CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) is pleased to announce that Oral-B, Blend-a-Med and Crest have once again teamed up to help dentists achieve the best oral health for the athletes of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. As part of this dedicated partnership, Oral-B, Blend-a-Med and Crest will support SOCOG by providing staff uniforms, oral care products and educational materials in the dental clinics located in each of the three Olympic Winter Games villages. These facilities will provide dental screenings, routine dental care, emergency care and products for athletes and coaches for the duration of The Winter Olympics.

“This partnership is part of P&G’s commitment to improving lives worldwide. We believe that every day is full of opportunities to open up to the world and that the more confident you are in the health of your mouth, the more confidently you open up to the world around you,” said Dr. Paul Warren, DDS, Director of Global Professional and Scientific Relations, P&G Global Oral Care. “As such, Oral-B, Blend-a-Med and Crest offer a comprehensive line-up of toothpastes, mouthwashes, toothbrushes and flosses and provide consumers with innovative, targeted solutions designed to meet specific oral care needs.”

P&G Oral Care has developed their dental program with the advice of Dr. Tony Clough, who was the lead onsite consultant during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and has been a key consultant to P&G Oral Care in all Olympic Games since. He calls the implementation of the on-site resource an important milestone. In fact, in an International Olympic Committee (IOC) evaluation of the health of athletes following the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, it was determined that dental care is of utmost importance to promote good athletic function and the ability of the athlete to compete at an optimal level without being compromised by dental disease or an otherwise preventable emergency.

“Maintaining good oral health and hygiene is a critical part of an athlete’s overall health regimen and, in turn, their effectiveness. Surprisingly, however, there are a lot of elite athletes that lack access to care and preventative products,” stated Dr. Clough. “Athletes will be able to set up appointments at one of the Sochi 2014 Dental Clinics, supported by Oral-B, Blend-a-Med and Crest while they are in Sochi and receive treatment to help keep them at the top of their game.”

Dr. Paul Piccininni, who coordinates Dental Services for the IOC at both The Summer and The Winter Olympic Games, adds, “The cooperation with P&G will contribute to providing the best health services to the Athletes during The Winter Olympics. Dental health is crucial, especially during the competitions. It happened in the past that a dental emergency or poor oral health has seriously influenced the performance of an athlete at one of their most important events. Through our joint education and screening programs, we have reduced these unfortunate situations and will continue to do so at future Olympic Games.”

All parties involved want to ensure that this message continues outside of the Olympic Winter Games, as well. After all, good oral health care is essential not just during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, but at all times the athlete is in training or competition. As Dr. Nikita Romashko, Chief Dental Advisor for the Department of Health Care and Doping Control of SOCOG, explains, “Through cooperation with dentists during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, P&G provides a very valuable contribution by raising awareness of the importance of athletes’ oral health for their athletic performance.”

Up to 600 Olympic athletes, coaches and officials are expected to visit the dental clinics during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

To learn more about P&G Oral Care products, please visit www.pg.com.

About Procter & Gamble
P&G serves approximately 4.8 billion people around the world with its brands. The Company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Ace®, Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Duracell®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Fusion®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Iams®, Lenor®, Mach3®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, Prestobarba®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, Wella®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

Contacts

Procter & Gamble Global Oral Care Communications
Mollie Wheeler, +1 513-622-5572