training sessions and clinical guides developed for the American Dental Hygienists Association.
- Supporting healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, by providing them with evidence-based training and practical resources through partnerships such as our pharmacist development program, conducted in collaboration with the Meijer supermarket and pharmacy chain and the National Community Pharmacists Association, as we strive to reach more patients and consumers in rural communities and raise awareness of the importance of preventive oral care.
- Helping people strengthen their daily oral hygiene habits and improving access to information and preventive care through partnerships with organizations such as the National Rural Health Association and Young Minds Inspired.
This campaign reflects the belief that oral hygiene is not just about fresh breath or a neat appearance. Oral health is an essential element of overall health and well-being: a healthy mouth promotes daily comfort, self-confidence, and quality of life, and taking care of one’s mouth is an integral part of holistic personal care.
Brushing and flossing remain essential: where appropriate, adding a LISTERINE® mouthwash with essential oils as the third step in a complete routine can provide additional clinically proven benefits beyond simply brushing and flossing.⁵˒⁶
The Oral Care Counts campaign will be launched in the United States and other key markets globally, with a particular focus on prevention, affordability, and access to care.
Building on a legacy of oral health leadership
LISTERINE® has been advancing research and innovation for over 100 years to support overall oral health. Further reinforcing its commitment to meeting evolving consumer preferences, the brand launched a range of strengths earlier this year and, most recently, the new LISTERINE® Whitening Mouthwash . Designed to seamlessly integrate into the daily three-step oral care routine (brushing, flossing, and rinsing), this alcohol-free and peroxide-free mouthwash delivers optimal oral hygiene, fresh breath, and effective whitening with a gentle, tooth-strengthening formula that contains no ingredients that can cause tooth sensitivity.
Trusted by over a billion people worldwide, the brand continues to promote science-based solutions that help consumers adopt healthier oral hygiene habits on a daily basis.
Through the Oral Care Counts initiative, we’re combining hands-on education, professional guidance, and achievable daily habits to help more people take control of their oral health,” says Holly Turner, Global Vice President of LISTERINE® and BAND-AID® . “This includes helping people understand how brushing, flossing, and, where appropriate, a clinically proven essential oil mouthwash can work together to form a comprehensive three-step routine. World Smile Day is the perfect time to start a broader conversation and demonstrate why oral health is an important part of overall well-being.”
To learn more about Oral Care Counts, visit Listerine.com/OralCareCounts
About Oral Care Counts Oral Care Counts is
LISTERINE, multi-year awareness and advocacy initiative , designed to highlight oral health as an essential component of overall health and help more people take control of it through practical and effective daily habits, including the role of a clinically proven essential oil mouthwash as part of a comprehensive three-step routine, where appropriate.
This initiative mobilizes healthcare professionals, advocates, policymakers, local associations and consumers to support science-based education, strengthen daily self-care, improve understanding of the role mouthwash can play in a complete routine, and improve access to oral health information and preventive care.
For more information, visit Listerine.com/OralCareCounts
About LISTERINE® For
more than a century, LISTERINE® has been advancing research and innovation in oral health. Studies on LISTERINE® have been published in hundreds of peer-reviewed journals, demonstrating its long-standing commitment to science-based oral care. LISTERINE® is the #1 dentist-recommended mouthwash brand* in the United States and is owned by Kenvue Brands LLC, a subsidiary of Kenvue Inc.
*IQVIA ProVoice survey, February 2026 (United States).
About World Smile Day
World Smile Day® is celebrated annually on the first Friday of October. It was created in 1999 by Harvey Ball, the advertising artist who designed the first smiley face in 1963, to dedicate a day to smiling, kindness, and goodwill. His call to action, still relevant today, was: “Do an act of kindness. Help someone smile.” Following Harvey Ball’s death in 2001, the Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation was established to continue his legacy and serves as the official sponsor of World Smile Day® .
