Sunstar Promotes Importance of Oral Care in Shelters: Participating in 'TKB48 Shelter Drill' Marking 10 Years Since Kumamoto Earthquake

Sunstar Group participated as a supporting company in the 'TKB48 Shelter Drill' held by Kumamoto City from May 15-18, 2026, marking the 10th anniversary of the Kumamoto Earthquake. Through its corporate booth and the provision of liquid toothpaste to overnight participants, Sunstar conveyed the importance of oral care during evacuations. This drill was conducted to practice 'TKB48'—ensuring Toilet (T), Kitchen/Meal (K), and Bed (B) environments within 48 hours of a disaster—aiming to improve living conditions in shelters and achieve zero disaster-related deaths. Seventeen pairs of elementary school students and their guardians from Kumamoto City participated in the overnight experience. Approximately 150 people, including disaster prevention officials from 61 municipalities and companies, attended to observe various drills and corporate booths. Sunstar installed liquid toothpaste in the venue's washrooms for participants to experience and distributed its 'Long-term Storage GUM Dental Rinse Stick Type,' which can be stored for five years as emergency stock. Additionally, at its booth, the company explained the concept of 'Oral Care for Disaster Prevention,' emphasizing the importance of maintaining oral hygiene during disaster and shelter life. It is noted that oral environments tend to deteriorate in shelters due to restricted food and water, and changes in daily rhythms. Since oral health affects overall physical health, Sunstar clearly communicated three key points to participants and officials: 1) the importance of oral care in shelters, 2) practical oral care methods in water-restricted environments, and 3) the necessity of stocking liquid toothpaste. Participants shared feedback such as, 'I remembered the trouble of not being able to brush my teeth during the evacuation 10 years ago. I want to add oral care products to my emergency kit,' and 'Feeling refreshed in the mouth changes one's mood. I realized oral care is important in shelter life.' This provided a valuable opportunity for participants to understand the importance of 'Oral Care for Disaster Prevention' through experience. Sunstar aims to promote overall health starting from oral health and will continue its awareness activities to integrate oral care into disaster preparedness in collaboration with municipalities and relevant organizations.