CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES

History of Toothbrush

Toothbrush is an integral part of human life both in the beginning and end of the

day and the modern consumers are looking for different types of values from the

toothbrush. Avizienis (1996) defined toothbrush as a dental instrument used for cleaning

teeth, ideally in conjunction with toothpaste or mouthwash. Brushing teeth is considered

an important part of dental hygiene and this habit has led to a $600 million market in the

mid-1990s. This phenomenon is not only because of the price increase of toothbrush

but also because on an average each person in the USA buys three toothbrushes every

two years (Avizeinis 1996).

Toothbrushes were first invented by a prisoner. Before anyone had thought of a

toothbrush, people kept their teeth clean by chewing on a stick until one end got soft

and frayed like a brush. Sometimes they dipped a finger in chalk or salt and then rubbed

their teeth. Toothpicks were another way to take care of teeth, and toothpicks were very

fancy then. They were made of gold or jewels, and people would stick them in their hats

or hang them on necklaces when they were not using them

([Link]

The predecessor of the toothbrush is the chew stick. Chew sticks were twigs with

frayed ends used to brush the teeth while the other end was used as a toothpick. The

earliest chew sticks were discovered in Sumer Mesopotamia in 3500 BC, an Egyptian

tomb dating from 3000 BC, and mentioned in Chinese records dating from 1600 BC.
 9

The Greeks and Romans used toothpicks to clean their teeth and toothpick like twigs

have been excavated in Qin Dynasty tombs. Chew sticks remain common in Africa the

rural Southern United States and in the Islamic world the use of chewing stick Miswak is

considered a pious action and has been prescribed to be used before every prayer five

times a day. Miswaks have been used by Muslims since 7th century

([Link]

Oral hygiene

Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping one's mouth clean and free of disease

and other problems (e.g. bad breath) by regular brushing and cleaning between the

teeth. It is important that oral hygiene be carried out on a regular basis to enable

prevention of dental disease. The most common types of dental disease are tooth

decay (cavities, dental caries) and gum diseases, including gingivitis, and periodontitis.

Regular brushing consists of brushing twice a day: after breakfast and before going to

bed. Cleaning between the teeth is called interdental cleaning and is as important as

tooth brushing. This is because a toothbrush cannot reach between the teeth and

therefore only cleans 50% of the surfaces. There are many tools to clean between the

teeth, including floss, flossettes, and interdental brushes. It is up to each individual to

choose which tool he or she prefers to use ([Link]

Oral Care in the Philippines

Oral care continued to see stable growth in 2016, due to its importance in the

daily hygiene of Filipino consumers. Although the category is in a mature phase, the

inclusion of more sophisticated oral care products paved the way for more growth in
 10

2016, as consumers’ disposable incomes made this possible. In a country in which

seven million people have never been to a dental clinic, daily oral care is essential. The

high cost of dental maintenance through regular visits to clinics encourages consumers

to be responsible in terms of their dental health through oral care products, which are

affordable. Oral care is expected to become more mature over the forecast period, with

a value CAGR of only 1% at constant 2016 prices. Opportunities for growth in several

categories are expected to be low due to already high penetration. Despite this, oral

care is expected to see a positive performance due to the high importance of the

category, and will maintain its stability, as population increase will also affect the

demand for oral care ([Link]).

Table1. Top best toothbrush brands of 2018

BRANDS COMPANY

1. Oral B Gillette company

2. Colgate Colgate-Palmolive company

3. Crest Protector & Gamble

4. Philips Sonicare Philips

5. SunStar GUM Sunstar

 11

Global Toothbrush Sales Market 2017-2022 Report

The Report added on Global Toothbrush Sales Market by

[Link] to its huge database. This research study is segmented on the

basis of applications, technology, geography, and types. The Report provides a detailed

Toothbrush Sales Industry overview along with the analysis of industry’s gross margin,

cost structure, consumption value and sale price. The leading companies of the

Toothbrush Sales Market, manufacturers, and distributors are profiled in the report

along with the latest Industry development current and future trends.

This report studies sales (consumption) of Toothbrush in Global market,

especially in United States, China, Europe and Japan, focuses on top players in these

regions/countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these

regions, covering the P&G, Colgate-Palmolive, Panasonic, ARM&HAMMER, Omron,

LION, WaterPik, Philips, Ningbo Seago, Lebond, Guangzhou Wanyuan , Shenzhen

RisunTechnology, Ningbo Kanger Li, TRULY, SKG, Yuwell, Berrcom.

Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions,

with sales (consumption), revenue, market share and growth rate of Toothbrush in

these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), like United States, China, Europe, Japan,

Southeast Asia, and India ([Link]

sales-industry-market-report).

Most Chosen Brand in Asia

 12

Colgate is the Most Chosen Brand in Asia for the second year in Kantar

Worldpanel’s Brand Footprint ranking. The oral care leader was chosen more than 2.1

billion times in the last year and shines brighter than any other brand with the deepest

market penetration - more than 62% - in Asia. Colgate’s products are chosen by

shoppers more than 6 times a year on average. Colgate is also the world’s most chosen

health and beauty brand and the only FMCG brand to reach more than half of the

world’s households (with 63% penetration). The world’s favourite toothpaste and

toothbrush grew its reach in Asia by 5% and is the most chosen global brand of its

category in 18 countries including India, Thailand and Malaysia. It is does need to pay

attention to its closest competitor, Pepsodent, which moved from No.17 to No.11 in the

Asian ranking and is growing nearly twice as fast as Colgate. This Unilever owned

brand enjoyed overall growth in its global reach (Kantar Worldpanel’s Consumer Reach

Points measure) by 8%, gaining 3.7 million households. It has been particularly

successful in Indonesia and India where it gained 2.9 million new households

([Link]

Benefits on Toothbrush

Consumers have different thoughts regarding current and expected benefits they

get from using the toothbrushes. Hence, the focus was on the key benefits that

consumers look from a toothbrush. For instance, consumers mentioned the issue of

cleaning teeth, taking care of gum, removing germs, brushing with comfort and etc.

According to the study of Md. Anwar Sadat Shimul and Kazi Ahmed Farhan that

the most of the consumers mentioned that the key benefit they get from toothbrush is to

clean their teeth. About 22% consumers think toothbrush removes germ from their
 13

teeth. However, a significant portion of respondent thought that the main benefit they

get is to brush with comfort. Some consumers also mentioned that they want toothpick

facility with toothbrushes. This extra feature could be an important consideration for

companies that are planning to redesign the toothbrush value package according to the

consumers’ preferences ([Link])

RESPONDENT PROFILE

The following are the aspects that support the details about the respondents

profile of the study conducted:

Courses of respondents

According to Information System Database (2018) there are 1,043 students from

the College of Agriculture for second semester 2017-2018 in which there are two

hundred seventy three (273) from department of Agricultural Extension/education,

followed by Agricultural Business Management with the total population of there are two

hundred sixty two (262), followed by the Agricultural Engineering with a total of one

hundred eighty five (185) . Plant science has a total of one hundred seventy one (171)

and lastly the Animal science a total population of eighty (80) students. (Sources: ISD)

Gender of respondents

Survey conducted by Higher Education Statistics Agency, on higher education

population during the school year 2010-2011 where females recorded for more than half

of the total 3.5 million populations at 55.46% compared with males at 44.54%.

([Link] In addition, Filipino college graduates (56 percent) in

2010 were women. Male graduates numbered 211,985 or 44 percent of the total. There
 14

were half a million more men than women aged 20 to 34 (11.9 million men, 11.85 million

women) in the population ([Link]). In addition, out of one

thousand forty three students of College of Agriculture Mindanao State University,

Marawi City, there are six hundred twelve female and four hundred twenty one male

(Source: Information System Database)

Ages of respondents

Age and life-cycle have potential impact on the consumer buying behavior.

Obviously the buying behavior of the consumer changes as their age change. As their

age change their choice change as well. Family life-cycle consists of different stages

such young singles, married couples, unmarried couples etc. which help marketers to

develop appropriate products for each stage.

([Link]

Monthly allowance

A study gathered by the [Link] that the average monthly allowance for

college students in the Philippines is 2000-3000 monthly. (Http//:[Link],2009)

Sources allowance of the respondents

Parents are an important information sources allowance of money, a similar

finding was reported by the USA Weekend in its May 1999 special report on students

and Money. When asked where they had sources about money matters, 77% indicated

from their parents and 20% said from their own jobs. ([Link] maintain

[Link])
 15

Factors affecting Consumer behavior Awareness

“The Impact of Advertisement on Consumer Behavior” study conducted by

Cynthia Zacarta, 2012, said that despite the growing strength of social networks,

television advertising is still the most influential medium in people’s purchase decisions.

A report from the Television Bureau of Advertising and Knowledge Networks Inc.

reveals that 87% of television viewers make purchase decisions after watching

advertisements on television compared to 7 percent for social networks. Impact and

persuasion are two factors for a successful TV commercial that arouses viewer interest

immediately and remains memorable. Television advertisements demonstrate their

influence in a variety of ways. (http:// /[Link])

Advertising is defined as a promotion of a product, service, or message by an

identified sponsor using paid-for media (Marketing, 2012), in this section, the report

studies the usage of advertising in the oral care in the industry.

Advertising is a vital to raising awareness of a particular brand or product.

Advertising also helps to promote new products and allow consumers to appreciate their

product benefits (Mintel,2012). Some 59 million was spent on promoting oral health care

products in 2010, with TV and press remaining the key media by advertiser. Big oral

care product manufactures are spending huge sum of money on advertisement to

maintain and gain markets share (Mintel, 2012).

 16

Figure 1 Main monitored media advertising by company, 2010

Main monitored media advertising by company, 2010

Church & Fresh Breath

Dwight UK ltd; 0.02; 2%
Ltd; 0.04; 4% GlaxoSmithKline Pic
Oral B Labo- GlaxoSmithK-
ratories Ltd Others; 0.08;
; line Pic; 0.4;8% Colgate Palmolive Ltd
0.1; 10%
Johnson & 40% Johnson & Johnson
Colgate
Johnson; 0.14;Palmolive Oral B Laboratories Ltd
14% 0.22; 22%
Ltd;
Church & Dwight UK Ltd
Fresh Breath ltd
Others

Figure 1- Main monitored media advertising (source: Mintel, 2012). Showed that the

graphs above, the top 4 advertisement spending companies are GlaxoSmithKline Pic.

Colgate Palmolive Ltd, Johnson & Johnson ltd and Oral B Laboratories ltd. They occupy

40%, 20%, 14% and 10%0f total advertisement expenditure in the industry.

Respondents of the Nielsen Global Consumer survey from the Philippines said

that commercials increased their brand preference (78%), as the image created by

these commercials influenced their decision to buy said products. On the Internet also

plays a key role in advertising. 10% of the consumers ranked social media posting, 9%

for active internet searching, 6% for internet advertisements, and 4% for Internet forum

or message board as key influencers. According to Stuart Jamieson, Nielsen’s

Managing Director in the Philippines, there is a “rising reliance” on social media

 17

postings, active Internet searching, and Internet forum, wherein consumers can learn

more about the product, and read about the reviews of other consumers like them

([Link]

The study of Md. Anwar Sadat Shimul and Kazi Ahmed Farhan found out that the

people of metropolitan area are more influenced by advertisements whereas urban, sub

urban and rural people are more influenced by sellers suggestions in their buying

decisions. Most of the consumers are significantly influenced by the point-of-purchase

advertisements. Interestingly, about 44% consumers pointed out advertisements as

their source of information, but the observations of this study indicated the absence of

advertisements of toothbrushes in TV, Radio, Newspaper and in other media. However,

there might be some cross-media effects and overlaps from the advertisements in

foreign TV channels, especially Indian TV channels, in our metropolitan area. Therefore,

the 39% consumers’ status of being influenced by TV advertisements is regarded as the

lacking in the recalling and recognition abilities ([Link])

Bakdash (1995) showed that toothbrushing and the use of fluoride toothpastes

are frequent. On the other hand, flossing, mouthrinsing and other oral hygiene

measures were less common than toothbrushing, suggesting that only a small

percentage of the population practice them regularly and that oral hygiene practices

appear to be related to socioeconomic status, enabling factors, individual values,

attitudes and lifestyles. Although dental floss has been shown to be effective, this

mechanical aid is not frequently used. It is evident that the use of adjunctive devices to

clean interproximal spaces is affected by the complexity of the procedure and the time
 18

required performing it, as well as the fact that behavioral modification must be induced

to achieve change.

According Addo-Yobo et al (1991) reported in a Ghana schoolchildren population

that awareness was strongly associated with the frequency of oral cleaning. In this

study, 38% of the population in the urban area used toothbrush versus 8% in the rural

area, demonstrating that children in the urban area were more aware, had cleaner

mouths and consequently had lower needs for periodontal treatment. Likewise, family

size and lack of parental supervision have been linked to reduced toothbrushing

frequency; this was reported in English schoolchildren from 31 secondary schools.

Similarly, other studies have reported that toothbrushing frequency is positively related

to self-esteem, suggesting that females brush more frequently than males.

Advertisement activities by company

1. GlaxoSmithKline In August 2010, Sensodyne launched a three-week national

television campaign, featuring Sensodyne Total Care Gentle Whitening, Sensodyne

Rapid Relief and Sensodyne Total Care Extra Fresh. The campaign used endorsement

from dentists for the first time. Besides that, GlaxoSmithKline also allocated 17% (£4

million) of its advertising budget to promote its Corsodyl mouthwash with its ‘gorgeous’

TV ad.

2. Colgate-Palmolive Colgate’s Sensitive Pro-Relief brand, which was launched in

August 2010, was backed by £5.4 million in advertising support during 2010, giving it

the highest adspend in the oral care category in 2011. July 2011, Colgate introduced a

£4 million TV campaign to promote the launch of Colgate Total Advanced Enamel

 19

Protection. The TV push was backed by press and digital activity. As part of the

campaign, 50ml packs of Total Advanced Enamel Protection were given away with

selected Colgate 360° toothbrushes. Furthermore, Colgate also uses Facebook to raise

its brand awareness. For example, it encourages Facebook users to upload photos on

their page. It also encourages people to comment or ‘like’ these photos. As part of its

advertisement effort, Colgate also sponsored breakfast shows across the radio network

in May 2011. In September 2012, Colgate is making aggressive efforts to maintain its

market share against the return of Oral-B in toothpaste sector (Euromonitor, 2012a). A

£1 million “Oral health month” campaign was organised to drive awareness of dental

healthcare and hygiene. The campaign was supported by social networking sites and

TV. It also included roadshows in 50 retailer locations across the UK, also supported by

dental practitioners and in-store sampling.

3. Johnson & Johnson Brand communications activity included the use of illuminated

panels on buses to complement TV and radio activity, to support its Listerine Total Care

Sensitive range, which was launched in May 2010. In June 2011, Listerine rolled out its

‘Mouth vs. Life’ video campaign on YouTube to promote the importance of oral care.

4. Oral-B In May 2010, Oral-B launched ‘Seize Power Today’ TV campaign to promote

its power toothbrush. The TV campaign was supported by print, online and in-store

activity, which included a 50% discount offer on a number of Oral-B power

toothbrushes. In February 2011, Oral-B signed Dr James Russell, Director of the British

Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD), as brand ambassador. The partnership is likely

to add more weight to Oral-B’s positioning of being the ‘the toothbrush brand dentists

recommend and use worldwide’. Oral-B re-entered the toothpaste category in 2011 with
 20

its Oral-B Pro-Expert range after spending 15 years in R&D and being approved after

more than 70 scientific studies. In July 2011, the company gave away 10 million

samples through dentists and another 10 million samples through on-line and retail

channels ([Link] 2012)

Factor affecting consumer buying habits

Despite the current sluggish economic climate, consumers are unlikely to cut

back on their oral hygiene spending as people view this as a grooming necessity.

However, research has suggested that nearly a quarter (22% for both toothpaste and

mouthwash and 26% for toothbrush) of respondent’s survey, purchases whatever

brands that are on promotion (Mintel, 2012). This could be attributed to the reason that

consumers strive to keep to their household budget low. This research also shows that

20% of consumers purchase the cheapest available oral care product.

All distribution channels contributed to the increase in sales of personal care

products. Sari-sari stores played a significant role in the rise of personal care spending,

accounting for 35 percent of personal care sales, followed by the modern trade

channels (composed of supermarkets and hypermarkets) with 34 percent of sales.

Grocery stores were the 3rd biggest channel for personal care sales, with 7.7 percent

total market share of personal care sales in country. Meanwhile, the direct sales

channels and drug stores enjoyed 6.5 percent and 5.8percent shares of total personal

care sales, respectively ([Link]

Although Filipino consumers observe brand loyalty, a Nielsen survey on Global

New Product Innovation in 2015 revealed that, recently, Filipinos are among the
 21

consumers worldwide who often try new products when grocery shopping, and prefer

brands with fresh product development. In the 2015 survey, 68% of the Filipino

respondents said that they bought a new product during their last grocery trip. 78%

prefer to buy new products, while 77% like it when manufacturers offer new product

options, as a brand name assures quality and credibility ([Link]

In study of Md. Anwar Sadat Shimul and Kazi Ahmed Farhan find out from what

type of shops the consumers buy their toothbrush. The purchasing points were divided

into two major categories: residential vicinity shops and general stores. Secondly, those

shops were also divided into some other major categories, such as; grocery shop,

general store, cosmetic shop, drug store, super store/departmental store etc. The

purpose of such classification was to find out the types of shops consumers prefer to

buy their toothbrushes. Another important point of finding was to come across the

relationship between respondents’ demographic profile and their point of purchase. The

survey shows that, almost 54% of the consumers buy toothbrush from Bazaar/market

shops whereas the remaining buys from sari-sari store shops.

Consumers ask for toothbrush while they are buying it from the shops. For

instance, consumers may ask for the toothbrush of a specific brand, manufacturing

country, color, design (bristle, handle) etc. Besides, they may ask for simply a

toothbrush, whereas they are not concerned about any specific feature of toothbrush.

Moreover, after having a glance on shelve of the shop, consumers may ask the seller to

give a specific toothbrush. This shows the consumers’ buying behavior at the point of

purchase. The research find that almost 39% of the consumers choose toothbrush

themselves from the shelves, 27% consumers simply ask the seller to give a
 22

toothbrush, 14% consumers ask for toothbrush of a specific brand, and 12% consumers

ask for toothbrush of a specific type of bristle. The researchers find that consumers of

Dhaka city are more concerned about brand and design of the toothbrushes that relate

the higher awareness and preference level of consumers in city area compared to the

consumers of urban and semi-urban areas ([Link])

Consumers’ toothbrush changing habit. At what interval consumers change their

toothbrush is vital issue in understanding the consumers’ repurchase and retention

pattern. The study found out that almost 19% consumers change the toothbrushes in

three months intervals. 14% consumers change the toothbrushes in every six months,

and almost 10% consumers do so after one year or longer intervals. Most of the

consumer in Dhaka city changes the toothbrushes within three months period

([Link]).

Md. Anwar Sadat Shimul and Kazi Ahmed Farhan in the Bangladish study that

most of the consumers in Laxmipur, Rajbari and Sitakunda change their toothbrushes

after five months usually. Moreover, consumers’ perceptions about the appropriate

interval of changing toothbrush were also investigated. Hence, 26% consumers

mentioned that a toothbrush should be used for not more than three months, whereas

19% consumers mentioned six months to be the appropriate time interval to change

toothbrush. Interestingly, 14% of the consumers opined that a toothbrush should not be

used for more than one month.

Advantages of using Soft-Bristled Toothbrush

 23

Nowadays, though, there are plenty of additional choices when it comes to your

toothbrush. You can use a hard toothbrush, a soft toothbrush. A hard toothbrush, also

called a firm-bristled brush, is increasingly difficult to find. In fact, not even tongue and

soft-tissue cleaners like Colgate® 360°® Whole Mouth Clean are available with firm or

hard bristles.

The bristles are really what make the toothbrush. The team over at our

Philadelphia cosmetic dentistry office has decided to go over a few matters related to

the condition of the bristles of a toothbrush. We’ll also touch on a few other things to

note so you know how to help prevent tooth decay and cavities at home. Ideally, you

should pick out a toothbrush with soft bristle rather than stiff or hard bristles. This is the

better choice for a number of reasons. For one, soft bristles are much gentler on your

teeth. If you have a sensitive tooth or teeth that are perhaps weak, this is an important

thing to keep in mind. More important, though, toothbrushes with soft bristles are much

gentler to your gums and other soft tissues in the mouth. Hard or stiff bristles can irritate

or harm the gums, which is not something you should be doing when brushing your

teeth. Here’s another reason you may want to consider getting a soft bristle toothbrush:

dental care for your children. This is especially important to keep in mind when it comes

to the dental care of an infant or toddler. As soon as you see that first tooth appear in

your baby’s mouth, it’s a good idea to brush that tooth carefully with a toothbrush with

soft bristles. The soft bristles will be gentle on the gums of your child and will also be

good for getting rid of any plaque build-up without irritation or discomfort

([Link]

Advantages of using Hard-Bristled Toothbrush

 24

The research by Monographs in Oral Science recently studied variety of factors

that can do more harm than good to a person's teeth and gums when brushing. How

often you brush, the pressure you put on your teeth each time, the hardness of the

brush's bristles and the quality of toothpaste you use can all have side effects in the

process of cleaning plaque and bacteria away. Although some people claim to prefer

using firm bristles, the fact that they are more likely to wear away your teeth's enamel

and your gums means they are generally not the best option. The well-known benefit of

harder bristles –that they remove slightly more plaque than soft-bristled brushes is

usually not enough to justify their use. ([Link]

Anecdotal report has it that many individuals especially in this part of the world

believe that the harder the bristles of their toothbrushes, the more effective the

toothbrush as they have the sense of accomplishment after their tooth brushing. While

there might be psychological satisfaction from the use of such hard-textured

toothbrushes, there is the increased danger to both the hard and soft tissue within the

mouth as the gingivae will be more predisposed to recession, while the tooth will be

more predisposed to cervical abrasion ([Link]

According to the study of Md. Anwar Sadat Shimul and Kazi Ahmed Farhan state

on their study tha a agreater percentage of the male respondents of survey are 16/91

(17.6%) were making use of hard textured toothbrush compared with 14/111 (12.6%)

among the female respondents and none of the female respondents will prefer smoker's

hard texture, while 4/91 (4.4%) of the male respondents will prefer that. However, none

of these was statistically significant.

 25

Factor affecting usage of Toothbrush

According to the study of Shaghahian S. and Zraatkar M. in Shiraz/Iran that

Tooth brushing for more than two-thirds of the children had been started by their

parents after the age 2 years. The teeth in one-fourth of the children had been brushed

fewer than once a day. About half of the children had a prior dental visit; however, most

of them were visited because of the child’s dental pain or other dental problems and

only 77 (19.4%) were visited for check-up. Similarly, preventive dental procedures such

as fissure sealant or fluoride therapy were performed only for a few children (12.9%).

About half of the parents evaluated their children’s oral health status as good and very

good and nearly the same percentage were satisfied with the cleanness of their

children’s teeth According to our dental examination, the mean of the children’s DI-S

was 1.19 and it varied from zero to three. The DI-S of 126 children (31.8%) was

considered as very good and good; that of 270 children (68.2%) was regarded as fair

and poor.

Although American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommended that

tooth brushing should be performed for children twice daily, only 75% of those in our

study had brushed their teeth once a day or more. This finding was similar to those

reported from other developing countries. About, 76% of Indian and 44% of Hong Kong

preschool children had brushed their teeth once daily. Results from developed countries

were similar, as well. Only 90% of 5-year-old American children were brushing their

teeth once a day or more. Also, in a Norwegian study, 61% of 3-year-old children and

76% of 5-year-old children had brushed their teeth twice daily.

 26

Kid’s toothbrushes are essential to good oral health care, but simply buying the

right toothbrush for your child doesn't guarantee he will have clean, healthy teeth.

Toothbrushes should be used after breakfast and before bed, and teeth should be

flossed once a day as soon as two teeth are touching. When the bristles fray and no

longer stand up straight – or after three months, whichever comes first – it's time to buy

a new toothbrush. Children's toothbrushes often need replacing more frequently than

adults (http//[Link])

Consumers’ brushing habit is also very important to recognize their perceptions

regarding toothbrush. The number of times per day consumers are brushing the teeth is

linked with their toothbrush changing habit. From the survey it was found that about

51% consumers brush their teeth two times per day, whereas 43% consumers do so

only one time per day. Majority of consumers in the Dhaka city brush their teeth two

times per day and as pred). icted non-metropolitan people are habitual to brush one

time per day ([Link]).

Finally, consumers were asked about the time of the day they brush their teeth.

All those issues are helpful to draw conclusion regarding consumers’ degree of care to

their teeth. The results of previous inquiries are harmonious to this issue. 42.51%

respondents brush the teeth in the morning and 49% respondents brush the teeth two

times (in the morning and night) per day. Besides, there were 5% - 6% consumers who

brush teeth every time after taking food. The toothbrush usage habit has a positive

correlation with the degree of education, lifestyle, awareness and economic status. The

above mentioned result is imperative for manufacturers in determining the re-purchase

cycle for toothbrushes in the consumer markets ([Link])

 27

Figure 2. U.S.: Brands of manual toothbrushes used in 2017

Colgate Total 53.4

Other Oral-b 41.88
Oral-b Advantage 36.37
Colgate Plus 32.02
Colgat 360 29.53
Other Colgate 23.19
Reach 21.41
Store Brand 18
Oral-B Cross Action 13.96
Oral-B indicator 11.38
G-U-M 8.71
Colgate Wave 8.17
sea-Bound Denture Brush 3.6
Colgate Navigator 3.24
Other Brands 32.47

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

This statistic shows the brands of manual toothbrushes used most often in the

United States in 2017. The data has been calculated by Statista based on the U.S.

Census data and Simmons National Consumer Survey (NHCS). According to this

statistic, 53.4 million Americans used Colgate Total in 2017 ([Link]

Factor affecting behavior attitudes towards toothbrush

Filipinos are often lured by product promos and affordable prices. 40% of the

Filipino respondents in a study conducted by Waggener Edstrom Communications Ltd.

(WECL) said that they are very likely to follow a brand on social media for the discounts

and promotions offered.

 28

Nielsen’s 2013 Philippine Shopper Trends Report revealed affordability as the

key driver of new product purchase for Filipino consumers, followed by convenience

and personal recommendation. Filipino shoppers have said that they like new products

or emerging products that are “centered on affordability, health and sustainability, and

convenience as important considerations.”

Most of the time toothbrushes are packed in a vacuum package, so consumers

have no chance to touch and feel the bristle or handle of the toothbrush. The only option

available for them is the product description written in the package or the information

provided by sellers. Hence, consumers do not find significant differences among the

brands. So, they consider color as the first feature while buying toothbrush. Color

preference varies from person to person. Shaghahian S. and Zraatkar M, study About

44% consumers, with almost equal proportion, preferred white and blue colored

toothbrush and 13% consumers preferred red color toothbrushes. Interestingly, about

11% consumers did not have any color preference. They expressed to be comfortable

with toothbrush of any color. However, consumers in Dhaka city mentioned about more

color varieties. Even some consumers mentioned the combination of two or more

colors. Further relationship can be found by conducting a correlation check between the

demographic variables and color preferences

Price General Trend Despite the current sluggish economic climate, consumers

are unlikely to cut back on their oral hygiene spending as people view this as a

grooming necessity. However, research has suggested that nearly a quarter (22% for

both toothpaste and mouthwash and 26% for toothbrush) of respondents surveyed,

purchases whatever brands that are on promotion (Mintel, 2012). This could be
 29

attributed to the reason that consumers strive to keep to their household budget low.

This research also shows that 20% of consumers purchase the cheapest available oral

care product. There are many factors which affect consumer behaviour. However,

pricing is believed to be one of the most important aspects of consumer motives (Kin

and Jin, 2001). This part of the report seeks to address the relevance of this factor in

the oral healthcare industry by means of comparisons with other determinants of

consumer behaviour such as product functionality, brand loyalty and socioeconomic

group.

Producers

The various toothbrush producers have a varying amount of information on their

homepages. One of the most extensive is Oral-B, who - besides general information

regarding their assortment - also states a range of clinical examinations of their

toothbrushes. There are comparative tests and clinical tests, but only little information

on constituents in their toothbrushes. There is only one producer, whose homepage

gives information about constituents in their toothbrush, MAM. They inform the following

concerning their children’s toothbrush: handle of polypropylene and thermoplastic

elastomer, bristles of polyamide and safety ring of polyoxymethylene. At our request the

producers gave the following information about constituents in selected toothbrush

types stated

Suppliers

Both Plastindustrien and the producers inform that only one brand of

toothbrushes is manufactured in Denmark, Tandex. All other toothbrushes are

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manufactured all over the world, among others in Norway, England, Germany and USA

([Link]/eJournals/ShowText)

Packaging of Toothbrushes

 Blister Packaging

The name may not sound especially attractive; blister packaging provides the

best possible protection, aesthetics and cost-effectiveness for toothbrushes. They get

their name because the most recognizable feature is a plastic “blister” that forms a

cavity over the product. Aside from toothbrushes, this method is also leveraged for

single pills of medication and all kinds of utensils ([Link]

 Durability

One of the best benefits of this method of packaging toothbrushes is that the

product stays protected. Plastic can be a very durable material and when thermoforming

is used to fortify it, a lot of impact is needed to compromise the finished product. So a

toothbrush encased in this type of molding will definitely fend off any wear and tear it

may incur from being transported ([Link]

 Theft Prevention

It’s also not a very cooperative material for thieves. Blister packaging isn’t

altogether difficult to remove, but it can be cumbersome if one was to try to break into it

in the middle of a store. Even if they were successful, customers would realize it right
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away because the clear plastic would immediately let them know there was no product

inside or that it had otherwise been tampered with ([Link]

 Cost-Effectiveness

This method of packaging toothbrushes is also very cost-effective. One look at a

blister package and you can tell no materials were used unnecessarily. It’s literally a

backing of cardboard and the least amount of plastic needed to seal in the product.

Compared to the other way many products are packaged, this version is positively

frugal ([Link]

 Optimizing Blister Packaging

While this method of packaging toothbrushes is by far the best, you still won’t get

the results you want if you don’t use the right machine to secure it. Blister packaging is

definitely not a process that should be handled by people ([Link]