From high-end teeth whitening and toothpaste to Kendall Jenner promoting oral care tools as fun to Gen Z, disruptor brands make our smiles their business
- The market for dental health and oral beauty was worth about US$48 billion in 2020, compared to skincare’s US$140 billion
- With influencers such as Kendall Jenner and NFL’s Odell Beckham Jnr promoting products, combined with more ‘luxury’ packaging, the industry is set to boom
Shopping for beauty products, seeing a dermatologist and getting a facial are often fun and luxurious experiences, even if you’re not a skincare aficionado. The same, however, cannot be said of oral care.
When was the last time you enjoyed getting your teeth cleaned at the dentist or buying a mouthwash? They’re often routine and unpleasant tasks with none of the frills and pampering that are key elements of the beauty industry.
According to Euromonitor International, a market research firm, the global market of the oral care industry was about US$48 billion in 2020, which pales in comparison to the US$140 billion of the skincare market.
In recent years, however, the Colgates of the world, which are still the unassailable leaders, have started to get some competition from brands that aim to turn oral care from an afterthought into a full-fledged and Instagram-worthy endeavour.
Particularly in the United States, where, thanks to celebrity culture, straight white teeth are coveted, brands such as Moon Oral Care have been targeting millennials and Gen Z through collaborations with the likes of Kendall Jenner.