Dressed in an oversized blazer, her tresses styled in an ombre shag, Ashley Tisdale is sitting on a couch in her hotel suite in downtown Manhattan by a large window overlooking the magic of a sparkly, crisp pre-fall New York City afternoon. 

 

Surrounded by miniature bouquets of large red roses complementing Colgate’s signature fire-engine-red and the brand’s latest toothpaste innovation, Plaque Pro Release, the actress and entrepreneur looks very much the boss of her oral health… and she is. So much, in fact, that Tisdale— the founder of community-based wellness and lifestyle platform Being Frenshe—partnered with Colgate Total to introduce the world to “Totally Honest.” The vibrant pop-up booth gives NYC passersby a chance to “come clean” about the oral care habit fibs—big and small—they’ve fed their hygienists. And no better to place to do that than in the heart of the world’s largest city with the least amount of judgement, on August 8 and 9.  

 

“I definitely get anxious going to the dentist,” Tisdale admits with a pearly white smile. “There have been multiple times where he [her dentist] was like, ‘Have you been flossing?’ And I’m like, ‘Yeahh,” she says sheepishly (and not so convincingly). “You never want to tell your dentist everything.” 

 

She’s not alone. In fact, roughly one-third of the US population avoids going to the dentist due to dental anxiety or fear, and the trend is widespread.

 

“Less than one-third of people feel very confident going to the dentist. At Colgate, we are determined to increase those odds by helping people feel more prepared for their appointments so they can be totally honest,” said Salma Kaddouri, integrated marketing and communications lead, Colgate-Palmolive. “With Colgate Total Plaque Pro-Release, we are excited to have a toothpaste that can help people be proactive about their oral health and head into the dentist feeling more confident.”

 

“I am obviously excited to be partnered up with Colgate, because I feel like I’m dentist-ready when I go in, and I love to be on top of my oral health care,” says Tisdale.

Colgate’s Plaque Pro Release, which debuted this spring, is designed to specifically target plaque, a sticky, colorless deposit on teeth in which bacteria proliferate. Reportedly the No. 1 dental problem in the US with a whopping 75% of consumers concerned and affected, it forms when sugars and oral bacteria metabolize food particles and other natural substances, accumulate on teeth surfaces below the gum line. Because it can be hard to reach with a toothbrush— specifically, the back molars which constitute the loudest dental scrapes when the hygienist is scratching for plaque during a cleaning –as well as in between teeth due to a lack of, or improper flossing, the R&D scientists at Colgate created Plaque Pro Release. The toothpaste innovation is lauded for its smart foam technology, which is designed to disrupt the harmful effects of plaque associated with gingivitis. The paste provides around-the-clock antibacterial protection when used twice-daily for at least two weeks, according to the brand. 

 

Colgate saw a void in the market for such a product that could help keep dental plaque at bay in between professional cleanings, the brand says. Colgate Plaque Pro Release comes on the heels of the brand's launch of its teeth whitening dental care innovations earlier in the year: the smart-phone-powered ComfortFit LED device, which emits high-energy purple light, helping hydrogen peroxide serum pen break down stains, and the Colgate Optic White Express Teeth Whitening Pen.

 

The smart foam technology uses smaller bubbles consisting of a wetter foam designed to more easily enter smaller crevices along the gum line and teeth to dissolve and lift away harmful plaque bacteria that may have been left behind after brushing. It’s important to remove plaque from teeth, not just for the purpose of preventing serious problems like gingivitis, gum disease, tooth decay and loss, but to ensure the health of the rest of the body. Poor oral health is, after all, a pathway into other problems throughout the body, particularly the heart. 

 

The goal of the NYC pop-up booth is to serve as an eye-opener for consumers who may have been neglecting their oral health and encourage them to use Colgate products and see their dentist. And Tisdale is Colgate’s biggest cheerleader. 

 

“It’s completely helped my confidence, because I know that I’m obviously creating really good habits for myself, and it makes me feel like I’m able to – just by taking care of myself and using Colgate – get ahead of any kind of gingivitis or cavities,” she told HAPPI. “I love going to the dentist at the same time, just because [my] teeth feel really great. It’s all-encompassing to wellness, so it’s important to keep going. I haven’t had a cavity in so long.”

 

Tisdale became a household name for her role as Sharpay Evans in the international hit film franchise High School Musical and for her role as Maddie Fitzpatrick in Disney Channel’s The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

 

As a songstress, she first achieved success with the 2006 release of her debut album “Headstrong” with Warner Bros. Records, which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 list. In 2019, she released her third studio album “Symptoms” in which she chronicled her journey with anxiety and depression – topics for which she strongly advocates.

 

For the star, wellness begins with self-care. Nowadays, with a 2-year-old daughter, Jupiter, Tisdale’s also drilling home the importance of forming positive oral health habits in children at a young age. 
 

“For me, it’s one of those things I do not compromise. I wash my face and brush my teeth morning and night. It really is something you have to instill in them when they’re younger to understand their ritual, and so she has this cute little toothbrush and I think she gets it,” she said. “It’s the first thing she does after she wakes up and it’s important to start a good foundation early.”