New Preventative Maintenance Kit from Sunstar Features Product to Fit Patient Needs

New Preventative Maintenance Kit from Sunstar Features Product to Fit Patient Needs

Kit has a retail value of more than $4.00, including a $1.00 GUM® product coupon

CHICAGO – 09/15/09 – Sunstar Americas, Inc., manufacturer of GUM® and Butler® brand products and a leader in providing advanced oral care products to professionals and consumers worldwide, announced a new program for dental professionals which provides free between-teeth cleaning products with every purchase of qualifying GUM® brand toothbrushes.

“Patients love to receive goodie bags after dental visits, but often times the product inside is never used,” Ann Foppe, professional marketing director of Sunstar Americas said. “Sunstar is helping dental professionals provide their patients with quality products that they will use immediately, not the standard tube of toothpaste.”

According to research by the American Dental Association, 87 percent of patients do not floss. To help encourage and support between-teeth cleaning, Sunstar Americas is offering dental professionals the choice of providing GUM® Soft-Picks® or Eez-Thru® Flossers in their patient goodie bags at no cost. These user-friendly floss alternatives help patients with between-teeth cleaning.  “Hygienists are constantly looking for new ways to promote between-teeth cleaning for their patients,” Jackie Sanders, RDH, BS and Sunstar Americas marketing manager said. “Choosing GUM® Soft-Picks® as the free good results in a 75 cent added value per kit.”

Sunstar Americas new preventative maintenance kit program is the easiest in the industry: no plan membership required, no annual purchase commitment, no forced shipments and dental professionals can choose the brush style and kits that meet their needs.

Preventative maintenance kit options include:

·         GUM® Soft-Picks®  — Shown to be as effective as string floss in removing plaque and reducing gingival bleeding between the teeth. With 76 soft and flexible rubber bristles, the patented GUM® Soft-Picks® are gentle on gums and work well with appliances such as bridges, implants and orthodontia.

·         GUM® Eez-Thru® Mint Flossers — An easy, convenient and disposable one-handed flossing option. The consumer-preferred floss slides easily between teeth without shredding, breaking or sagging. The easy-grip handle has a thumb pad and nonslip surface for better control, making it easier to access back teeth.

·         ButlerWeave® Mint Waxed Floss — Unique woven floss effectively removes plaque between teeth and below the gumline and is clinically proven to improve gingival health. With a thin, flat profile, ButlerWeave floss glides easily between teeth and has shred-resistant fibers which reduce shredding and breaking. Package contains 12 yards of floss, which is three times more than competitors.

 ·         Crayola™ Kids Flossers — Colorful crayon shapes kids recognize and love. A no-mess way for parents to help kids floss. Helps remove more plaque than brushing alone and is easy to hold in kid-size hands. Available in three favorite colors – berry, green and blue.

 ·         ButlerWeave® Tutti Frutti Waxed Floss — Unique woven floss effectively removes plaque between teeth and below the gumline and is clinically proven to improve gingival health. With a thin, flat profile ButlerWeave floss glides easily between teeth and has shred-resistant fibers which reduce shredding and breaking. Package contains 12 yards of floss which is three times more than competitors and is in a delicious tutti-frutti flavor.

Kits also include a patient education brochure with instructions on proper brushing and between-teeth cleaning.

The new preventative maintenance kits are available now through local dealer representatives or by calling Sunstar at 1-800-528-8537.

About Sunstar Americas, Inc.

Chicago-based Sunstar Americas, which serves the Americas, is part of the Sunstar Group of companies, a global organization founded in Japan in 1941 which now has worldwide sales of over $1 billion. The company has offices in 15 countries and four major geographic divisions. Sunstar’s mission is to enhance the health and well-being of people everywhere via its four business areas: mouth and body, health and beauty, healthy home and safety and technology. The company is proud of its global partnership with dental professionals to develop a better understanding of the potential links between oral health, general health and quality of life. Sunstar’s well-known Butler® brand of professional dental products and GUM® brand of consumer oral hygiene products have been two of the dental profession’s most trusted and recommended brands for more than 60 years. Butler® and GUM® products are designed in consultation with dental professionals and manufactured to the highest quality standards, assuring product excellence and patient satisfaction. For additional information, please visit www.GUMbrand.com.