ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH – THE POTENTIAL OF A YOUNG AUDIENCE

According to Nikkei Asia, the flagship English publication of Nikkei Inc. reported that despite the current economic struggles throughout several consumer marketplaces due to the pandemic, the dental care market has surged. It is forecast to continue growing.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) of Japan published data reporting that the annual national medical expenditure per capita on dental practice in Japan saw steady growth from 2009 to 2018, just before the COVID-19 pandemic.

And as Nikkei Asia reported, the pandemic has not stopped that upward trend. On the contrary, the pandemic has brought more awareness of personal hygiene and personal care.

IS THERE EVIDENCE FOR THIS TREND?

One example can be seen in the MEXT survey that announced its downward findings in the number of Japanese youths exhibiting dental caries from 2014 to 2020. On average, every age group in this survey reported a decrease of around 10% in showing dental caries.

The correlation couldn’t be more evident. The more time and money Japanese parents invest in dental care for their children, the stronger their oral hygiene becomes. In a COVID-19 world, all types of hygiene are essential, especially in the Japanese culture, where hygiene and personal care are of utmost importance.

SO, WHERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY?

The opportunity lies in the electric toothbrush market. Despite the upward trend in dental health care and the strengthening in personal hygiene, most Japanese youth still rely on the classic toothbrush + toothpaste pairing. Research conducted by TesTee Lab reported that among Japanese youth (junior and senior high school students and university students), the majority (88.6%) use a toothbrush as their go-to hygiene product. The following product was toothpaste (71.1%), and below dental floss, mouthwash and interdental brush, we find the electric toothbrush (12.3%).

The Japanese people are very cautious of their health, as this article has pointed out in the upward trend of dental care expenditure. While most Japanese will visit a medical professional when they feel it’s necessary; there is an opportunity to help them avoid such expensive and time-consuming visits by providing them with effective and proper care at home. The electric toothbrush is the perfect product to give such care to adults and especially to young Japanese.

WHY THE ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH?

One of the most popular brands in the oral hygiene market states the benefits of the electric toothbrush compared to the traditional toothbrush.

– Superior plaque removal
– Ease of use
– Customization in terms of brush types and modes
– Deeper and lengthier oral health

WHO ARE THE PLAYERS IN THE JAPANESE MARKET?

The following table provides examples of the most popular electric toothbrushes designed and marketed specifically for kids in Rakuten, the largest local online shopping site in Japan.

TAKEAWAYS 

There are two key takeaways:

1) By looking at the results from Rakuten, it is clear that parents don’t feel that electric toothbrushes are necessary for their children. They may not be familiar with the benefits of using electric toothbrushes over traditional ones, and there is enormous potential to bring this to their awareness.

2) As the data suggested, teenagers and young adults (university students) are a critical demographic in the dental care market. However, most products can only be separated into adults and children. Could there be an opportunity to develop and target something specific to this demographic?