Vegemi Meets 5-Year-Olds at Oral Health Check-Ups Across the Pirkanmaa Wellbeing Services County, Finland

Oral health is one of the cornerstones of overall health and an essential part of our wellbeing. A healthy diet plays a significant role in supporting oral health, and good oral care routines, alongside a varied and balanced diet, help maintain healthy teeth and gums, support a positive oral microbiome, and prevent dental diseases. Good oral hygiene habits are learned in childhood, and routines adopted early on tend to last well into adulthood. That’s why we are delighted to share that Vegemi has joined forces with the Pirkanmaa Wellbeing Services County, Finland to promote children’s oral health.

Pirkanmaa Wellbeing Services County (Pirha) is the largest of its kind in Finland by population, serving over half a million residents. Pirha provides a wide range of healthcare services for its residents, including dental care to support oral and dental health.

Together with Pirha, we aim to raise awareness among families about the importance of a balanced, varied diet and regular, thorough oral self-care for overall health. Positive habits, attitudes, and routines regarding oral care and healthy nutrition, developed together with children, can have long-lasting effects.

Pirha Dental Clinics Offer Families Practical and Motivating Tools Together with Vegemi

During autumn 2024, we piloted an intervention in collaboration with Pirha as part of the oral health check-ups for 5-year-olds, where Vegemi supported families in oral care and nutrition. Vegemi had initially been introduced in Pirkanmaa’s dental clinics as part of the Hoppu project and the DH2 project, which supported the commercialisation and scaling of digital health solutions. At these check-ups, families were provided with practical and engaging tools to encourage healthy daily oral care routines. Through Vegemi and the Vegemi app, families were introduced to oral health practices and nutritional knowledge that promote oral wellbeing.

Families encountered Vegemi right in the waiting areas of the dental clinics, where Vegemi posters offered fun and easy-to-follow toothbrushing instructions to take home. During the check-up, children were introduced to the friendly stomach bacteria character, Vegemi, – a character found in the Vegemi App whose superpower is a sparkling smile, fuelled by vegetables that promote dental health.

While receiving care, children could, if they wished, listen to Vegemi’s entertaining audio story, which helped ease any nervousness and made the dental professional’s job a little smoother. At the end of the appointment, each child received a fun Vegemi oral health activity book to take home, filled with educational tasks and engaging information about oral care and the importance of diet, designed for the whole family.

Vegemi’s Reception Has Been Warm – The Intervention Is Expanding

Feedback from both families and staff during the pilot was overwhelmingly positive: the experience has delighted families, and Vegemi along with the provided materials have been seen as motivating. Professionals found the approach helpful in starting conversations about nutrition with families. The new tools were also considered valuable by dental hygienists working independently.

Dental hygienist Susanna Sivonen from Ylöjärvi Dental Clinic shares:
“The Vegemi app, audio story, and activity book were received enthusiastically and with curiosity. Some had already downloaded the app while in the waiting area. The app is a great and, in my opinion, much-needed addition to the check-up and children’s health education. Vegemi helps encourage children to try new vegetables and fruits. The snack ideas in the adult section of the app are fantastic. The brushing counter works well for children of all ages and motivates them to brush their teeth. Parents have welcomed it with open arms!”

Based on this positive feedback, Pirha began expanding the intervention to all its dental clinics from February 2025 onwards.

Our Vegemi, with its sparkling smile superpower, is thrilled about this important collaboration and proudly shares that you’ve already brushed your teeth over 40,000 times together with Vegemi in the Vegemi app!

Read Pirha’s press release about our collaboration (in Finnish) here!

For more information:
Emilia Järvinen, emilia@vegemi.com