The “Oral Health Event of Tooth Brushing for Children” Wins the 19th Kids Design Award｜News Release

Aug. 20, 2025 Sustainability

Lion Corporation (Representative Director, President and Executive Officer: Masayuki Takemori), the public interest incorporated foundation Lion Foundation for Dental Health (LDH) (Chairman: Itsuo Hama), the public interest incorporated association Japanese Association of School Dentists (Chairman: Shimpei Tsuge), and the general incorporated foundation Tokyo Metropolitan Society of School Health (Chairman: Haruo Ozaki) co-hosted the Oral Health Event of Tooth Brushing for Children, which has received the 19th Kids Design Award in the designs to support comfortable raising of children category (organized by the Kids Design Association, a specified nonprofit corporation).

Scene from the Oral Health Event of Tooth Brushing for Children

■About the Kids Design Award
The Kids Design Award recognizes outstanding products, services, spaces, activities and research that address social issues while fulfilling three objectives: ensuring children can live safely and securely; fostering children’s sensitivity and creativity; and creating a society that supports the comfortable raising of children.
Awards in the designs to support comfortable raising of children category recognize initiatives that help those involved in pregnancy, childbirth and childcare approach parenting in a safe and enjoyable way as well as those who offer fresh ideas, creative solutions or innovative methods.

Easy-to-understand video learning materials

■About the Oral Health Event of Tooth Brushing for Children
The Oral Health Event of Tooth Brushing for Children is held each year during Dental/Oral Health Week (June 4–10) with the aim of fostering elementary school students’ awareness of dental and oral health. First launched in 1932, the program will be held for the 82nd time in 2025.*
Targeting elementary school students, who are at the critical stage of transitioning to permanent teeth and developing independent toothbrushing habits, the program seeks to foster interest and awareness in one’s personal oral health. It teaches methods for self-managing plaque control and maintaining healthy teeth and gums, emphasizes the importance of continuing these practices, and aims to cultivate life skills through the habit of tooth brushing.

The Oral Health Event of Tooth Brushing for Children has surpassed a cumulative total of 3 million participants. Initially held in Tokyo and Osaka, in recent years the event format was revised through DVD distribution and online video streaming to enable participation at the school or class level, making it possible to join not only from Japan but also from overseas. For the 82nd event in 2025, approximately 315,000 students from 5,738 schools—representing 30.4% of all elementary schools in Japan—took part, along with 554 participants from countries overseas, including South Korea, China, and Indonesia. The event has been highly evaluated by both the participating teachers and elementary school students themselves.

* The Oral Health Event of Tooth Brushing for Children traces its origins to the “Mass Tooth Brushing Drill for Children” organized in 1932 by the Schoolchildren Dental Caries Prevention Association within Lion Toothpaste’s Oral Hygiene Department. The 82nd Oral Health Event of Tooth Brushing for Children, held in 2025, was organized by the following groups.
Organized by: public interest incorporated association Japanese Association of School Dentists; general incorporated foundation Tokyo Metropolitan Society of School Health; Lion Corporation; and the public interest incorporated foundation Lion Foundation for Dental Health (LDH)
Supported by: the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education; public interest incorporated foundation Japan Society of School Health; public interest incorporated association Japan Dental Association; public interest incorporated association Tokyo Dental Association; public interest incorporated association Tokyo Metropolitan Association of School Dentists; and the public interest incorporated association Japan Dental Hygienists’ Association

As a leading company in oral healthcare, we will continue to contribute to the establishment of oral healthcare habits through educational activities, information sharing and other initiatives.

＜Reference materials＞
・ Record participation rate of over 30% of elementary schools nationwide, with about 310,000 students enjoying learning at the 82nd Oral Health Event of Tooth Brushing for Children:
https://www.lion.co.jp/ja/news/2025/4900 (Japanese only)
・ Oral Health Event of Tooth Brushing for Children website:
https://www.lion-dent-health.or.jp/english/
・ The Oral Health Event of Tooth Brushing for Children in Japan and other countries (mainly in Asia):
https://www.lion.co.jp/en/sustainability/community/overseas/hamigaki/
・ History of tooth brushing events:
https://www.lion.co.jp/ja/company/history/museum/04/01.php (Japanese only)