BARCELONA, Spain - Wednesday, 13. May 2026 AETOSWire
Oral‑B and iADH build on four years of action to advance inclusive oral care and whole‑body health
41% of Europeans identify as living with a disability, representing a four‑point increase wave‑on‑wave
(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oral‑B today announces The Big Rethink 2026, the next evolution of its flagship oral health inclusion programme, developed in partnership with the International Association for Disability and Oral Health (iADH). The new phase introduces Project Steady, one of Europe’s largest real‑world studies exploring oral care experiences among people with disabilities, their carers and dental professionals. The programme aims to reduce everyday barriers to oral care through inclusive design, evidence-based research and professional education.
Oral health for Whole-Body Health
Since its launch in 2022, The Big Rethink has been grounded in a clear belief: oral health is fundamental to whole‑body health, confidence and quality of life. For people with disabilities, barriers to daily oral care can have wider health and social implications - making inclusion an essential part of improving oral health outcomes.
The mouth is the gateway to the body and therefore acts as a mirror to your overall health. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) oral disease affects nearly 3.5 billion people,1 Oral-B is on a mission to make the invisible connection between oral health and whole body health visible and to empower people to take their health into their own hands.
A growing and unequal challenge
New research from the Oral-B European Disability Study 2025 reveal that 41% of Europeans identify as living with a disability, representing a four‑point increase wave‑on‑wave2, driven by a broader range of visible and invisible conditions. Based on a survey of more than 9,000 adults across nine European markets3, the findings reveal a significant disparity in daily oral care experiences.
52% of people with physical disabilities and 63% people with cognitive disabilities report struggling with oral care, compared with 33% of non‑disabled people. These gaps highlight the need for oral health systems, services and tools to better reflect the realities of everyday life4.
Project Steady: One of Europe’s largest real‑world oral health studies
At the heart of The Big Rethink 2026 is a six‑month, multi‑country study gathering real‑world feedback from people with disabilities, their carers and dental professionals across Europe. The study known as Project Steady represents the next wave of The Big Rethink, focused on understanding lived experience and identifying practical ways to remove everyday barriers to oral care. The Europe‑wide study builds on learnings from an earlier pilot phase led by dental professionals, which highlighted how everyday usability challenges can disrupt oral care routines.
In the pilot case study of dexterity impaired patients run in February-March 2026 in collaboration with Dr Ana Molina, 90% reduced areas with high amount of plaque after one month of using the accessory with Oral-B iO2, with 40% also showing improved gum health5.
Consumer feedback highlighted practical everyday benefits, with consumers commenting:
“Easier to hold and control for people with limited hand dexterity.”
“More comfortable brushing experience.”
“Helps clean more tooth surfaces and reach difficult areas.”
From insight to action
As part of the large study, participants will use Oral‑B’s iO2 electric toothbrush alongside a new adaptive accessory, designed to address two common, practical challenges to brushing:
Control and ergonomics - improved grip, manoeuvrability and button access
Stability and toothpaste application - helping prevent roll‑away and make toothpaste use easier
The expected outcomes are:
A more accessible brushing experience, reducing everyday usability barriers
Improved oral-health results, supported by real- world product performance
Solutions shaped directly by lived experiences, informed by participant feedback throughout the study
Oral-B Disability Champion Programme
Oral-B has recently launched a test for 200 Disability Champions across Europe to test the adaptive accessory with respective patients
Oral-B launched the Disability Champions Award Programme as part of its ongoing mission to make oral care for accessible to everybody. In partnership with the iADH, the programme aims to make the dentist office experience across Europe more inclusive and positive for those with disabilities and their caregivers.
A long-term commitment to inclusion
The Big Rethink 2026 complements Oral‑B’s ongoing initiatives:
Disability Champions programme, which supports more disability‑positive dental practices,
iADH co‑created education programme designed to help dental professionals better support patients with disabilities.
By pairing large‑scale research with inclusive design and professional education, The Big Rethink 2026 marks a decisive step in addressing barriers to oral care and supporting better whole‑body health for more people.
Paolo Grue, Senior Vice President, Oral Care Europe, Procter & Gamble, said: “We are incredibly proud to be continuing and evolving The Big Rethink. Since its launch, it has shown that oral health is not an isolated issue - it is fundamental to whole‑body health, confidence and quality of life. With Project Steady, we are building on that commitment by launching one of our most ambitious research initiatives to date listening directly to people with disabilities and translating real‑world insight into practical, inclusive solutions. This is how we create real, lasting progress. When inclusion leads, better oral health and better overall health follows."
Professor Pedro Diz Dios, President, International Association for Disability and Oral Health (iADH) said: “The link between oral health and general health is well established, yet many people with disabilities still face daily obstacles to basic oral care. Research of this scale, rooted in everyday experience, is essential if we are to develop evidence‑based solutions that genuinely improve oral health outcomes and advance health equity.”
Regina Rubio Odgers, Senior Scientist– Oral Care R&D, Oral‑B, said: “What we heard consistently through earlier phases of The Big Rethink was that small, everyday design challenges can have a significant impact on people’s ability to maintain oral care routines. This study allows us to take those insights into real‑world testing -ensuring solutions are shaped by lived experience and designed to work in everyday life.”
Dr. Ana Molina, Dental Professional and Clinical Lead, Oral‑B Pilot Study, said: “Running the pilot study showed us how small, practical barriers can quickly disrupt daily oral care routines. By testing solutions in real‑world conditions with patients and carers, we were able to generate insights that are directly relevant to both clinical practice and product development. This next phase allows those learnings to be scaled and strengthened.”
About Oral-B
Oral-B® was founded in 1950 by a California periodontist, who invented an innovative toothbrush to help his patients achieve healthier teeth and gums at home. Oral-B® continues to stay true to his mission and is today the worldwide leader in the over $5 billion brushing market. Part of the Procter & Gamble Company, the brand manufactures electric toothbrushes and toothpaste for adults and children, oral irrigators, and interdental products.
About the International Association for Disability and Oral Health (iADH)
The iADH is a global organization with over 8000 members from all sectors of health and social care interested in disability and oral health who work to share their scientific knowledge, research, clinical skills and collective experience to reduce barriers to care and improve oral health outcomes for people with disability.
1 Oral Health https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/oral-health (Accessed April 2021)
2 2025 base n=9085; Showing data from Oral-B European Disability Study 2025; Increases and Decreases wave-on-wave are highlighted – these are from comparisons against data collected between 2021 and 2023
3 2025 base n=9085; Showing data from Oral-B European Disability Study 2025; Increases and Decreases wave-on-wave are highlighted – these are from comparisons against data collected between 2021 and 2023
4 2025 base n=9085; Showing data from Oral-B European Disability Study 2025; Increases and Decreases wave-on-wave are highlighted – these are from comparisons against data collected between 2021 and 2023
5 Oral-B Pilot Case Study report
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Contacts
Dominique Kooner
dominique.kooner@pgone.co.uk, 07940034200
