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Preventive oral care requires a mindset that prioritizes prevention over waiting for cavities to form before acting. Proactive oral healthcare necessitates building habits, including carrying out daily self-care based on the guidance of dentists and dental hygienists and regularly visiting the dentist for professional care. The Lion Group offers a variety of products and services that support both preventive dentistry habits that suit individual lifestyles and healthy minds and bodies. Furthermore, we are facilitating activities that expand these preventive dentistry habits to all of Asia by coordinating with government administrations, dentistry experts and partner corporations. We seek to contribute to improving people’s health by offering opportunities for preventive dentistry at any time to any who need it throughout their lives.
Even if you take care to brush your teeth carefully, without the proper knowledge and techniques, you can still end up leaving plaque behind. Establishing daily self-care habits in line with the principles of preventive dentistry is key to effectively managing and maintaining oral health.
The Lion Group is implementing a range of initiatives to promote brushing techniques that effectively remove plaque along with new habits that help foster awareness of preventive dentistry based on an understanding of one’s own oral condition.
We promote initiatives to communicate the necessity and benefits of preventive dentistry. One of the key points of effective oral self-care is to completely remove all dental plaque. Only about 60% of the plaque that forms between the teeth can be removed using a toothbrush alone. The combination of toothbrush and dental floss, however, improves plaque removal by 50%.
Lion promotes the combined use of toothbrushes and dental floss. In addition to providing products for children old enough to floss (those in elementary school and above) and other consumers who may not be used to using dental floss, Lion carries out activities to promote the necessity of using dental floss and correct flossing techniques.*
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Lion holds the Oral Health Event of Tooth Brushing for Children every year to provide a fun opportunity for elementary school students to learn how to use dental floss and brushing techniques suited to the arrangement of their own teeth.
Going forward, by helping improve the lifestyles of our consumers, we will foster the awareness that health is related to one's own actions and to spread understanding of the importance of maintaining desirable habits.
Lion is advancing initiatives to promote after-lunch tooth brushing, aiming to help establish the habit of brushing three times a day.
With more women entering the workforce, the employed population in Japan has been steadily rising. Today, approximately 60% of those over the age of 15 are employed (Fiscal 2018 Labour Force Survey, Japan Statistics Bureau). While many consumers spend their afternoons in the workplace, only 40% of workers in offices and similar environments report regularly brushing their teeth after lunch, while another 22% report wanting to but not actually doing so (Lion survey).
To address the needs of working people, Lion launched MIGACOT, an oral care set designed for tooth brushing at the office that includes a cup. Lion is promoting this product along with educational activities to spread the mindset that brushing one’s teeth after lunch is a normal part of the workday among as many people as possible.
Over time, regular use of a toothbrush causes the bristles to splay apart, reducing the brushing efficacy. According to a Lion survey, only about 40% of consumers replace their toothbrushes every month.* Those that do not give such reasons as “It’s wasteful to throw it out,” and “I wasn’t aware that the brushing effectiveness diminishes.”
* Although the exact timing may vary by individual, we generally recommend replacing your toothbrush every month.
In February 2018, we designated the 8th of every month Toothbrush Replacement Day* and started calling for monthly toothbrush replacement. To expand this program, we are collaborating with business partners by developing in-store point-of-purchase displays to remind consumers to replace their toothbrushes on the 8th of every month and creating posters promoting periodic toothbrush replacement for use in dental clinics.
Lion will continue these activities to promote toothbrush replacement with our business partners and dental clinics so that monthly toothbrush replacement becomes a regular habit.
* This day was registered and certified by the Japan Anniversary Association on December 27, 2017, and has been established as a new annual event.
We are actively promoting the recycling of used toothbrushes, through which we aim to foster healthy habits among consumers while also reducing our environmental impact.
Each individual’s tooth alignment and other aspects of oral condition are unique. Receiving professional care from dentists or dental hygienists is crucial—not just to treat dental problems, but to prevent issues like cavities and gum disease before they arise. Such care includes fluoride treatments and instruction on brushing methods suited for one’s own oral condition. In addition, it is best to get regular checkups at a dental clinic two to three times per year to check on the state of your oral condition, including the health of the teeth and gums. Lion promotes the habit of receiving regular professional care.
SMT is a five-minute testing system that can measure the levels of six analytes related to dental and oral health (cariogenic bacteria, acidity, buffer capacity, leucocytes, proteins and ammonia) in saliva collected by rinsing the mouth with 3 ml of distilled water. This allows dentists or dental hygienists to provide immediate feedback to their patients as part of a dental checkup. Knowing objectively the conditions inside their mouths helps motivate patients to engage in preventive dentistry and raise their infection prevention awareness while aiding in the establishment of good healthcare habits.
Lion Dental Products perates L-Support, a program to support the implementation of preventive dentistry at dental clinics. The L-Support program provides information and services useful for regular patient care to registered clinics so that they can effectively focus on preventive dentistry. The program offers seminars, video content and a dedicated website for dentistry professionals, providing many different materials to support them in gaining a broad range of preventive dentistry knowledge, including about oral healthcare products for dental clinics, as well as in improving their skills.
Daily oral healthcare is an important habit that affects lifelong health. Forming oral healthcare habits from a young age is crucial. Lion believes that practicing self-care at all life stages is important. In order to firmly establish oral healthcare habits appropriate to the needs of specific life stages, Lion is advancing initiatives in cooperation with external organizations, including government bodies, schools, hospitals and dental clinics. In addition, Lion supports the oral healthcare promotion activities of The Lion Foundation for Dental Health (LDH).*
* Established in 1964, LDH changed its status to a public interest incorporated foundation in 2010. Lion fully supports LDH’s activities to promote oral healthcare awareness and education. LDH coordinates with the Japan Dental Association, universities, governmental bodies and other partners to help maintain and improve the dental and oral health of consumers through its three projects. By doing so, LDH stays at the forefront of oral health, contributing to society by helping to improve the quality of life of all people.
The Three Projects of LDHLion aims to help establish preventive dentistry habits from as early in a child’s life as possible. To this end, in terms of product development, we are enhancing our CLINICA Kid’s series, which enables preventive dentistry from age 0. Samples of CLINICA Kid’s Gel Toothpaste are offered at 18-month checkups. We believe that time spent on parent-assisted brushing is a valuable opportunity for deepening parent-child bonds. Therefore, in terms of making this information more prevalent, we are providing information through the website “HA!HA!HA! Park,” which encourages preventive dentistry efforts for children.
The Lion Group places emphasis on fostering children’s awareness of dental and oral health in order to help them stay healthy for a lifetime. Aiming to teach correct oral care and proper toothbrushing techniques to elementary school students, the Oral Health Event of Tooth Brushing for Children has been held in Japan since 1932. In recent years, the reach of the event has been expanded primarily in countries throughout Asia, and it is held during Dental/Oral Health Week (June 4th to 10th ).
For the 82nd edition held in 2025, 5,738 schools and approximately 315,000 elementary school students participated in the event, with participating schools setting the date of the event and viewing an approximately 40-minute long educational video on the event either on DVD or via YouTube. The theme of the 82nd edition of the event was “Brush Up Your Teeth and Yourself.” Prepared with editorial supervision from Toshikazu Yasui of Meikai University, the program focused on the gums and included learning about individual oral conditions and using dental floss. In addition to promoting an understanding of preventive dentistry, the program teaches students about the importance of consistency through oral care, a central part of healthy living habits.
Cumulative participants: 3 million
Lion has been providing dental clinic-themed pavilions at KidZania Tokyo since 2006, at KidZania Koshien since 2009 and at KidZania Fukuoka since 2022. These pavilions have been popular with kids, particularly the “Dentist” and “Dental Hygienist” experiences, which allow them to get a feel for what it is like to work in these jobs.
At the pavilions, kids first undergo “training” as dentists or dental hygienists, learning about the importance of teeth and taking care of their own oral health and hygiene. They then use tools that are nearly identical to the real things, including polishers and dental vacuums, to treat cavities and apply fluoride treatments to patients (training mannequins used in dentistry schools) in the dentist’s chair. For completing their work, they receive a salary paid in the official currency of KidZania, usable at other pavilions.
After their work experience, kids have commented that “treating cavities seemed really difficult,” that they “learned the proper way to brush teeth” and that they were “happy to protect teeth by getting rid of plaque.” The dental clinic pavilions thus appear to be effective in communicating the importance of cavity prevention and oral health.
In addition to the Oral Health Event of Tooth Brushing for Children, the Group conducts oral healthcare activities at such educational institutions as kindergartens, nursery schools, and junior and senior high schools in various countries, mainly in Asia, to teach children proper tooth brushing techniques in a fun and enjoyable way. Through our tooth brushing instruction, children learn the importance of brushing their teeth. These initiatives are conducted in cooperation with dentists, dental hygienists, teachers and staff as well as national governments, administrative agencies and external partners.
The Group works not only with children but also with governments, dental professionals and partner companies to encourage preventive dental habits among all people throughout Asia, including pregnant mothers, the elderly, office workers and patients at dental clinics. We also participate in disaster prevention events in various regions to promote oral healthcare in times of disaster, when hygiene risks are higher. In Japan, we have published a booklet on everyday preparedness, etc., and provide information on cleanliness and healthcare during disasters, as well as participate in disaster prevention events in various regions to spread the word.
Brushing one's teeth is an extremely important habit that enhances and nurtures a person's innate power to live healthily. However, due to various life circumstances, including physical, economic, educational, and knowledge factors, disparities arise in the implementation of oral healthcare, leaving some unable to adequately care for their teeth and mouths. Lion considers the elimination of such disparities to be important and is promoting the Okuchikarada Project as part of our Inclusive Oral Care initiative.
This project specifically focuses on regional disparities in children’s tooth decay rates as well as low self-esteem. Through practical inclusive oral care initiatives, it aims to simultaneously help children establish good oral healthcare habits and boost their self-esteem.
Since its launch in 2021, Lion, in collaboration with such stakeholders as the certified NPO Nationwide Children's Cafeteria Support Center Musubie and local organizations that operate children's cafeterias and community spaces for children, has planned and presented hands-on programs for children focused on dental and oral health.
These hands-on programs are designed to foster life skills through enjoyable play, positive reinforcement, and social interaction, as positive experiences serve as catalysts for creating healthy habits and boosting self-esteem.
In 2022, we collaborated with industry, government, and academia to evaluate the program's effectiveness in Okinawa Prefecture, where both the prevalence of childhood tooth decay and low self-esteem among children are major concerns. Our findings suggest that hands-on learning helps foster good oral hygiene habits and boosts self-esteem.
Starting in 2024, we expanded our initiatives beyond simply providing hands-on educational programs through partnerships with food-related companies. Through collaboration with retail partners—such as drugstores—that serve as points of contact with customers, we have launched the “Decorate Your Toothbrush” craft workshop as an in-store event. Partnering with diverse stakeholders, including companies from other industries, and retailers, we aim to broaden access to experience-based learning for children and help local residents create healthy habits.
Furthermore, executives and employees alike participate in this project as part of a hands-on sustainability training program, and through outreach activities at children’s cafeterias and other initiatives, we are fostering sustainability awareness among every single employee.
Building on these efforts, we signed a comprehensive partnership agreement regarding diverse experiences for children with Okinawa Prefecture in 2026. With the goal of realizing Okinawa Prefecture’s vision of a “child-centered society,” we are promoting initiatives that ensure no one is left behind, aiming to foster life skills and instill good habits in children through the hands-on learning opportunities created by both parties.
Lion seeks to promote preventive dentistry practices that consumers can perform themselves. To this end, in communities with which we have formed partnerships, we hold oral healthcare leader development lectures to empower local governments, teaching them how they, as oral healthcare leaders, can provide residents with tooth brushing information and practical techniques that can be beneficial to overall health. We are currently carrying out these activities in the cities of Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture, Sakaide in Kagawa Prefecture and Taito Ward in Tokyo.
Lion offers oral care seminars and five-minute saliva tests for corporate employees and municipal employees to ascertain their oral condition. We strive to promote oral healthcare by helping people develop healthy habits starting with the mouth.
Our society and ways of living are changing rapidly as we face such increasingly serious social issues as low birth rates, an aging population, declining population and the depletion of resources on the one hand and dramatic technological progress in such areas as AI and IoT on the other. In order to keep up with these changes and continue supporting the public’s health, Lion is focusing on not just providing goods but offering new value to our customers. Open innovation through partnerships with external organizations, such as government agencies and other companies, is key to this endeavor.
In the oral healthcare field, we are investigating the status of dental alignment in elementary school students in cooperation with Kuroishi City in Aomori Prefecture and Hirosaki University, a Designated National University, to confirm the relationship between dental alignment and living habits. In addition, in collaboration with Hitachi Ltd., Hitachi Health Center and IBM Japan Health Insurance Association, Lion has confirmed the benefits of dental health checkups in the workplace, as well as obtained useful data that will lead to healthier employees. By acquiring and disseminating this new information and utilizing it in the development of products and services, we are able to derive value for the creation of healthier living habits.
Lion established the Lion Award in 2001 to support the activities of academic associations and the development of young researchers. The prize is awarded via the International Association for Dental Research, the world’s largest dental research association, the Asian Academy of Preventive Dentistry, a dental research association in Asia, as well as the Japanese Society of Pediatric Dentistry, Japanese Society for Oral Health, Japanese Society of Gerodontology, Japanese Association for Oral Biology and Japanese Society of Periodontology.
Trophy plaques and cash prizes are awarded to researchers to commend outstanding and creative research.
