【Lotte Co., Ltd.】 Lotte holds “Chew xylitol even after school lunch! Project” at all elementary schools in Toshima Ward, Tokyo Lotte Co., Ltd. Press release: November 7, 2024 Lotte holds “Chew xylitol after school lunch! Project” at all elementary schools in Toshima Ward, Tokyo Distribute “sweets” after elementary school lunches on “Good Teeth Day”! ? Lotte is the first to introduce xylitol to all elementary schools in the ward, contributing to dental health from school age onwards Lotte Co., Ltd. (Location: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and Executive Officer: Hideki Nakajima; hereinafter referred to as “Lotte”) has announced that it will be offering “school lunches” as part of “Smart Habit”, a borderless dental health awareness project that incorporates Finnish-style xylitol. We are launching the “Let’s Chew Xylitol Later! Project” in June 2024. This time, in conjunction with “Good Teeth Day” on November 8th, we are implementing an initiative to introduce xylitol-containing gum at all elementary schools in Toshima Ward, Tokyo, from November 5th (Tuesday) to November 8th (Friday), 2024. We would like to inform you that this has been carried out. This is Lotte’s first initiative to introduce chewing gum to all elementary schools in the ward.
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xylitol-containing gum after school lunches in conjunction with Dental and Oral Health Week. The Smart Habit project also supports the idea of incorporating xylitol into daily life, and has collaborated with Chihaya Elementary School, the Toshima Ward Board of Education, the Toshima Ward Dental Association, and the Toshima Ward School Dental Association. In order to further expand dental health habits that incorporate xylitol in Japan, we have decided to implement the “Let’s Chew Xylitol After School Lunch! Project” at all elementary schools in Toshima Ward. ■“Let’s chew xylitol even after school lunch! Project” implementation details From November 5th (Tuesday) to November 8th, Lotte provided gum containing xylitol to support efforts to promote dental health at elementary schools. During the program, the children brushed their teeth after school lunch and also ate gum containing xylitol. One of the target schools, Toshima Ward Chihaya Elementary School, watched a video about dental health and xylitol by Dr. Doi of the Toshima Ward Dental Association during their 5-minute gum time. By learning about dental health while chewing gum, they seemed to realize the importance of incorporating xylitol-containing gum into their habits. The children who ate the gum commented, “It’s smooth, sweet, and delicious,” “I want to continue chewing gum at home,” and “I’ve been chewing gum at home since June.” After chewing gum, the teacher wraps it in silver paper and collects the trash. They not only learned to eat gum, but also learned how to dispose of trash properly. Lotte will continue to expand its efforts to raise awareness of dental health habits using xylitol.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/110734/51/110734-51-d764d579857af72143409ccdde4cbad5-2506×547.png Toshima Ward Board of Education Comments from the person in charge In Toshima Ward, based on the Toshima Ward Dental and Oral Health Promotion Ordinance, kindergartens, elementary schools, and junior high schools in the ward collaborate with school doctors, dentists, and dental hygienists to promote dental and oral health. We are continuing our efforts. Under these circumstances, in June of this year, Dr. Doi of the Toshima Ward Dental Association, Lotte Co., Ltd., and Hakuhodo Co., Ltd. collaborated at Toshima Ward Chihaya Elementary School to introduce the habit of chewing gum containing xylitol for dental health. I made an effort to add it. Children expressed concern for their own health, such as, “I want to continue this every day at home,” “I will try to chew my food thoroughly,” and “I now feel that I need to brush my teeth as well as my gums.” I was seen. In November, we wanted children to acquire correct knowledge about teeth and oral cavity not only at Chihaya Elementary School but also at other elementary schools in the ward, so we decided to hold the event at all elementary schools in the ward. Through this initiative, the Toshima Ward Board of Education hopes to provide an opportunity for lifelong health promotion. Chihaya Elementary School Principal Higane Comments Because children in the upper grades of elementary school are more likely to have poor lifestyle habits than children in the lower grades, we believe that it is important to raise awareness and take steps to protect dental health from elementary school onwards. By participating in the “Let’s Chew Xylitol After School Lunch!” project, we hope to encourage children and their parents to learn about dental health habits that include chewing gum containing xylitol in addition to brushing their teeth, and to improve their own health. I feel that this is an opportunity for people to think about it. Comment from Dr. Doi, Tokyo Toshima Ward Dental Association and Toshima Ward School Dental Association, Public Interest Incorporated Association Although the number of cavities among children has been decreasing, there has been a phenomenon in which children’s oral conditions have worsened due to factors such as a decrease in tooth brushing at school due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Tooth brushing has gradually resumed at each school, but we believe that in addition to tooth brushing, taking xylitol is also effective in keeping teeth healthy. To this end, it is important that this initiative be used as an opportunity to gain understanding not only from the children but also from the adults around them, including their parents and school staff. We hope that by sharing with parents the experience of ingesting xylitol gum that they experienced at school, they will become more interested in the experience. In Finland, a country with advanced preventive dentistry, the habit of chewing xylitol-containing gum after school meals is a common practice, so we hope that by continuing this initiative, it will become a habit like in Finland. I am. ■Lotte Co., Ltd. Company Profile Company name: Lotte Co., Ltd. Location: 3-20-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Established: June 1948 Sales: 282 billion yen (FY2022/including overseas bases and group companies) Number of employees: 2,459 (as of March 31, 2023) Capital: 217 million yen Business details: Manufacture and sale of confectionery, ice cream, health foods, and miscellaneous goods URL : https://www.lotte.co.jp/
